Walking Miss Minnie: A Dog's Eye View of the Sammamish River Trail

What do dogs love? Walks, of course.

My little Motley Zoo rescue dog, a mini-Aussie named Minnie (apropos, and so named by her boy, 8-year-old-Lane), is a huge fan of anything walk-y.

She wants to talk local walks, hikes, and parks for you, from the viewpoint of a sort of people-shy but also very curious young dog. Minnie loves to sniff out wildlife, walk and run (especially run), herd anyone who gets ahead of her, and follow strangers home--as long as they don't try to touch her. Her personal motto is "Leave no dog ungreeted."

Here's Minnie's take on the Sammamish River Trail in Redmond (heading North from Leary Way, and with a little translation help from Patch editor Jeanne Gustafson), through the lens of last weekend's Free Wheel event.

Patch: What did you like best about Sammamish River Trail in Redmond? 
Minnie: I love the sniffing, and there were plenty of animals and people to watch--cyclists, roller-bladers, kayakers, and walkers. And children, who I love to follow. All of the dogs I met were friendly and well-behaved.

Patch: What do you recommend about this walk for dog lovers and dogs?
Minnie: You will see a lot of people, plants, and wildlife here, along with lots of smells. The water fountain near City Hall has a special dog drinking fountain (though honestly, I was a little too timid to drink on the walk with so many people--but I did drink my Mom's entire water bottle when we got back to the car).

Patch: What could you do without on the walk?
Minnie: I'm used to walking on the left of my Mom, obedience-training style, but on a busy trail, I needed to get used to sticking to the right so I would be out of the pathway and we wouldn't be walking against the traffic. Because of that, bikes came up from behind me frequently, making me nervous--I wish I'd taken a couple of calming chamomile chews before the walk.

Patch: What were some of your highlights on the walk?
Minnie: It was fun to sit under the bridge and watch a pair of kayakers take off, and I really enjoyed watching the ducklings and goslings frolic on the riverbank. There are several spots where a pup can get off the paved trail and smell the wild roses, which was really nice for me.

Patch: How would you rate this walk overall?
Minnie: There were definitely a lot of cool things for dogs, but I'd recommend an early walk or a weekday walk, when there are fewer people for people-shy dogs like me. About 45 minutes out, I realized I didn't want to go any more with bikes whizzing by from behind. I found a shady spot and sat down, with no intention of moving (um, too bad for Mom, who tried to scoop me up as I scooted back, there are some stinging nettles growing under the blackberries on part of the trail, so humans take note!)