Note: The dog pictured above (Miss T.’s try-anything buddy, BBoy) did not actually jump into the Bay, swim to the sailboat and shout “Avast there, mateys! Set sail to Tortuga for a grrrr-ate life of glory, plunder and adventure!”
But he wanted to!
Sausalito Dogs and Dog Lovers Guide
Sausalito dogs have great places to take their owners on walks, both for residents and for visitors from San Francisco and northern Marin. Here are key things for local dog lovers to know.
1. Unless you have a small breed, to take your Sausalito dogs on the Ferry you’ll have to take the Blue and Gold Fleet between Sausalito and Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Dogs must be on leash and under the owner’s control (i.e. not frightening other people or dogs) or carried in a carrier.
Golden Gate Ferry allows small animals to be brought on board if they are kept in hand-carried pet carriers. If they’re too big for a one-person carrier, only assistance animals, service animals and service animals in training are allowed.
2. Local ordinances require Sausalito dogs to be on leash on city streets and property. You’ll see the signs posted around town. (Yes, you’re right, this law is often ignored, just like everywhere else.)
3. The Sausalito Dogs Park offers an enclosed place for dogs to run and play. As with all dog parks, check out the behavior of the dogs already there before bringing in your dog. Like everywhere, there is a tiny percentage of people who will bring dogs that ruin the experience for everyone.
4. The Sausalito parks, especially those along Bridgeway, are frequent places where Sausalito dogs bring their owners to play. Many parks have free waste pick-up bags in dispensers, and the new bag designs make it easier and less gross to use them. Two of our former offices had a view of two Sausalito parks and the percentage of owners who clean up is really high.
Reader Feedback: We get emails from readers who read the prior paragraph and want to tell us that their property regularly gets unwanted Sausalito dog gifts. I like to carry extra bags in my pocket just in case, and I still feel really bad about that time in 2011 near the O’Connell Memorial where I thought I had bags and I didn’t. (Right now, somewhere up on The Hill a neighbor is reading this and shouting, “Honey! Honey! It’s those OurSausalito.com people who left a mess near our lawn!”)
5. Dining with your Sausalito dogs — Many Sausalito restaurants offer sidewalk dining where leashed dogs are welcome. See our page on Outdoor Dining in Sausalito. The links there will let you call ahead to check on a particular restaurant if you want to confirm their policies. This is one of the great joys of being in a town with so many restaurants that offer sidewalk dining –Miss T loves watching the people and dogs go by on Bridgeway if we’re having lunch downtown, although she’d like every single person to stop and rub her head and every single dog to stop and play! Most restaurants with back patios (like Bar Bocce), however, are not allowed to admit dogs there under the health regulations, so look for places with seating out front.
6. Sausalito’s stairways offer access to some of our greatest views, and will get you and your Sausalito dogs away from the crowds. If you’re not accustomed to running marathons or entering Iron Man/Woman competitions, give yourself time to climb the steep slopes — the longest stairways have rest spots as you go up the hill.
Miss T. likes to give me the look to say, “OK, if you need a rest I’ll stop while you catch your breath. Or we could just run the rest of the way up the stairs and be at the top before you know it!”
7. At the risk of stating the obvious, please be careful about leaving your Sausalito dogs in the car. There are times when we have a cold breeze here in Sausalito with a bright sun. Though you may be shivering outside the car, the sun can bake the interior and dogs can be severely harmed much faster than one might think.
Note: This page is sponsored by our Editor, Miss T., on behalf of all Sausalito dogs. Miss T. has approved these messages.
