The Lowcountry is Doggone Friendly
/Ever noticed when walking down King Street that every shop has a water bowl for the dogs sitting by the door? I have never lived in a community that embraces dog life like the Lowcountry.
When I first moved here, I thought it very convenient that every neighborhood I lived in had a dog park a few steps away. This made getting out and meeting new people really easy! If only my dog, Tater was more social. The truth is, trips to the dog park were more for my socialization than his.
When my husband David and I listed our first house for sale, we would have to scramble to get Tater out of the house for hours while it was shown. At first, I was panicking about where we could go with Tater in tow, but as it turns out, he was welcome everywhere. We dined on restaurant patios outside, spent hours in the small dog park at the James Island Country Park (by the term ‘small’ I mean there are multiple dog parks separated by your dog’s actual size), and memorized the dog friendly beach hours for long afternoon and early morning walks.
After our house sold, we continued to take Tater everywhere. Lost Dog café on Folly Beach is perfect for an early morning breakfast after a long morning beach walk. Strolls down King Street with the occasional stop for a drink of water from one of those strategically placed doggie bowls, and trips to Dolittle’s doggie bakery are just a few of our regular stops now.
Below are a few more opportunities for you and your pet to enjoy the Lowcountry lifestyle:
- Charleston County Parks- Multiple dog parks, Yappy Hour, Dog Day Afternoon, and Pet Fest
- Charleston Animal Society- Events, adoption, and training
- Pet Helpers- All of the above and volunteering opportunities to test out pet ownership
- Southeastern Wildlife Expedition (SEWE)- Enter your pup into the annual DockDogs competition
- RiverDogs Baseball- Dogs love going to minor league baseball games (and treats)
- Pet-Friendly Hotels- Fido needs a place to nap while you're house hunting
- Most Lowcountry breweries are pet-friendly and The Barrel encourages a pint with your pup
- Although it's now defunct, Lowcountry Dog Magazine still has some great resources on their site
- And vets and doggy daycares on every street corner
My dog, Tater, who prefers the bench with his dad to the ground.
Emily's dog, Miles, on his first birthday at the James Island County Dog Park
