West Seattle with your dog

Half the questions we get about the house come down to one: can we bring the dog? Yes. And West Seattle is one of the best neighborhoods in the city to visit with a dog — once you know the one rule almost every visitor gets wrong. We'll get to it.

Our pet policy, in plain English

Dogs are welcome at the house — up to two, with an $80 pet fee that covers the extra cleaning between stays. We ask four things, and they're the same four we'd ask of our own dog:

• House-trained. No exceptions on this one.
• Never alone in the house. New house, new noises — even good dogs make bad decisions. Take them along; this neighborhood makes that easy.
• Off the beds. Linens and dog hair are a losing combination.
• Leashed outside. Seattle's leash law applies everywhere that isn't a designated off-leash area, our street included.

The beach rule everyone gets wrong

Dogs are not allowed on Seattle's public beaches — not on the sand at Alki, not on the shore at Lincoln Park. It's city code, the signs are posted, the fines are real, and enforcement patrols do happen. A local will usually tell you before a ranger does.

The move instead is the Alki Trail — the flat, paved path that runs the full length of Alki Beach and around Duwamish Head. Leashed dogs are welcome on it, and they get the same salt air, ferry traffic, and skyline you do, just from the pavement side of the seawall. On a clear evening it's the best dog walk in the city.

Westcrest Park: where the leash comes off

Westcrest Park, a short drive from the house in Highland Park, has one of the largest off-leash areas in Seattle — roughly eight acres of open meadow and trees, with walking trails, an agility course, a dog drinking fountain, and a separate fenced section for small or shy dogs. Leash up between the parking lot and the gate; inside, let them run until they're done. Details and a map are on Seattle Parks' off-leash page.

Lincoln Park: the leashed classic

Lincoln Park is West Seattle's big forested park — miles of shaded trails on a bluff above Puget Sound, with a shoreline path below where the Vashon ferries slide past. Dogs on leash are welcome on the trails. The beach at the bottom is covered by the same no-dogs rule, so stay on the path and nobody has an awkward conversation.

Around the Junction

The Junction itself — a four-minute walk from our door — is an easy neighborhood to move through with a dog. Several patios and shops welcome leashed dogs, but policies shift with seasons and managers, so ask at the door first; nobody here is offended by the question. The Sunday farmers market is dog-friendly too — leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome, kept close and away from the food. It gets crowded between 10 and 2, so save it for a dog who can handle a crush of strollers and smells.

Notes from your hosts

• It rains here. Keep a towel by the door and dry the dog before they redecorate the rugs.
• Quiet hours are 10 PM to 8 AM. That applies to barkers as much as Bluetooth speakers.
• Plan around the never-alone rule. Between the trail, the parks, and the patios, there's almost nowhere worth going that the dog can't come.
• The hot tub is for humans. We shouldn't have to say it, and yet.

Bring the dog. Between Westcrest, Lincoln Park, and the Alki Trail, they'll sleep harder here than they do at home.