Andy and I had an interesting journey towards pet-parenthood. At our last residence, we fell in love with a local neighbor-dog by the name of Max; a fluffy, loving, delightful, and perfect Bichon Frisé. He would run on over to our back porch almost every day, eager for treats, belly rubs, and lots of love. We delighted in him. Shortly before we moved we noticed he hadn’t been coming around as often and eventually inquired with our neighbors. To our great sadness we found out Max had passed away from a stroke. It was incredibly hard for us, and we vowed to be ride-or-die Bichon owners for life.
When the time came to finally get a puppy of our own we sought out a Bichon Frisé, just like the OG Max. They’re French dogs, with their name meaning “Curly Lap Dog.” I speak some French and wanted our puppy to have a French name. Andy wanted his name to be Max after the OG Max. We compromised with Maximilien (pronounced max-uh-mill-ee-en), the French version of Maximillian.
Maximilien was born September 3, 2016 in Oregon. We found a wonderful breeder, Cheryl, who helped us to unite with Maximilien. We picked him up at the Anchorage airport in November of 2016. He was PERFECT. He was vibrant, loving, and devoted, with a puppy love that melted our hearts.
It only took about 3 months before we determined that Maximilien needed a frère (brother). Cheryl stepped in once more, and off we were to Anchorage once again. This time we were greeted by our second perfect fluffball, the crazy and super-loving Loïc, born February 12, 2017. Loïc is a bundle of joy and energy, he has a loving and fierce personality with a Golden Retriever-style appetite and more hugs to offer than you can stand.
Today, Maximilien and Loïc live extravagant lives – they dine on steak and baked chicken, have the highest quality diet, more toys than anyone could count, and the two most loving dog-parents the world has ever seen. There are no words to describe how much we love our puppies.
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Because we love them so much, we started a birthday trend; they each get a special “trip” for their birthdays. For Maximilien’s first birthday, we took him and his cousin Bandit to Seattle (stay tuned for Loïc’s birthday trip to Carmel, California in April 2018).
Seattle and its numerous suburbs is known for being a pretty dog-friendly town. If you are ever curious as to whether your travel destinations are dog-friendly check out this website here. Bandit and Maximilien did very well on the plane and in the airport. They basically owned the place.
Check out our recommendations here:
HOTELS
Renaissance Seattle: Located at 515 Madison Street, this hotel welcomes two dogs of any size for an additional fee of up to $100 per stay. Rooms range from double beds to King and Queen beds. You can also request a room with a city view.
Hotel 1000: Located at 1000 1st Avenue, this hotel welcomes pets up to 40 lbs with an additional fee of $50 per pet, per stay. This hotel is small but sophisticated, boasting a spa, library, studio, and bar.
The Maxwell Hotel: Located at 300 Roy St. (near the Space Needle), this hotel allows dogs of any size for an additional fee of $25 per dog, per night. They provide you with a dog bowl, waste bags, and a dog bed. They do not allow cats. The rooms are cute, colorful, and modern.
Executive Hotel Pacific: This is where we stayed. We were pleased with our room, however, pay attention to your credit card statements. They charge a huuuuge holding fee on your card. Be cognizant of this and ask about their credit card policies/charges before you book. Aside from this, we liked the hotel. It has a little cafe downstairs. The rooms were dated, but clean and the staff were incredibly friendly and loved Maximilien and Bandit.
Other places to consider would be Hotel Vintage, Four Seasons Hotel Seattle, and The Fairmont Olympic Hotel.
RESTAURANTS/BARS
Barking Dog Alehouse: This restaurant and Alehouse is located at 705 NW 70th St in the Ballard area. They specialize in micro-craft beers mostly from local areas, but often feature beers from outside Washington. They have a full bar and wine list as well. The restaurant is homey, with plenty of places to sit and a menu with a large variety of choices. They serve burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pastas, seafood, an array of appetizers, and numerous types of fries. And, of course, they’re dog friendly. You can sit with your dog at your table and enjoy a nice lunch with him.
Norm’s Eatery & Alehouse: This was, hands down, our favorite place. Located in the Fremont neighborhood at 460 N. 36th St, this place is likely the most dog-friend restaurant in Seattle, due in part to the fact that it has a menu just for dogs. They can enjoy a fun treat or meal while you eat your dinner. Check out their website for rules for your dogs, they’re pretty hysterical, including the phrase “[i]f you are not a fan of dogs, then we suggest you go elsewhere in Fremont.”
The restaurant has a Happy Hour seven days a week from 4pm to 7pm and late night menu that runs on Fridays and Saturdays up until 11pm. They have salads, sandwiches and hamburgers, along with a variety of other things, including a full bar and wine list. Your furry friend can choose from a wide variety too, including “cheezy donuts,” cod skins, bacon pupcake, and turkey nuggets.
