Walter & Rupert visit Sandcut Beach
Oh Vancouver Island. You have so many rugged, beautiful beaches that are worth exploring! We recently visited Sandcut Beach in Jordan River (31 km past Sooke). Walter & Rupert love a good beach frolic so we popped them in the truck and went on an adventure. We had never been to this beach before, but had heard it was lovely (and we weren't disappointed) It was slightly overcast and early enough that we had the beach pretty much to ourselves (yay!)
The parking lot was easy to spot from the road, and there were info signs for us to read. We always like to know the dog rules before we venture anywhere!
Walter and Rupert were super excited about the trail leading down to the beach, it took about 10 mins down the stairs and over bridges.
So many new sniffs to check out and things to see (Walter was a little unsure of the forest watchers! lol!)
"It's behind me isn't it?"
When we got to the bottom of the stairs we could see the beach through the trees! sigh. so pretty.
"Hurry up and get down here!"
We were told the waterfalls were to the left so we headed in that direction.
After a few minutes we spied them splashing onto the beach. It's been rather warm and dry lately so the falls weren't super big, but they were still so pretty!
Walter had a lot of fun checking them out...
Rupert thought they were cool but he was more interested in sniffing driftwood!
"yup, lots of driftwood to sniff, I better get started"
After a play in the falls, we continued exploring! Walter found a cool cave...
"hmmm...no cookies in here..."
Rupert thought a swim would be a good idea.. but he didn't think about waves (the waves might have been wee but so is Rupert!)
After a lovely walk we started to make our way back to the trail. We enjoyed having the beach to ourselves (when we left the parking lot was starting to get busy!)
We took our time and the pups had some good runs and a few more splashes in the water.
I also had to take an artsy shot....because that's what needs to be done when you're surrounded by so much prettiness!
We made our way back up the stairs towards the parking lot . Rupert's legs were tired so it took us a little longer to make our way back but he toughed it out (knowing he could nap on the drive home!)
I love morning like these. No cell service, no stress, just us together exploring something new. We will definitely be back!
Rupert takes a Harbour Ferry Adventure
Oh the delightful Victoria Harbour Ferries. They are a huge part of Victoria's tourism scene and a great way to get around (they are also adorable!).
According to their website, www.victoriaharbourferry.com, they've been serving Victoria for over 25 years and have transported over 3,000,000 passengers! I had heard that they were pet friendly so I reached out to see if Rupert and I could hop on board. We were so excited when they said we could! yay! We set up a time with Sabina and then popped down to the Inner Harbour bright and early and set sail to Fisherman's Wharf. Rupert even wore his new nautical t-shirt! lol!
I asked Victoria Harbour Ferries about their pet policies and this is what they said:
"VHFC is incredibly welcoming towards pets. In the office we have our resident dog who comes to work with us. As for the ferries, dogs just have to be well-mannered and leashed to board our ferries. Our captains do ensure that all the other passengers have confirmed that they are ok with having a pet onboard. We ensure that none of the our passengers have allergies, are afraid of animals etc. It works great for us because Victoria is such a pet friendly city.
We recommend that pets be okay with the loud noises that are occurring in the Inner Harbour and that they are okay with being on a moving vessel for the designated time"
Rupert was greeted with lots of ear rubs and compliments on his handsomeness, then he just happily climbed aboard the waiting ferry and was ready to go!!
My usual trusty assistant was busy, so I enlisted my mom to help with the photos. Rupert is hopelessly in love with his nanna so he was very happy to have her to himself without his brother or aunty pups.
We had never been on a Harbour Ferry before but I think everyone should experience it! It gave us a new perspective on our beautiful city and Captain Doug was a wealth of information. He told us lots of stories about many of our famous buildings and our inner harbour.
We especially liked the view of the last bits of our old blue bridge!
Harbour Ferries don't just putter around the inner harbour, they have longer tours of the Harbour and Gorge, the Pickle pub crawl and even their famously awesome Water Ballet!
Rupert had never been on small boat before but he knew he was in safe hands with his new friend Captain Doug and he eventually fell asleep! It was a lovely relaxing way to start the day!
Here at Wally & Roops we think it's awesome how many local businesses are pet friendly and Victoria Harbour Ferries agree! They told us:
"We feel that pet friendly places are important because it allows for our pets to be with or near us consistently especially if it’s raining or windy out, in pet friendly places our pets don’t have to wait outside. Plus the pets I’ve met have been super well behaved and calm. As I mentioned it’s awesome being able to bring them to work rather than leaving them home alone for hours!"
We had so much fun this morning and will definitely be hopping on board a Harbour Ferry again!! Thanks so much for our great tour!
Rupert visits Baggins
Sigh. Oh Baggins. The most wonderful place at 580 Johnson St. is full of beautiful shoes and back packs in every pretty colour imaginable! .
As a Converse lover, it's great to know that the worlds best selection is a 20 min walk from my house. I'm also a Dr.Martens lover and was thinking that I really needed to invest in a pair of boots for photo shoots. A while back, I saw a contest on their instagram page for a pair of said boots. I entered and my name was drawn as the winner! Squeeeee! SO much excitement!
I asked Baggins if they were pet friendly and they responded with a very enthusiastic "OMG Yes!" So I gathered up my fella, my camera and Mr.Roops and we went to pick up my prize! It was very exciting!
