Take the whole family on vacation this year.
By Kelly Barbieri
“Dogs are hot right now. They have come out of the backyard and into our homes, where they have truly become part of the family….”
Going on vacation is fun, but for those with furry loved ones, that fun time away from home is tempered with worry over those left behind. Luckily, it is becoming easier than ever to take your little—or not-solittle—pals along. Increasingly, upscale hotels and air carriers (including Midwest) are welcoming pets of all sizes, while pet-friendly attractions are easy to find in many destinations.
“Dogs are hot right now,” says Susan Chaney, editor at Dog Fancy magazine. “They have come out of the backyard and into our homes, where they have truly become part of the family—and that includes traveling with the family, wherever they might go.”
NEW YORK
It’s easy for your four-legged friend to take a bite out of the Big Apple, which boasts lots of dog parks and plenty of shopping for the pampered pooch. Furry friends are even welcome in some of the most prestigious shops in Manhattan, including Saks, Bloomingdale’s and Tiffany & Co. Then there is the The Benjamin, which smothers pets in luxury. The hotel’s “Dream Dog” program offers lush bathrobes, gourmet room service, spa treatments and a consultation with a pet psychic. At the end of a long day, your pooch can happily doze off to doggy dreamland on one of three specially designed beds available through the new dog bed menu.
You can find further indulgence at Canine Styles, which was established in 1959 and has three Manhattan locations. The shop is New York’s oldest pet emporium and offers an exclusive line of products manufactured in-house.
After a stroll through the West Side’s Riverside Park (pup must remain leashed), head to the Boat Basin Café, located in the park at the end of 79th Street. There, you will find a pet-friendly open-air patio, where tails will be wagging as the sun sets over the Hudson River.
BOSTON
Getting your pack around Boston is a breeze thanks to the T, the local subway system. Dogs can ride the rails during off-hours, but must be leashed at all times. For a little bit of pampering, take the T to the South Station stop and slip into the Boston Harbor Hotel, where you can sign up for the Luxe Pups package. With one call, your pooch is picked up and whisked away to ‘pooches Spa and Boutique, where they will enjoy a wash, cut, blow dry and “pet-icure.” Fido won’t leave the spa with empty paws, either: Each pooch receives a goodie bag to take back to the hotel. Not to worry if you have to step out without your dog—the hotel offers walking and feeding services.
SEATTLE
This coastal city also welcomes dogs on buses and trains throughout the city. To rest your pup’s head, check into the Alexis Hotel, which lies in the heart of the city’s creative West Edge neighborhood. Upon check in, you will receive a designer doggie bed, water bowl, supply of distilled water and selection of doggie treats. If you are heading out to one of the neighborhood’s less dog-friendly attractions—like the nearby Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square—have no fear, as the hotel is happy to dog-sit at the front desk. If you want to have a family meal together, take a walk to Madison Park Café, which features an attractive garden setting that welcomes pets.
Big night out planned? Head over to Oslo—A Men’s Store. The shop offers everything a man could need for a night out, including a haircut and hot shave. Stocked with variety of classic and trendy fashions, this pup-friendly boutique welcomes four-legged friends to meet Oslo (the owner’s dog), as well as treats during their visit.
TORONTO
You can find hound heaven at the Le Méridien King Edward hotel, which has delighted guests and their best friends for 100 years. The hotel provides easy access to some of the most famous sites in the city, including Harbourfront Centre, where you and the dog can go for a stroll. At the front desk, the pooch will receive food and water bowls, a feeding mat and a welcome packet with information on dog-friendly attractions, including High Park, where they can run leash-free in the dog park located west of the Dream open-air theater and the gardens.
Once Fido has built up an appetite, head over to Three Dog Bakery and get a whiff of the yummy peanut butter scent that fills the shop. Pick up a pack of Peanut Woofers or some Jump ’n Sit Bits. Once the pup is full, fill your own tummy at Black Dog Pub. Pets are welcome on the patio at this eatery, which sports a British pub atmosphere and a most gracious staff. The menu features classic bar fare with a healthy twist. If things get too healthy for you, look to the extensive collection of wine, Scotch and beer.
KANSAS CITY
The friendliness of this Missouri metropolis is reflected in its attitude toward four-legged visitors, and Intercontinental Kansas City at the Plaza can be your home away from home in this happy town (dogs weighing up to 60 pounds for $25 per night). While you check in, your pooch receives a cozy bed, yummy treats, food and water bowls, and lots of pats from employees.
When you get hungry, head to nearby Country Club Plaza and grab a bite at re:verse, which has a great dog-friendly outdoor seating area. Then, for some off-leash action, head to Wayside Waifs Bark Park, which features five acres of fenced-in grass, plenty of room for Fido to burn off some extra energy. The park, which is fully lighted and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, has covered pavilions and park benches for you and a separate small dog and puppy area for your little buddies.
MILWAUKEE
Both you and the pooch can bed down in style at The Pfister Hotel, a classically styled hotel in the middle of Milwaukee’s vibrant East Side district (there is a one-time $200 charge and a 50-pound weight limit).
After a good night’s sleep, give the pup a run at Granville Dog Park, Milwaukee’s only county park where dogs may run and socialize off-leash.
For even more Fido fun, take a trip to Petlicious Dog Biscuit Bakery and Pet Spa, located 30 minutes from the heart of the city in Pewaukee. Whether in need of a bag of freshly made biscuits, a proper grooming or a puppy social, this is the place to go.
DALLAS
Everything might be bigger in Texas, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t take your special little guy along on a Dallas vacation. You can stay at the ultra-lux Rosewood Mansion at Turtle Creek ($100 pet fee with a 50-pound weight limit), which offers pet sitting services if the family plans a day without doggie; just contact the concierge.
