We are driving to the border today. Right through the big cities of Portland and Seattle. An early start would be good but not too early. Timing it so I’m not hitting the morning traffic will make the day go much more smoothly.
Today’s Itinerary—
Morning visit to Armitage Dog Park, Springfield, Oregon
1st Stop: Tacoma, Washington, Waputo Dog Park
Border Crossing at Abbotsford
2nd Stop: Hope, British Columbia, Hope Dog Park
Lodging: AirBnB, Fraser River
We start the morning at Armitage Dog Park. There are a few other dogs to play with and it’s a quick stop to make sure Buster and Lily have pooped and peed for the journey. It is so much faster than trying to get them to go on a leash. They also do a lot of running and playing so they will sleep for the day.
We are on the road by 8:30 AM which will put us in Portland a bit after 10 AM. Perfect time to be zipping through without worry of commuter traffic. Driving through Portland is straight forward. We stick to I-5 and, aside from a few sections of construction, we move along at a reasonable pace. To check on current conditions on I-5, I recommend consulting the website i5exitguide.com. It provides real time traffic updates and weather reports along your route. Waze is also a good option.
Successfully navigating through Portland, we are now in Washington and on our way to Seattle. We’ll make a stop before Seattle to let the dogs run around and play at the Waputo Dog Park.
First Stop: Waputo Dog Park
Located in Tacoma, Washington, Waputo Dog park is less than a mile off of I-5. There is the typical large and small dog section, but the large dog area has an upper and lower section. This gives your dog lots of space to run and also to avoid any aggressive or unfriendly dogs, always a consideration when you visit a new dog park. The upper dog park has great trails to walk on while your pooch runs around. The lower dog park is a great space to throw the ball and there is a covered pagoda for humans should there be a rain shower. Running water is available so the dogs can drink up before we head out.
I should mention that the mid-day stop at the dog park is not just for the dogs. After sitting for 3 or 4 hours, it is great to take a 20–30-minute walk. It’s an opportunity for me to stretch, move my legs and breathe in some fresh air. Today, it gives me a chance to relax before the stressful drive coming up.
It should be noted that most dog parks don’t have bathrooms. If the dog park is connected to a people park, you’ll likely find bathrooms somewhere nearby. Otherwise, when you fill up the car with gas, that’s a good place to find a bathroom. Even though the car tank is only around the halfway mark, I always fill the car with gas at our first dog park stop. That way, we won’t have to stop again until our destination for the night.
Back on the Road
After stretching our legs and gassing up, it is back on I-5. Driving through Seattle is not the most pleasant thing. Too many cars driving too fast for me. Too many big trucks barreling down the road. We hit Seattle about 2:00 pm and yet there is bumper-to-bumper traffic. We are moving but slowly. I can’t imagine how it would be during rush hour. I realize at some point my hands have a death grip on the steering wheel. I have to constantly remind myself to release and breathe. I still think the best route is I-5. You can go around Seattle but Google doesn’t think it is any faster so I stick with I-5.
Soon enough we are through the city and on the country roads that lead to the border. I couldn’t find a dog park in Sumas, the last US town before the Canadian border so we do a quick walk on the leash to stretch Buster & Lily’s legs before we head into Canada. The drive to the border is short and sweet.
Border Crossing
Despite the dogs unfriendly barking at the guard, the border crossing is easy peasy for us. The dogs settle down and I answer the questions asked. We have no firearms, no fruits and vegetables, and the dogs are up to date on all vaccinations. Taking dogs into Canada, you must have proof of up-to-date rabies vaccinations. I’ve never been asked to show the actual paperwork, but I always have their complete medical records ready should I be asked for them. The Canadian government website provides details on what your rabies vaccination paperwork must include. Stuff like the name & breed of dog, signature of the licensed vet are to be expected but it must also include the name and serial number of the vaccine. Go to their website to get a full list of the required paperwork.
Last Stop for Day Two
Our stop for the night is Hope, British Columbia. Hope is about an hour drive from the border, and I’ve arranged for an AirBnB near the Fraser river. Before we head to our accommodation, we visit the Hedlund Hope dog park. This small off-leash park is located on 6th Ave., tucked between a baseball field and the Hope recreation centre. It is a fully fenced grassy field with plenty of space to throw a ball. There is water and a couple of benches for the humans to sit. The pups made good friends quickly and had a blast running and playing with their new buddies.
After an hour visit, we head to our lodging for the night. Day two of our road trip is in the bag.
California to Alaska: The Puppy Dog Edition is an eight part series. If you missed the start of the trip, Day One, click here. Day Three is all about Canada. For notifications, subscribe to the Retirement Monkeys Newsletter.
