American dogs have made an impression throughout their history as pets. Sinbad the Sailor Dog, for example, made a name for himself at sea. “The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Campbell adopted a mixed-breed puppy in 1938,” according to Rebecca Frankel in Foreign Policy. “Little did they know that their canine companion would become a world famous Coast Guard veteran. He was, literally, a member of the crew, complete with all the necessary enlistment forms and other official paperwork, uniforms, and his own bunk. He sailed on board the combat-tested cutter through World War II and saw much action, both at sea and in port.”

Bruno, a Saint Bernard that reportedly held the World Record for speed in 1903, did not become a legend. But he and his companion received lavish attention in the San Francisco Call newspaper for the speed record they established in dog trotting after Anita learned to drive a “fine coasting wagon” pulled by her pet. “Bruno and his little mistress live In Pleasanton at the home of Arthur J. Platt. They have both lived there all their lives. Anita is five years old, just one year older than Bruno, and they can neither of them remember when they were not chums,” according to the article published on July 26, 1903. “When Mr. Platt, Anita’s father, decided to break Bruno into harness, he took him over to the Pleasanton race track and put him to work.”

Health Benefits and More

A five-year-old girl is not the only thing dogs can cart around, according to Jan Reisen in an article for the American Kennel Club. “Although carting milk and other goods faded out in many places during the 19th century, carting dogs came back into use during World War I. Breeds such as the Bernese Mountain Dog and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog were used to pull small guns to the front and to bring refugees to safety. Today, dog carting is becoming a popular sport.”

Throughout history, canines have contributed significantly to human society. “We all know about some of the jobs that dogs were bred to do, such as herding, hunting, and retrieving,” notes Reisen. “Today, there are several dog jobs that canines are well-known for, including service dogs, therapy dogs, and search-and-rescue dogs. But some working dogs have specialized jobs that are so unique only canines can complete them.” Those jobs include detecting disease, hunting truffles, and inspecting wine.

Man’s best friend has also played an important role in human health and happiness. According to Daniel Mills, Professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom, pet dogs and other pets offer at least nine benefits to their human companions. They include helping reduce loneliness, providing emotional support, helping us develop “a stronger sense of purpose,” creating structure and routine in our lives, encouraging social interaction, encouraging exercise, and providing physical affection as we pet them, Mills says.

Great Place for Furry Friends

Tri-Valley dog lovers are blessed with a variety of parks to take their pooches. The East Bay Regional Park District is a great place to start, and describes itself as “one of the most dog-friendly organizations in the nation.” The 73 regional parks within the district are spread across 122,000 square miles of open space. That makes it the largest park district in the nation, and it offers an astonishing range of natural beauty to explore. Dogs must be leashed in all parking lots, picnic areas, developed areas such as lawns and play fields, and on some trails. Dogs may be off-leash in open space and undeveloped areas of parklands, provided they are under control at all times.

A variety of off-leash dog parks exist in the region. Pleasanton has two, including Cubby’s, a 1.5-acre dog park, located at the staging area of the Marilyn Murphy Kane Walking Trail. The park includes a fenced dog play area, drinking fountains, shade structures, and agility structures. In Danville, the 1.5-acre Canine Corral dog park provides “hours of leash-free fun for Danville dogs,” according to city officials. Canine Corral features benches and water features but minimal shade. The play surface is grass and includes separate play areas for large and small dogs.

Other local options include Del Mar Dog Park in San Ramon, Dougherty Hills in Dublin, and Livermore Canine Park and Vista Meadows Park in Livermore. If you need an indoor place to roam with your dog, the Tri-Valley has that as well. Dog Bar Bay Area is the Bay Area’s first indoor dog park and “dog bar,” according to its owners. The over 4,000-square-foot space is located inside Pleasanton’s Stoneridge Shopping Center. The owners tout a “comfortable dog-centered experience with multiple free-play dog runs,” as well as special events, birthday celebrations, and more.

In short, the region is a wonderful place to own a dog. It is also a great place to travel with your dog. “The Tri-Valley is one of the best destinations for a pet-friendly vacation,” according to Robin Fahr, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Visit Tri-Valley. “Just walk along any of our downtowns, and you’ll see dog bowls outside of businesses filled with fresh water and free doggie treats. Our al fresco dining offers welcoming patios for pups to hang out with their people, and our Inspiration Guide and website prominently feature pet-friendly hotels, restaurants, wineries, breweries, ice cream trail stops, and dog parks. This all came about when we learned from our visitor data that more and more people are traveling with their pets, so we make it easy to figure out where they’ll be most comfortable.”

If you would like to have a pet dog or cat, the region boasts a number of nonprofits working to place pets in new homes. They include East Bay SPCA, Love & Second Chances, Tri-Valley Animal Rescue, and Valley Humane Society. The Tri-Valley is also home to other animal welfare organizations, such as Paws In Need.

For more information about enjoying the East Bay Regional Park District with one or more dogs, please visit https://www.ebparks.org/safety/dogs. For more information about Dog Bar Bay Area, please visit ​​www.dogbarbayarea.com.

To find dog-friendly restaurants, wineries, hotels, and shops, please visit visittrivalley.com/dog-friendly-locations.

For more information about East Bay SPCA, please visit eastbayspca.org.

For more information about Love & Second Chances, please visit www.lovesecondchances.org.

For more information about Tri-Valley Animal Rescue, please visit www.tvar.org.

For more information about Valley Humane Society, please visit www.valleyhumane.org.

For more information about Paws In Need, please visit www.paws-in-need.org.

Photo by Adam Griffith on Unsplash