If you venture out with the pooch, travel in style and treat your best friend to a carriage ride with Party Animals Carriage Rides and tour the Historic West End and Uptown Dallas.
Thanks to the travel industry’s recognition of the value of the pet-friendly dollar, your pooch can come along, wherever you might go. “Be sure to mention that you are bringing your dog when making a reservation so the hotel can be sure to have all the amenities ready,” Chaney says.
With a little planning and forward thinking, a fantastic vacation can be had that includes the whole family, even the fuzzy members.
Time to Learn
In a move that underscores the growing travel trend toward vacationing with the family pet, Loews Hotels has introduced new learning vacations for four-legged friends at three hotels: “The Loews Hotel chain was at the forefront of the trend when we introduced our pet-friendly programs in 2000,” says Emily Goldfischer, vice president of public relations. “We realized that the role of pets in many people’s lives has increased, and the spending has increased as well. People want to travel with their pets, and we want to make that an easy and memorable experience.”
At The Hound of Music at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville, dogs head into the studio with a voice coach for a professional recording session where they’ll howl along with a musician or bark to their favorite karaoke beat. At Su’ruff Camp at Loews Coronado Bay Resort (about 45 minutes from Tampa), they get surfing lessons with Coronado Surfing Academy at Coronado’s Dog Beach. And at Outward Hound at Loews Denver Hotel—which features a two-hour on-andoff leash guided hike with a personal trainer—dogs get fresh baked healthy treats, limo pick-up and drop-off, and a personalized Web photo gallery documenting their adventure. loewshotels.com
GUIDE TO PET TRAVELING
NEW YORK
The Benjamin
212-715-2500 www.thebenjamin.com
Canine Styles
212-838-2064 www.caninestyles.com
Riverside Park
www.nycgovparks.org
The Boat Basin Café
Opens in mid-April for the spring season 212-496-5542 www.boatbasincafe.com
BOSTON
Boston Harbor Hotel
617-439-7000 www.bhh.com
SEATTLE
Alexis Hotel
206-624-4844 www.alexishotel.com
Madison Park Café
206-324-2626
Oslo’s—A Men’s Store
206-282-6756 www.oslosamensstore.com
TORONTO
Le Méridien King Edward
416-863-9700 www.lemeridien.com
Harbourfront Centre
416-973-4000 www.harbourfrontcentre.com
High Park
www.toronto.ca/parks
Three Dog Bakery
416-693-3364 www.threedog.com
Black Dog Pub
416-286-4544 www.blackdogpub.com
KANSAS CITY
The Intercontinental Kansas City at the Plaza
816-756-1500 www.ichotelsgroup.com
Wayside Waifs Bark Park
816-761-8151 www.waysidewaifs.org
re:verse
816-931-7811
MILWAUKEE
The Pfister
414-273-8222 www.pfisterhotel.com
Granville Dog Park
414-257-7275 county.milwaukee.gov
Petlicious Dog Biscuit Bakery and Pet Spa
262-548-0923 www.petlicious.com
DALLAS
Rosewood Mansion at Turtle Creek
214-559-2100 www.mansiononturtlecreek.com
Party Animals Carriage Rides
214-441-9996 www.partyanimalscarriage.com
FLYING HIGH IN THE SKY
Midwest Airlines’ Susan Kerwin-Hagen, marketing program specialist and Premier Pet Program coordinator, offers some guidelines to help ease the anxiety of traveling with your pet. Kerwin-Hagen will be happy to answer any additional questions you have regarding pet travel; please contact her at 414-570-3964.
You should complete the following checklist of items to help ensure that your pet enjoys the trip with Midwest Airlines as much as you do.
- Select the correct size kennel for below-cabin or in-cabin travel.
- Take your pet with you when you travel around town. They need the experience of a moving vehicle and the riding motion while in their crate.
- Bring the kennel or carrier into your home. Place it in an area in which the family is comfortable. Leave the door on the crate open for your pet to enter on his or her own. Encourage your pet to go into its kennel by occasionally placing a treat inside and then praising them when they enter. This training will also give you the opportunity to train your dog not to bark, which can be annoying to other travelers. Place an old piece of your clothing inside the crate to create a familiar atmosphere. Have your pet sleep in the kennel occasionally, so it will know the crate is a safe and comfortable place.
- Bring along a favorite toy and rawhide bone, which will both comfort your pet and relieve pressure in its ears. If you choose, put cotton in your pet’s ears. Always check with your vet first, but we do not recommend tranquilizers; riding on an airplane is no different than riding in a kennel in the back of a van.
- Some pets become car sick or air sick, so stock up on materials to clean up if necessary. Baby wipes, paper towels and a plastic bag will do the trick.
- Always place contact information on the carrier along with your flight date and flight number. Create and bring along another set of documents with your return information.
“Safety, comfort, and knowing ahead of time what is required to fly your pet will make everyone’s trip much more enjoyable,” says Kerwin-Hagen. “Be sure to read all of the rules and regulations for safe pet travel before your departure and keep in mind that carriers’ regulations vary.”
Midwest Airlines offers two options under our Premier Pet Program. Both options require that you travel on the same flight as your pet, provide travel awards to your pet and give you the option of using Midwest Miles to pay for your pet’s travel.
Our Below-Cabin Dog and Cat Option reserves a secure spot below the cockpit in a temperature-controlled and pressurized pet compartment.
Our In-Cabin Small Dog Option enables you to bring your small dog into the cabin when it is confined in an approved soft-sided pet carrier and stowed beneath the seat in front of you.
As part of the program, your pet earns one free roundtrip ticket after you and he/she fly together on three paid roundtrip flights or six paid one-way flights.
Both options require reservations, which can be made by calling our Contact Center at 800-452-2022.