Belltown Pub: It’s not obvious from their website, but this restaurant is dog-friendly. There’s no doggy menu, but they are welcome. The restaurant is sports-oriented, hosting numerous games and happy hours; they’re partnered with numerous sports teams from around the country. Their menu is extensive with a lot of the typical burgers, sandwiches, and salads. But, they also offer unique items such as the shaved brussel sprouts, smoked salmon deviled eggs, and mac & cheese gratin.
TeKu Tavern: Located at 552 Denny Way, this tavern is named after the TeKu glass, a beer glass designed in Italy to enhance the sensory experience of beer. It is clear the owners love beer – they offer 50 different taps and enough seating for up to 180 people. They have comfortable couches as well as plenty of seats at the bar. It’s owned by a passionate husband and wife team who strive to combine sophistication with craft beer. They’re resident Tavern Dog is Kona, a cute little pup with lots of a love and a nifty knack for getting treats out of TeKu’s patrons. Check out their full beer list here.
Blarney Stone Pub: This is a downtown Irish pub and restaurant located near Pike Place Market. They recently doubled their seating areas and expanded their menu. It’s clear the restaurant enjoys a following in the area and of course prides themselves on their Irish food and beers. Like Belltown Pub, it’s not obvious from their website, but they do allow dogs and welcome them without issues. Maximilien enjoyed a bloody mary for his birthday (not really, he watched me drink it).
The Dray: A fun and quaint restaurant located in Ballard. Super dog-friendly, but get there early so you can get a seat. Their restaurant is made entirely from Northwest’s Douglas fir trees! They boast high quality beers, awesome pizzas, and sandwiches. They’re really into soccer and often air different games on tv. You can check out their website for the game schedule.
SHOPS/STORES
Mud Bay: This is one of the cutest dog stores I’ve been in. It’s located in Belltown very close to the Belltown Pub. They have a huge selection of toys, treats, food, jackets, and hygiene supplies. They care about animals – they partner with almost thirty animal shelters throughout Washington and Oregon to provide educational information to new dog and cat parents and helping animals find forever homes. This place is certainly worth a stop for a new present for your pup or a little treat.
When they found out it was Maximilien’s birthday, he got a free puppy ice cream!
Merry Tails: Located inside Pike Place Market at 1501 Pike Place, this little downstairs store is dedicated to dogs and cats – they have a ton of souvenirs, decor items, and fun things to bring home for you pet.
Many stores in Seattle allow dogs, including many of the malls. Be sure to check on the outside of businesses first and ask when you walk in. Kelly and I took our puppies to a few different places in town including Arcteryx and the Nordstrom’s Rack. They’re also allowed to stroll around town of course, explore Pike Place Market, and head down to the wharf.
And, of course, hands down, the best stop on Maximilien’s birthday was Dogwood Play Park, located at 12568 33rd Ave. It’s Seattle’s first indoor/outdoor off-leash dog playground and bar. And, lemme tell you, it’s the coolest place I’ve ever been. Maximilien lost his puppy mind. The inner play area is roughly 8,000 square feet. Balls and dog toys roll around with water stations placed throughout the space. Dogs of all sizes run around and play, chasing each other and playing fetch. To the left is a fenced outdoor area with tires, trees, and plenty of space to run.
The cost is reasonable as well – stopping in one time is only $12 per dog. You can also purchase a monthly membership for $49 for one dog or $69 for two dogs. You can also get a 10-visit punch card for $120 where they tack on one free visit. If you’re truly dedicated, you can purchase an annual unlimited membership for $490 for one dog or $690 for two dogs. While your pup runs around and plays, enjoy a glass of wine or beer. There is also a separate area for small dogs, as sometimes they get caught in the crosshairs of a boisterous Great Dane. Maximilien held his own though. Bandit was being a “fuddy duddy” as Kelly puts it – we thought he’d be running around like Maximilien but instead he was policing the area, ensuring all dogs played by the rules.
That’s the other thing that’s important at Dogwood – the rules. At first they appear stifling but in reality it created a fun atmosphere for all dogs involved. And helped pet parents to know their dog was safe and playing with a good group of canines. In order to enter your pup has to be well socialized and friendly; make sure you supply Dogwood with proof of current vaccinations, flea prevention, and spaying/neutering. You are required to keep an eye on your dog while they play and clean up after them. If there’s any biting, fighting or excessive barking, you’ll be asked to leave. To alleviate any potential issues keep your canine companion’s favorite toy and treats at home. See rules here and here.
The main reason we selected Dogwood is they work with Seattle Barkery to offer baked goods friendly to dogs; this includes a BIRTHDAY CAKE! That’s right, Maximilien donned a birthday hat, gathered his new Dogwood friends (including a sassy Bichon named Stella), and celebrated in style.
Here’s to Maximilien – one of the cutest Bichons on the planet and the apple of his mother’s eye. Happy Birthday, my perfect pup.
