It's long been said that dogs are man's best friend, but nowadays, we know all that our pooches are everyone's best pal!

The popularity of dogs as pets is at an all-time high in the United States and many people are even choosing the company of a canine companion over a significant human other to share their life with.

And so, as Valentine's Day approaches, I give you five local doggie date night ideas that you and your own best friend (or friends if you're tied to more than one leash!) can enjoy, regardless of your relationship status in the human world.

 

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THE PARK
Okay, this one kinda goes without saying, but it really is an easy and highly-accessible place for a doggie date night.

From Walla Walla Point to Kirby Billingsley, Rotary to Washington and everything in between, the cities of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee are teeming with some great open spaces where you and your poochie pal can strengthen your unbreakable bond even further.

Be it a full hour of fetch with a tennis ball or frisbee, a cold swim in the Columbia River or just a casual stroll on the Apple Capital Loop Trail, a visit to one of the Wenatchee Valley's phenomenal parks provides the perfect venue for you and your four-legged friend's special time out.

And if your dog likes to socialize, the Valley even has a spot where both humans and canines are welcome to mingle at Hale Park!

Yes, you might already take your dog to the park all the time, but rest assured, they never tire of being there with you and would consider another return trip as being extra special just the same.

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EARTHWISE PET
Consider it a spa day for your pup! Since a visit to Earthwise Pet in Wenatchee will make your pooch feel just like you do after getting a new hair do or having your nails done.

Earthwise is locally owned and family operated, so they not only know dogs...they know Wenatchee Valley dogs!

Head out with your best buddy and treat them to a wash-and-groom before you shop for some special treats and a new toy just for them.

Yeah, some pups might not see a bath and a trim as anything fun, but if yours' is into being pampered, then a doggie date night at Earthwise will surely please them.

By the way, they're at 212 Fifth Street, Suite 9B in Wenatchee!

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BUTCHER SHOP
Yes, it might seem like yet another cliché, but let's face it - there isn't a dog in the world that wouldn't savor at least something (if not everything) you could find at your local butcher shop.

For decades now, comic strip dogs have been portrayed dragging long chains of sausages down the street as they abscond from the neighborhood butcher while he futilely attempts to give them chase on only two legs - and the real world is no different!

It might be just a single slice of fresh, thick-cut bacon or a delicate filet mignon fit for a human king that your own king of friends will select as their nose fogs up the display case - but whatever they choose - they'll definitely be grinning from pricked ear to pricked ear and your love and devotion for them will have been fully relayed.

There aren't too many old-school butcher shops to be found in the Wenatchee Valley, but there's still plenty of places with a wealth of meaty treats to get chummy with your pooch for a doggie date night!

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FARM
Alright, so it's entirely possible that you and your dog already live on a farm, but for many of our furry best friends, a trip to the country can feel just like a day at Disneyland!

Farms always have a ton of things that all dogs will fancy.

For working dogs, like my dearly departed Pembroke Welsh Corgi "Willow," the animals themselves will provide all the merriment they could ever ask for; and with a friendly farmer's permission, they'll enjoy the task of rounding up the homestead's sheep, goats, and other critters for hours on end.

The brawnier inclusions among our best friends can also help out with tasks like pulling wagons full of hay and supplies, while the diminutive and cunning of their ranks can have a blast and help out by hunting rats and other pests.

So if it's time for you and your canine companion to get away from the hustle and bustle of being in town, treat them to a doggie date night down on the farm...they'll love you back even more than they already do for thinking of it ;-).

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DOGGIE MOVIE NIGHT
It really shouldn't come as any surprise that dogs just love movies about dogs! And there's no shortage of great titles to share with them too.

From sad classics like Old Yeller and chilling horrors such as Cujo to light-hearted flicks ala Benji, and even animated masterpieces like Lady & The Tramp, the variety of movies that celebrate your pooch's own kind is virtually endless.

Trust me, I've actually done this one myself! Your dog will honestly think you're more heavenly than a Saint Bernard if you pop them some extra popcorn (plain, air-popped popcorn is just fine for them in small batches :-), cozy up on the couch, and take in one of the their movies for a change.

So c'mon, you've made them sit through Titanic and the Shawshank Redemption plenty of times, so it's high time for a doggie date night made just for them with a movie they can really appreciate.

 

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