Each year, thousands of visitors
find their way to ocean-side vacation spots on Oregon’s coast, and for a host
of very good reasons. To name just a few, the relatively warm waters of the
Pacific, magnificent sunsets, wide sandy beaches, miles of gorgeous breaking
surf, and predictably good dining are a given. On top of all that, the State of
Oregon had the foresight and courage years ago, to declare that access to the
ocean belonged to all the people, and could not be contravened by any other
interest. It is a matter of law. From the northern corner to the southernmost
border, people, PEOPLE own the places where the land meets the sea. As a New
England Yankee, who considers the rocky shores of Maine my home, I especially
appreciate this matter of guaranteed
access, because it would seem a remarkable concept to my east coast family
members.
There is yet another local charm
that keeps us coming back to our Oregon coastal haunts each year. The places we
love – Cannon Beach, Manzanita and Seaside at the top of our list - are the
most “dog-friendly” communities I know of anywhere. Not just because they say
so, but because the fact of it is so visually self-evident. In no other
community that I know of can we count on seeing so many canine varieties, and
such an abundance of human-canine companionship on display as on Hemlock Street
(the main drag) of Cannon Beach. In fact it has become our much-anticipated
practice to sit on a sheltered bench in front of our favorite ice cream store
and watch people and their dogs – or more properly dogs and their people -
stroll by, or stop to sit beside us.
We see the “small dog” people, with
their Bichons, Scotties, Chihuahuas, mini-Poodles, Terriers, Spaniels, Pugs,
Shih Tzus and a myriad of mixes, and the “big dog” folks with their Great
Danes, Pyrenees, Retrievers, Short Hairs, Samoyeds, Shepherds and ‘Berners’,
and now and then if we’re lucky, a rare Shiba Inu or an Akita. Often, we strike up a conversation with the
walkers, and – if approved - with their four-footed companions. Invariably our
approach is both welcomed and memorable; Cannon Beach dogs and their owners are
altogether the most socially-habituated segment of vacation society imaginable,
and it is obvious that the canines we meet here are the luckiest of domestic
creatures to be paired with owners who take their companionship seriously.
Any time we walk the beach, we know
we will see lots of dogs, playing in the surf, showing off with impossible
Frisbee performances, and just socializing with people and other dogs. (Because
of a personal bias, we especially seize opportunities to shake hands with
Golden Retrievers and their lucky owners.)
Often in our wanderings we see
family groups, and the dynamics we observe going on between parents, children,
siblings and pets tends to restore our confidence that America still is a
pretty good place, and we are reminded of the wisdom of one writer who observed
“dogs are miracles with paws”.
A good place to meet canine visitors at Cannon
Beach is a store known as “Puppy Love By the Sea” where owners bring their pets
to pick out their own toys.
Visitors from Germany head toward a sidewalk café with their two Golden Retrievers.
A couple visiting from Portland pause for a rest
with their 100 pound Bernese Mountain dog, and their 100 pound Bernese/Golden
Retriever mix.
Proud of her colorful beachwear, a Poodle/Bichon
mix puppy waits to pick out a gift in “Puppy Love”.
Photos by Al Cooper
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