While my wife takes dogs on leash -- generally on neighborhood walks -- I much prefer to take groups of 5 or 6 dogs to areas where they can romp and play with one another until they're ready to nap away the rest of the afternoon. We're very fortunate in Victoria to have a number of places where they can do this.
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One such place is Lochside Park ...located just past Mattock's Farm in Cordova Bay. It consists of three baseball diamonds and a soccer field joined by a grassy field which also contains a playground for the kids and a tennis court. The southernmost diamond is completely fenced with 2 gates that you can close which makes it very secure if you're concerned about your dog's recall ability.
To get there, just follow Cordova Bay Road past Mattock's Farm and turn onto Lochside Drive. Go about 500 meters and you'll find a large parking lot. There is no traffic past this point so it is quite safe to let your dog out of the vehicle off leash.
Please note that the ball diamonds are off limits to dogs from April to September. The large soccer field is open year round but there is another fenced field with artificial turf that is off limits at all times.
During the winter months I like to take dogs here because it's usually very quiet, and the high winter tides make the beaches impractical to visit.
Thetis Lake Park consists of two joined lakes, Upper Thetis and Lower Thetis. One of the nicest park close to Victoria, excellent hiking and fishing all year round. Beautiful forested trails around both lakes with views of surrounding area from the summit.
Take the Hwy 1 and exit 10 or 1A from Victoria onto the Old Island Hwy 14 turn right at the 6 Mile Pub onto 6 Mile Road follow to park.
You'll find the main parking lot to your left as you enter the park. This is fine if you only have one dog and you want to do the Lower Thetis walk. If your dog likes to go into the water there is a nice beach here but it's generally way too crowded in the summertime. The walk around Lower Thetis Lake should take you about an hour. It's a bit shorter than the one around Upper Thetis, but there are more hills to go up and down.
Since I always have a pack of 5 or 6 dogs with me I like to continue on the road, past the main beach all the way to the end where you will find a smaller parking lot and a beach at Upper Thetis.
There's only room for about 15 vehicles in the small parking lot but since most folks park in the main lot that you drove past when you were coming in, there's almost always a spot here in the off-months. In the summer months you need to get here early to get a spot. Parking costs $2 per day during these months, but since the ticket is good for all day most people thoughtfully leave their still valid ticket behind for the next person when they leave.
Lizzie at Thetis
The trail around Upper Thetis starts and ends at the small parking lot. It's relatively easy with lots of variety for the dogs and many spots where they can cool off or just romp and play in the water. One reason I like to bring dogs here is because the parking lot is the end of the road so there is absolutely no danger from vehicles to worry about.
This walk generally takes about an hour, but this can sometimes stretch longer, depending on how much fun the dogs are having. Sometimes they just don't want to get out of the water.
"To gain the friendship of a cat is a difficult thing. The cat is philosophical, methological, quiet animal, tenacious of it's own habits, fond of order and cleanliness, and it does not lightly confer its friendship. If you are worthy of its affection, a cat will be your friend, but never your slave. He keeps his free will, though he loves, and he will not do for you what he thinks is unreasonable. But if he once gives himself to you it is with absolute confidence and affection"
- Theophile Gautier, 1850
While dogs constitute the lion's share of our business, an increasing number of Victorians are going on vacations and leaving their cats at home.
Being of an independent nature, most cats are just fine with this arrangement. Providing, of course, that their owners have made arrangements for substitute servants to come by to change their litter and replenish their food.
This is where we come in.
We love cats...just about as much as dogs...and we consider it to be a perk of the trade to get to meet so many of them. But the thing about cats...you just never know what you're going to get. Some cats are affectionate and are there to greet us at the door, meowing and purring for attention the moment we walk in.
And then, there's Baxter...the gorgeous Abyssinian also known as Psycho Cat.
Happy and affectionate one minute. Hissing and scratching the next.
When we started our dog walking and pet sitting business four years ago we had no plans or intentions of also providing a boarding service. As with many things it really just happened by accident when one of our clients asked if we could take her dog for the weekend. Then as our clientele grew we found that we were getting more and more requests for the same service. Since we both love dogs we were happy to oblige.
There is a limit, however. And generally we only take one or two at a time. There might be occasions where arriving and leaving dates overlap and we have another dog thrown into the mix but that's usually only for a night or two. After all, we're not running a dog kennel. We don't have cages. Our furry guests become our pets for the duration of their stay. They have the run of the house as well as our fenced backyard. If they're allowed on the furniture at home we allow it here as well. If they sleep on the bed with their owners, they generally end up on our bed at night too.
Typical Kennel -- Avoid if possible
We once had to leave our dog and cat in a kennel while we went away for a couple of weeks and it was awful. We spent all the time feeling guilty and worrying about them to the point where it ruined our holiday. And when we returned to pick them up their relief was obvious.
When dogs stay with us they have a totally different experience than if they were in a kennel. Clients who worry about separation anxiety on the part of their pets needn't be concerned...our experience has shown that the minute their owners leave, their pet is busy happily exploring his new surroundings, checking out the assortment of toys and looking for where the food is kept. Almost all of our clients have found that on repeat visits their pet is more than happy to return.
As you can see from the above video, staying with us is just like when the kids go to Gramma and Grampa's house. (We try not to spoil them too much!)
And when there's not enough room to romp in our house, there's always the back yard...
Take Esquimalt Road west from Victoria and turn left onto Lampson Drive. This will take you to the parking lot and boat launching ramp at Fleming Beach which adjoins Macauley Point.
Unless it's a warm summer weekend you will find plenty of parking space here. Although Macauley Point is an off-leash area the first few hundred feet require that you leash your pet (indicated on the map with the yellow circles).
Another option is to go to the end of Clifton Terrace (off Munro Street). This is where I generally go when I have several dogs with me because they can go straight from my van into the park without having to be on leashes. Be aware, however, that there are No Parking signs posted. So far I've never had a problem. There's also a doggy bag dispenser at the gate.
Great view overlooking one of the turrets.
This is a wonderful area for dogs and their owners. It still has the remains of a gun emplacement from before World War II as well as stockades and other military structures.
Does your dog like tunnels?
Most dogs love going through the tunnel and exploring the hillside that holds the remains of one of the gun turrets.
Playing on the grassy field at Macauley Point
You can stay on the trails for an easy loop where you will meet other dog lovers, or you can explore the beaches and the rocks. There are also grassy fields where the dogs can romp and play.
Rocks and pebble beaches are great fun at Macauley
If you continue west along Munro Street for a few blocks you will come to the entrance to Saxe Point. There is a smaller off-leash area to your right just as you enter the park. You'll see parking for maybe 8-10 vehicles alongside a grassy area with a chip trail which takes you into the dog walking park.
While not as large as Macauley Point, it's still a great place to take your dog. You'll find a small beach on the west side which is easier to access than the beaches at Macauley. In the colder months you should be able to take your dog to the area below the main parking lot where they can run on the grass and play on the rocks.
The great thing about having two off-leash areas so close together is that you can always find a place to take your dog when the weather is nasty. If it's blowing from the south or the east, Saxe Point is best. You seldom get any wind on the small beach on the west side of the park. If it's blowing from the north you can go down to the beach at Macauley Point, below the cliff face, out of the weather. And if it's raining, the trees along the trails at Saxe Point offer protection.
