Only in Provincetown - A Dog's Life

A dog and it's human companion are kayaking on a very high tide in the marsh.

This kayaker and dog are enjoying a truly gorgeous day on the sparkling waters near the breakwater in the Far West End of Provincetown.
In 2010, Dog Fancy magazine said that PTown was the most dog-friendly spot in the country.
Merchants all around Provincetown put out bowls of water for thirsty dogs, and we've got a bubbler (that's Yankee for "water fountain") for dogs and their humans in front of Town Hall. We've got a pet resort on Shank Painter Road, we have a pet appreciation celebration, and we have a cage-free, no-kill animal shelter that operates on fundraising events and contributions from the public, staffed almost entirely by volunteers.
Provincetown has 15 dog-friendly restaurants with outdoor canine dining areas, and 30 guest accommodations, cottages, campgrounds, hotels and inns accept pets. Dogs can go sailing, swimming or whale watching with Captain Rory and her crew aboard the Moondance II. They carry life vests on board for small and medium-sized dogs who might not be great swimmers.
Dogs visiting Provincetown and the surrounding area can get their hair done, have a massage, and have their portrait done by half-a-dozen artists and photographers. They can meet new friends in doggy daycare. They can take a narrated tour of the harbor on the Viking Princess.
Dogs can fly with their humans between Boston and Provincetown for $10, and leashed dogs can take the fast ferry between Boston and Provincetown for free. Find more dog-friendly information on the website for the Pilgrim Bark Park, PTown's quarter-million-dollar dog park and playground that's still fundraising for more improvements.
Dogs who take the tour of the town on the Provincetown Trolley get a treat at the end of the tour, and those walking by the trolley while it's parked in front of Town Hall can stop and get one, too. Dogs who visit Seamen's Bank get a treat from the tellers while their humans get a lollipop. In what other place on the planet are dogs not only allowed on public accommodations and in public buildings, but are even encouraged to visit?
Only in Provincetown...

Only in Provincetown - The Most Dog-Friendly Town in America

I don't know anywhere else in the world where you can take your dog into a public building like the post office or the bank and not only be welcomed in, but be fawned over and admired, and be offered a doggie treat to boot. Tellers at the drive-up window will ask how many dogs are in the car, so they can send out the correct number of dog cookies along with the driver's deposit receipt.
In most any other place in the so-called civilized world, you would find this sign instead loudly proclaiming "No Dogs Allowed" in menacing, red, prohibitive lettering.  In PTown dogs are lionized rather than villainized. At Seamens Bank on Commercial Street, where this photo was taken, any dog that is tall enough to reach the counter is encouraged to stand up on its hind legs and accept a dog bone from an admiring teller.
At my last inquiry I was told more than a quarter-million dollars had been privately raised for the Pilgrim Bark Park, the dog park out on Shank Painter Road. We now have a bubbler (a water fountain, for those of us born somewhere other than New England) on Commercial Street, in front of Town Hall, put there to provide a drink for dogs walking by with their humans, with the fountains included for watering the humans being its secondary purpose.
Many shopkeepers set out a bowl of fresh water for passing dogs and keep dog treats handy, and all of this prompted Dog Fancy magazine in 2010 to name Provincetown the Most dog-friendly of their top 40 cities and towns. Dog Fancy editor Ernie Slone said: "All dog owners know of a few local shops or restaurants that allow dogs, but it is remarkable to have an entire town where virtually every establishment opens its doors to dogs - even the bank."
Click on this link to find a Provincetown Business Guild article all about  bringing your dog to Provincetown.