Mr.Roops is a big shoe fan, usually when we come home, he'll grab the nearest one and will run around the house with it for a few minutes. He doesn't eat them (well not any more), he just prances around for a bit. silly bub.
I asked Baggins why they chose to be a pet friendly space and they said:
"One day 15 years ago, Baggins had a black cat come stay with us while his owners were out of town and he never left. That black cat was Fraidy Cat, our resident shop cat who roamed the Paper Box Arcade, greeted every customer and lifted the staff’s spirits. Fraidy Cat passed away in 2015 but Baggins has always felt that allowing pets into our store makes it a better place. The director, Tara, brings her two dogs to work daily, and we always have treats and smile for any visiting furry friends. Baggins understands that our pets are part of your family and we want them to be apart of the Baggins Fam' as well."
Our love of pets hasn't changed since the days of Fraidy as our mascot and beloved shop cat. We still have people coming in who ask about him on a regular basis, so we know his love was spread far and wide. We love having visits from all sort of critters in the shop, we've even had an iguana once! In the dog days of summer, we even have a bowl of pooch hooch (AKA water) outside for any thirsty passer by. Rest assured we have plenty of treats behind the till and time for a scratch behind the ear or a belly rub for all our four legged friends.
It was very obvious that there is a love for our furry friends at this shop! Rupert enjoyed all the pets on the head and compliments about this handsomeness! Below are some more photos (as well as Rupert's commentary, please enjoy scrolling through them!
Also be sure to visit Baggin's website: https://www.bagginsshoes.com/
Their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bagginsshoes/
and their instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bagginsshoes/
I just want to thank Baggins for letting us snap a few pics while we were at the shop! We will definitely be visiting again....I think I need custom Wally & Roops converse....
Walter & Rupert visit Parker Park
One of our favourite beaches in Victoria is Parker Park in Cordova Bay (5405 Parker Ave). It's so sandy, quiet in the mornings, and the boys can run like the wind (Trust me, they love to run!)
Walter is spring loaded so he always appreciates good jumping space!
Rupert isn't quite as exuberant as his big brother, so he's happiest exploring and sniffing questionable things in piles of seaweed!
If you're looking for a good place to take your furry friend, we highly recommend this beach! it can get busy in the summer with families and small children, so if your dog is excitable I would recommend going early when it's quieter!
Below are a few more photos from their Easter morning adventure! Enjoy
Charlie visits Hotel Zed
This delightful little lady is Charlie and she was kind enough to be a guest contributor for Rupert's blog while he wasn't feeling well. (Rupert has epilepsy and, very rarely, his back legs get weak and he can't walk for a few days. It doesn't cause any pain but it requires a trip to the vet, a cortisone shot, and a lot of rest, snuggles and treats. He's already on the mend and back on his feet! Thank goodness!)
So, while Rupert was getting spoiled by his nanna and grampop, we took their delightful moppet to the super awesome and pet friendly Hotel Zed (3110 Douglas Street) They were so kind to let us visit and take photos, as well as providing lots of info about their pet policies.
Now....I have to say that you can't visit Hotel Zed and just "snap a few pics". There are so many funky spots and spaces that before long you get super inspired and end up having a full on stylized photo shoot! (We always follow the rules and kept Charlie on her leash, but I removed it in photoshop on some of the really artsy shots. I got so excited editing them that I couldn't help myself!)
Hotel Zed is cool, colorful and chock full of super awesome amenities like a ping pong lounge, a pink waterslide , long board rentals, a VW shuttle van and a retrofitted Airstream (basically an instagrammers dream!)
I asked about the pet friendly amenities that they offer their guests and they said:
"We have pet-friendly rooms available at both of our hotels (we also have a Hotel Zed in Kelowna) and $1 from each night's pet cleaning fee goes to the BCSPCA for pets who don't have it as good as yours. We also give you a special doggy towel when you check in with a dog, and tucked into it are some treats and some doggy bags"
I also asked if they had any tips for guests who are visiting with their pet:
"Make sure you leave your cell phone number with the front desk if you're going to leave your pet alone in the room for any stretch of time. That way we can call you if your pet is missing you too much! We also usually recommend putting on your dog's leash BEFORE you open the door to the room to leave. Even the best behaved dogs can get overexcited with all the new sights and smells at Hotel Zed and take off!"
That's great advice, as there is definitely a lot to see and a lot of hustle and bustle!
When asked if they had any memorable pet stories they said:
"Not everyone has a dog! We've had rabbits, cats, birds, iguanas..."
ummmm...I think an iguana photo shoot would be amazing...just saying!
I always ask why they think being a pet friendly establishment is important, they told me:
"Many of us at Hotel Zed are pet-parents ourselves, and we know that it can be really tough to leave your pet behind when you go away. Sometimes the logistics just don't work out and sometimes you don't want to leave them behind! We think it's important to pick a fun hotel that welcomes your WHOLE family with open arms!"
Below are the photos from Charlie's adventure at Hotel Zed from her visit. Please scroll through and enjoy!
PS. If you stop by, be sure to check out the Ruby, a very hip and delicious restaurant that shares the lobby. I was trying to take our photos but kept getting distracted by the yummy looking breakfasts that people were enjoying (I am definitely going back there for some eggs benny!)
Thanks again to everyone at Hotel Zed for making Charlie feel so welcome! We'll be sure to stop by again and say hi!
Be sure to visit their website, fb and instagram pages for more info!
https://www.hotelzed.com