I know you guys are kinda used to Tawna blogging here every week, so I’m sorry to tell you she’s sick. Like she’s piling up all these tissues that taste REALLY AWESOME, but I’m not supposed to eat them because BAD DOG.
Whatever. In case you hadn’t guessed, I’m Tawna’s dog, Bindi, and DON’T WORRY! I have everything under control.
See, I’m an Australian Kelpie, which is pretty much like a herding dog on crack. If I can catch my own tail and keep Tawna’s five cats in line, I can totally ROCK THIS BLOG POST!
A lot of you have dogs of your own, so I’d like to tell you why I think Bend is freakin’ awesome. That way you guys can come here and play and maybe pee on some stuff I’ve marked for you. Just don’t touch that ponderosa in Drake Park. That’s mine.
Dog parks galore!
Look, I can totally walk on a leash. I can heel like nobody’s business, but sometimes I like to RUN FREEEEEE like the wild beast I am.
There are tons of places to do that in Bend. The good folks at DogPac do an awesome job setting up off-leash recreation areas around town, and the people at Bend Parks & Rec have a killer map of all the dog parks right here.
My favorite is the Bob Wenger Memorial Off-Leash Area in northeast Bend. It has 18 acres of trails, fields, rocks to pee on, trees to pee on, fences to pee on, fetching zones, and even a cool splash park I like to slobber in when the weather’s warm.
Did I mention I’m pretty much the best fetcher EVER?
If you’d rather get off the beaten path and run around in the woods, DogPac has a cool roundup of dog-friendly summer and winter trails here. When the snow is good, I like to take Tawna out to Wanoga to do a little snowshoeing. She wears the snowshoes, not me, because DUH, I can run on snow or mud or the surface of the sun because HELLO, I’m a Kelpie.
Hook a puppy up!
OK, maybe I exaggerated a little bit in that last paragraph. See, occasionally I need a little extra help dealing with the conditions in Bend. Like when we’re out for really long hikes in the snow, I sometimes wear booties to keep my toes warm. I’m hoping for a pair of Louboutin stilettos next, but so far no dice. My best friend, Tanner, wears this waxy goop called Musher’s Secret, which keeps her paws safe in the snow. Our parents buy all that stuff at Bend Pet Express, which has two locations in town and a DELICIOUS selection of dog cookies. I’m just saying.
When summer rolls around, Tawna likes to take me with her on the standup paddleboard because OBVIOUSLY she needs my superior navigation skills. I don’t have to wear my life vest when we’re paddling close to shore in calm water, but if we’re out on a lake or paddling someplace unfamiliar, I always wear one. Did you know RuffWear (the company that makes the K-9 Float Coat) is based in Bend? Like, I can totally smell it from here.
I feel pretty . . . oh so pretty!
Sometimes I get stinky and it’s AWESOME!
Unfortunately, Tawna and The Guy don’t agree. Since they’re the ones who drive the car, I usually end up at Bend Pet Express where they have these special dog wash stations that let my parents do the scrubbing and rinsing. I like it better that way, because seriously—would YOU want a stranger washing under your tail? I didn’t think so.
Anyway, they provide all the tools like aloe shampoo and conditioner, plus these rubber spongy things that feel really great on my rump, plus towels and nail trimmers and even an apron. The people wear the aprons, not the dogs, though I WOULD TOTALLY ROCK AN APRON.
Treats? Did someone say treats?
After my bath, I deserve a treat. I love it when Tawna swings by Newport Market where they always have a selection of freshly-cut beef bones with all this tasty marrow. I like to gnaw on my bone and pretend I’m a wild wolf who just took down an elk, but then I remember I let the cat lick my bone and also that I’m scared of my own farts.
Besides the marrow bones, I totally dig Dawg Grog, this special non-alcoholic dog beer that’s made locally from byproducts of the brewing process. Nothing washes down a freshly-killed elk like a cold one, amirite?
*Scratches self. Belches*
Everyone loves me!
Look, I haven’t learned to read yet, OKAY? Sue me, I was busy learning quantum physics and how to distinguish between post-modernism and abstract expressionist art forms.
But if I could read, I’d know Dog Fancy magazine named Bend the dog-friendliest city in America. And the thing is, I don’t need to read to know that. I can walk anywhere in town and people are happy to see me. Like they’d totally be wagging their tails if they had them (and what’s up with that—seriously, how can you live without a tail?)
Anyway, there are tons of restaurants in Bend that let me sit with Tawna and The Guy while they have dinner on the patio. You can check the grid listings here to find one you really like, since most places with patios allow dogs.
Out-of-town visitors will dig the fact that Bend has so many great hotels and vacation rentals that allow dogs. No joke, even really fancy hotels. Like The Oxford Hotel in Bend was just named the #6 hotel IN THE WHOLE FREAKIN’ COUNTRY by the folks at TripAdvisor, and they totally know how to treat a dog right. You get a personal pet bed customized to your size, a couple travel bowls, housemade treats, a map of dog walking trails, and add-on services like pet massage and dog walking. MASSAGE, you guys! Really. Or you can check out the digs at The Riverhouse, where they don’t charge any extra pet fees to let your dog share a room with you, plus they’re right on the river for easy access to all the best splashing and playing.
So I guess that pretty much does it for my blog post. Oh, and if anyone’s looking for something to get me for my birthday, I really want one of these awesome dog-powered scooters they make in Bend. Can’t you see me in one of those sporting a pair of Doggles and a cape?
That would rule.