Take your pup to dog-friendly West Palm Beach

In a recent message, a Chihuahua sneaked into her luggage as her human drove to Las Vegas. The dog Icky had dug into a trunk only to be discovered when the trunk exceeded its weight limit. Luckily, Icky was fine.

My first thought as I read it was yes, of course. I also have a small dog, a 5 pound rescue Pomeranian named Rocket. Rocket is constantly putting himself at risk trying to go on adventures. He slips through the door, crawls into handbags, tosses his bird bones onto the threshold as if protesting the removal of a mature oak tree.

We left him with dog sitters. Still, it’s sometimes difficult to 100 percent deny your desire for your undivided attention without pauses.

Since there are three of us in this marriage, we took Rocket about four hours southeast to West Palm Beach for an anniversary weekend. To my knowledge, West Palm Beach hasn’t marketed itself as the most dog-friendly destination in Florida, but I’m passing that idea along to tourism folks for free.

We stayed at a new boutique hotel called The Ben, which is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. Dogs are not only allowed (for a $125 fee), they’re on-themed. We’re talking about a pop-up dog bowl and pocket dispenser that’s gifted on arrival. We’re talking golden dog sculptures at the ends of the hallways. We’re talking room service with a “fur baby fillet mignon.” Don’t insult my character; We didn’t buy Rocket a $30 fillet. He prefers Ribeye. I’m kidding. He prefers Chateaubriand.

The grounds are beautiful for humans too, in a leather-bound library. Our room had a hidden sliding door to the back of the shower which is ideal if you want to terrorize that special someone while they try to relax.

We ate a romantic anniversary dinner while the Pomeranian stared at us on the patio Pistache French Bistro, only Steps from the hotel on Clematis Street. After dinner we watched a light show in front of the restaurant. Rocket enjoyed the fountains for Katy Perry.

A vegan restaurant called Darbster, named after the owners’ poodle, offered a discount for a few hours on Sunday if you bring a dog. I’ve never turned down a rebate, and I have no intention of starting. We visited Civil Society Brewing which has a dog mascot and lots of canine clientele. And we discovered BRK Republic, tucked away behind a taco shop on Clematis Street. You must register your dog to ensure it is not Cujo. Then, He can roam freely behind the bar and in a pool outside. The place is covered in artificial grass so you know what that means.

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Rocket was allowed at the West Palm Beach Antiques Festival, a monthly gathering at the South Florida Fairgrounds. He also did the cut at a couple of antique shops and rode in a dog backpack we bought online. Once in the pocket, it doesn’t squirm or make any noise, just stares outward like a possessed Furby.

Growing up Catholic in the Midwest, I always ask permission, apologize, and assume the worst. This attitude is apparently not required in West Palm. We saw a biracial guy in West Elm in Rosemary Square who only thought about couches.

We ventured into the multi-story Restoration Hardware, which looks like Beyoncé’s house and has a restaurant on top. My husband told me to be confident with the dog, like the guy in West Elm. I agreed and then practically yelled, “I AM A FARMER WOMAN, MAY I ENTER HUMBLELY WITH MY FARMER HERD?”

“Dogs are allowed!” the clerk said happily before poking fun at the serene goblin in the backpack. Rocket stared back, fully understanding that he rules our lives and enjoying the vacation specially designed for him.

It was time to go.

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