Island Discovery
& Training
835 Harewood Mines Rd.
Nanaimo, BC V9R 6P3
250-753-5246
Dog Lovers Directory
for Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville and Qualicum
Dog Clubs
Dog Sports & Activities
Great Places to Train
Leash-Walking Locations
Off leash Areas
Swimming
2. Activities to Do with your Dog
Exercise Your Dog
Up to 80% of dogs that are surrendered to a shelters have behavioral
problems that could be prevented or treated by providing more exercise.
By age two, 50% of dogs are in their second home. Only one in ten
puppies is with the original owner at the end of his life. Provide daily
aerobic exercise to help prevent these horrendous statistics. Tell
businesses "Game for Dogs Lady" sent you.
Off leash Areas
If your pooch is dog and people social, off leash areas can be the best form of exercise he can get. Use it as a training opportunity by calling your dog away from the other dogs, praise and treat or play with a toy, then let him go back to playing with them. Start by standing close, then adding distance as he becomes successful. He learns that when he responds to you, it does not mean he will be taken away from the fun!
What is an Off Leash Area? (pdf) And what are the rules?
When parking near the off leash areas, take all your valuables and break-ins have been known to occur. If you are a young woman or older, it is a good idea to go with or arrange to meet others at the off leash areas. Always carry your leashes and poop bags with you and stay alert.
Beban Park Off leash near Grandview Bowl
Access is off Labieux Rd. Watch for the sign. Area is fenced with
4 foot link chain and has 2 entrances with double gates. There is also a
smaller fenced area for smaller dogs. A water tap is available during
the summer and a small covered area during wet weather. Grass surface.
Be polite and don't let your dog mob incoming dogs at the gate. Parking
nearby. There is a bulletin board with events and information.
Westwood Lake Off leash area
15 min leashed walk from the end of Arbot Rd. Located under the power lines in a fairly
remote location. It is unfenced and open. Surface is dirt trails
with long grass on the sloped foothills of Mount Benson. Watch that you
park in designated areas only as the city is notorious for ticketing if
you are outside signed areas. If the lot is full (as it sometimes is on
weekends), parallel park across the street, avoiding the fire hydrant.
Young women and older adults will want to hike in with others. There is
no water or garbage can.
Cable Bay
Unfenced. Trail surface packed dirt. It is a long declining walk to the
water through forested and clear cut sections of trail. It is a remote location.
There is no water or garbage can. In Jan. and Feb, you may see the Sea
Lions at Dodd's Narrows.
Qualicum field at the airport Click on the link for a map.
Qualicum Beach near Civic Center and Ravensong
Aquatic Center Click on the link for a map.
The long trail, trail 2 is about two kilometres of cedar bark mulched
path.
Parksville Dog Park
Off Alberni Hwy and north of school on Despard Rd.
Grassed fenced area about 1 ha. 2 benches and a few pine trees. Water
tap.
Holland Creek Trail Ladysmith
This trail is best for medium and larger dogs as some get quite a
distance ahead of their owners.
Good Places to Leash Walk Your
Dog
Please follow leash laws and poop and scoop etiquette. When meeting other dogs, ask before allowing your dog or child to approach them. When approaching a narrow point in the trail, sit your dog and let others walk by. Heatstroke and dehydration are the biggest threats to an exercising dog. Carry water at all times and seek shady places to walk if you must go out in heat.
Mid may to third week in Sept, major city parks are patrolled daily by West Guard and watching for dogs off leash in areas where they should be leashed. Dogs are not allowed in schoolyards or playgrounds in Nanaimo.
-
Waterfront Promenade (3 km of flat asphalt trail. No shade in summer.)
-
Under the Power lines off Jinglepot, Harewood Mines Rd & Extension Rd.
-
Parkway Trail 25 km (asphalt surface)
-
E & N Trail (asphalt surface)
-
Morrell Nature Sanctuary (children in the area year round)
-
Bowen Park (shady forested trails)
-
Westwood Lake 6 km of trail and lake
-
Neck Point Park (ocean front)
-
Colliery Dam Park 2 km of trails but can create figure 8's to make it longer (shady forested trails and lake)
-
Jack Point Park (near Duke Point Ferry)
-
TransCanada Trail off Harewood Mines Rd (Abyss Trail ) remote forested trail, then under powerlines
-
Trail to Ammonite Falls (and Mount Benson Regional Park) (access off Jamieson Rd.) (partly logged, partly forested)
-
Hemer Provincial Park in Cedar
-
Roberts Park Yellow Point
-
Page Point Inn Marina Ladysmith a road and trail leading north provides access to Woodley Range of hills and the microwave tower.
-
Rotary Lookout Trail 1.2 km long Ladysmith
-
Holland Creek Loop 5.8 km Ladysmith
-
Rathtrevor Provincial Park Parksville (Beaches in winter only. Do not disturb the waterbirds on shore as they are resting while they migrate and need every ounce of energy they can get before continuing to their destination)
-
Englishman River Falls Provincial Park Parksville/Qualicum
| Tip:
When you meet other people (with
or without dogs and children) on the trail, place your dog(s) in
a sit beside you and let them pass. Some people are afraid of or
allergic to dogs while others may have a dog that is unfriendly
or untrained to calmly deal with others. |
Good Places to Train Your Leashed
Dog
When looking for training locations with more
distractions than your home or nearby park, try these locations;
-
Muffeo Sutton Park downtown Many adults, children and other leashed dogs. Outside the fenced playground is a good training distraction.
-
outside grocery stores and mall entrances (do not block them with your admirers)
-
at schools during recess (for noise) or at dismissal times (for socialization). Ensure your dog is child-friendly.
-
Malaspina University College has lots of open areas with adults moving around between classes.
-
Off leash areas if your dog is dog-friendly and has good recall for unfenced locations
Swimming
All Nanaimo public beaches are closed to dogs May 1 to Sept 30. Avoid
salmon bearing streams and rivers as your dog may disturb/kill the
salmon eggs under the gravel from Oct. to early April. Be careful of
high water flows in winter and during spring and early summer melt.
-
Westwood Lake
-
Colliery Dam Park Reservoires
-
Neck Point Park Salt water beaches
-
Yellow Point
Agility
DAWG
Agility 758-3908 Cedar
email
Ain’t
Misbehaving Dog Agility
741-0776
Just
for Fun Agility Cottonwood Meadows (also offers classes through
Nanaimo Parks and Recreation)
email
Nanaimo
Kennel Club Agility Classes Maggie 756-0268
email
(watch newspaper bulletin boards/community events listings for
announcements)
Agility 101 - a Pawsitive
Approach (Dog Agility Training Video)
(250) 754-3330
Dog Agility training video using a positive approach. The video
stresses consideration of a dog's vision and perception, showing you how
agility training may appear from Rover's point of view.
Bicycling
Bicycling
with Your Dog 40 km of trails in Nanaimo
are suitable for riding with your dog. 753-5246
email
Workshops and private training help you learn to recognize early signs
of too much exercise, games to practice skills, conditioning your
dog and more!
Clicker Training
Clicker Training
This is the latest rage in training your dog! Blue clickers are
available at Oliver's Pets and Bosleys, treat pouches at Bosley's.
Cooked liver bits or tiny cheese squares the size of peas work well as
treats.
Disc Dogs (frisbee)
Drafting (Carting) for large dogs email
Field Trialing
Flyball Louise 716-0077 Nanaimo Kennel Club
Freestyle (Dancing to music with Your Dog) Dawn email and Janice email
Games for Dogs 753-5246 email (running, jumping, mind, scenting games etc-great for small spaces and short time periods or play them anywhere)
Herding
No local contact but trainer in Victoria
and trainer and trials in Hope
Pet Therapy Programs
Pacific
Animal Therapy Society
PATS Parksville/Qualicum
250 752-5242
email
St John Ambulance Therapy Dogs For dogs that love getting love! 729-8911 email
Nanaimo SPCA Pet Visitation Program 758-8444 Visit senior centers
Parksville/Qualicum Pet Visitation Program 250 248-3811
Rally Obedience
716-3287 cell 250-713-1684
email
Rally Obedience is a fun way to do obedience with your dog. Lots of
talking, bonding and fun! Latest rage in dog activities. You don't have
to be quick on your feet (like in agility) and your dog doesn't have to
be precise. Classes starting
Fall '08.
Skijoring (on Mount Benson)
email
Clubs
English Cocker Spaniel Club of Canada 722-2912
Flat-Coated Retriever Society of Canada 758-5121
Golden Retriever Club of Canada Qualicum Bay 250-757-9205 email
Island Pacific Retriever Club 250 727-7825 Obedience classes, speciality shows, trials
Jack Russell Club Nanaimo
Kerry Blue Friends (Terriers)
Nanaimo
Kennel Club 722-7266
Nanaimo Dogs Owners Group
751-8915
email
Nanaimo Junior Kennel Club (for 6 to 18 yrs) Delvina 716-1701 Sandi 729-9920 Nicole 754-2661
Vancouver Island Afghan Hound Association
Vancouver Island Judges Study Group
Vancouver Island Retriever Club
Vancouver Island Toy Dog Club
Vancouver Island Whippet Assoc.
email
Qualicum
Beach Dog Owners Group
Search and Rescue Society of BC
Canadian Breed Clubs List by breed
Last Up-dated Mar 14, 2008
Island Discovery & Training makes no recommendations nor assume any
liability for you using any of these products or services. Do your
research and get references before dealing with them if you get a funny
feeling about them.
Copyright Ó2007 Island Discovery & Training