Vancouver Island ideal paradise for walking dogs
November 02, 2007 | | |

Out for a friday morning stroll at one of his favourite spots to walk his dog Ginger, a Catalonian sheepdog, local author Leo Buijs has just released an updated version of his guide called Best Dog Walks on Vancouver Island. Buijs says the Goose Spit in Comox is ideal for walking your canine companion.

Written locally by dog walker enthusiast Leo Buijs, a new and improved dog-walking/hiking guide called Best Dog Walks on Vancouver Island is fresh off the press.

This comprehensive guide will remove the guesswork for dog-owners as to where they can take their dogs off-leash and where not.

The book also indicates level of difficulty, the length and condition of the trail, and how the dog would perceive a particular walk or hike.

With this information, the owner can make the best choice for both the dog and him/herself to get the most enjoyment out of the walks.

Buijs said he wrote this latest version of his dog walking book to include all of Vancouver Island. His first book covered walking venues between Nanaimo and Victoria.

“With people coming to the Island they now have a book that gives them choices because not everyone goes to Victoria,” noted Buijs while walking his trusty canine companion at the Goose Spit on a sunny Friday morning in Comox. “People go north and now the book gives them places to walk their dogs.”

Best Dog Walks on Vancouver Island is a handy six-by-nine-inch, 178-page, softcover guide distributed by Sandhill Book Marketing in Kelowna, and is available in pet food stores and fine bookstores on Vancouver Island for $21.95.

The already proven-to-be-popular guidebook describes in a casual way the best walks and hikes, swimming holes and dog-friendly beaches around the Victoria area, the West Coast, some Gulf Islands and the east coast of Vancouver Island, all the way up to the Comox Valley and Campbell River areas.

Most dog-owners are not clear on the different dog-walking rules and restrictions due to the many different jurisdictions on Vancouver Island.

Imagine how newcomers to the Island or tourists who travel with their dogs try to find logic in the maze of confusing dog regulations and restrictions.

Most parks are regulated by the municipal bylaws applicable to where the park is located.

However, regional districts, provincial and national parks — even those located within certain municipalities — have rules and restrictions different from municipal bylaws.

This makes dog-walking nowadays rather complicated.

While many walking and hiking guides exist for Victoria and Vancouver Island, none of them say much about dog restrictions or indicate areas of special interest to dog-owners.

Best Dog Walks on Vancouver Island is written by a dog-owner for dog-owners.

The author and his dog Ginger take the reader to the best walks/hikes, swimming holes and beaches on Vancouver Island, from Victoria to Tofino and from Sidney to Nanaimo and the Comox/Courtenay and Campbell River areas.

Best Dog Walks on Vancouver Island promotes responsible behaviour that will raise respect amongst owners and non-dog-owners, in an attempt to secure favourable dog regulations in our parks.

What are the best beaches to take your dog for a walk? Where are the best swimming holes to take your dog for a splash? Are there any hazards to be aware of while taking the dog for that few hours’ hike?

Best Dog Walks on Vancouver Island has all the answers, when it describes mostly easy-to-moderate walks/hikes especially designed for dog-lovers that live on or visit Vancouver Island.

Descriptions list all the pros and cons, including parking or admission fees, urban or country settings, beaches and parks where our lovable canines are welcome one way or another.

With the knowledge of this guidebook, one can time it right and walk the dog on numerous beaches in and around Victoria and elsewhere on Vancouver Island.

The book reveals the special access spots for canines to many parks and streams, and simply clears up the confusion around the different dog-rulings/regulations in the jurisdictions on Vancouver Island.

Born in the Netherlands, Buijs immigrated to Canada in 1978 with his family.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/comoxvalleyrecord/entertainment/10952171.html