How to Travel With Rover in Woodinville and Out of Town

Val Mallinson, author of The Dog Lover’s Companion to the Pacific Northwest, has a great getaway for Woodinville dog owners and their pooches, and they don’t even have to leave town.

“Willows Lodge is very dog friendly,” she said. “They even have a welcome basket with doggie treats when you arrive.”

It’s Mallinson’s job to know where the best spots are for people traveling with pets, her books is in its second addition. She makes sure every place she sends dog owner’s to is truly friendly to man’s best friend.

“When you’re traveling with your dog, whether nearby or on a vacation, you need to know where you can, say, eat without having to leave your dog alone at the hotel or in a car,” she said.

Mallinson said Woodinville has some great options for outings with the family dog. The Sammamish River Trail is one, there are plenty of places to access the trail and walk as little or as far as your dog’s paws can take.

“Just be aware of the cyclists, “she said. “Some are great about letting you know they’re coming up behind you, but others aren’t.”

Another choice local site from her book is the Tolt Pipeline Trail; make sure your dog plays with others well before attempting the Tolt, Mallinson warns.

“One of my wiener dogs feels a need to bark at anything larger than she is, and everything is larger than she is,” Mallinson said. “If she saw a horse on the trial, she’d go crazy.”

Mallinson will talk about all the great places in the Northwest to visit with dogs when she speaks at Molbak’s on Saturday. She’ll be talking at 12:30 p.m., with a book signing to follow.