Mishka and I currently live in CA, between San Jose and San Francisco, but may have the opportunity to move to Seattle sometime in the next year.  I have friends up there, but none of them are dog owners, so I was wondering if some of you might be willing to chime in on what it's like to live in the Seattle area....with dogs.  :)

How do you like your local dog parks?

Are the places you shop and dine generally dog-friendly?  

What are your favorite places to go with your dog(s)?

If you have dogs who are reliable off-leash, are there places to go that are not fenced-in dog parks? (We generally go to the dog beach at Fort Funston down here twice a month.)

How about off-leash training areas?  (I have a permit for Mishka for some of the training areas in the Mountain View city parks, which is handy for practicing agility since I don't have a yard.)

Have any of you owned dogs as apartment-dwellers?  How hard is it to find dog-friendly places to rent?

And, do any of you work in offices that are dog-friendly?  I currently take Mishka to work with me, which is kind of an unusual perk down here.

I grew up in L.A. without a dog, and lived in Providence, RI for 8 years, also without at dog.  So I am relatively versatile when it comes to weather management, but untested when it comes to owning a dog in Real Weather.  Though, Mishka has an excellent rain jacket, and I have a matching hat and boots: