Wintering in the Phoenix Area With Your Dog: What Snowbirds Need to Know

Spending the winter in the Phoenix area with your dog? Here's what to know. If you stay 30 days in a row, your dog needs a county license. The leash can't be longer than six feet. Dogs can join you on restaurant patios that have a county permit. And the desert has a few hazards your dog never met back home.

Winter is also the best time to train here. It's cool enough to work outside every day, and one winter is long enough to finish a program before you head home.

Get a county license if you stay 30 days

In Maricopa County, a dog over three months old needs a county license if it stays here 30 days in a row. It also needs a current rabies shot. That rule comes from state law, and it covers winter visitors too.

You can license your dog online through Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. Have your dog's rabies certificate ready. A license also puts your name and number in the county's system, so the shelter can reach you if your dog ever gets lost.

Staying in Pinal County, like San Tan Valley or the Pinal side of Queen Creek? Check with Pinal County. Its rules are separate.

Keep the leash six feet or shorter

Off your own property, your dog has to be on a leash. The leash can be six feet long or shorter. That's the rule in the cities the county serves and in Scottsdale. A long retractable leash let all the way out is over the limit.

Off-leash play is for dog parks. Scottsdale's dog parks, for example, require a license and shots. Your dog also needs to come when you call.

Restaurant patios

Dogs can eat out with you here, but only on patios with a county permit. Look for the county's "Dog Friendly Patio" sign. Your dog comes in from outside, not through the restaurant.

On the patio, your dog stays on a leash and under your control. It stays on the ground, not on a chair, a lap or the table. The county code spells out the rest.

That's a lot to ask of a dog that barks at other dogs or begs at the table. Patio manners are part of the Go-Everywhere Program, and Mark trains them on real Valley patios.

Hiking with your dog

Winter is hiking season here, and most trails welcome dogs on a leash. A few don't.

In Phoenix, dogs are never allowed on Camelback Mountain's Echo Canyon and Cholla trails or on the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail. Dogs are also banned from every City of Phoenix trail when it's 100 degrees or hotter. That can still happen in October and again in late spring. The city's trail page has the details.

Maricopa County's regional parks welcome dogs on a six-foot leash, except at the Hassayampa River Preserve. Usery Mountain in Mesa, San Tan Mountain in Queen Creek, McDowell Mountain near Fountain Hills and White Tank Mountain in the West Valley even have water fountains for dogs. Bring your own water and a bowl anyway.

Rocks, steep spots and cactus are new to most dogs from back home. A dog that walks calmly beside you makes every hike easier.

Walking the canal paths

The Valley has more than 80 miles of paths along its canals. They're flat, close to home and good for daily walks.

Keep your dog on a leash and away from the edge. SRP warns that canal sides are slick and the water moves faster than it looks.

If your dog falls in, don't jump in after it. Call 911.

The paths are narrow, so bikes, runners and other dogs pass close. If your dog barks and lunges at them, that's reactivity. It's one of the problems Mark fixes.

Desert hazards your dog hasn't met

• Rattlesnakes. They come out as it warms up in spring. Keep your dog close on a short leash, since dogs often get bitten when they go to sniff a snake. If your dog is bitten, get to a vet right away.

• Coyotes. They live all over the Valley, even in neighborhoods. Keep small dogs close, especially early in the morning and around dark.

• Cactus. Cholla spines grab on and hold. The county suggests packing tweezers for cactus spines in your dog's first-aid kit.

• Valley fever. It comes from a fungus in the desert dirt, and dogs can get it too. Ask a local vet what to watch for.

• Sun. Even in winter, the sun here is strong. Bring water on every walk.

A winter is enough time to fix it

If your dog pulls, barks, jumps or won't come when called, one winter here is enough time to fix it. Mark comes to your winter home and trains your dog there, where the problems happen. He has trained dogs for 26 years.

The Home Dog Program takes about five weeks. The Go-Everywhere Program takes about nine weeks and adds patios, hikes, travel and off-leash work. Either one fits inside a winter.

When you head home, the help doesn't stop. You can text Mark seven days a week, for life. Lifetime group classes are waiting when you come back next winter.

Mark trains across the Valley, including Mesa, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Sun City, Surprise, Gilbert, Chandler and Goodyear. Call (602) 960-0011 or book a free call to see if it's a fit.

Questions snowbirds ask

Does my dog need an Arizona license for the winter?

In Maricopa County, yes, if your dog is over three months old and stays 30 days in a row. It also needs a current rabies shot.

How long can my dog's leash be?

Six feet or shorter when you're off your own property, including in county parks.

Can my dog come to restaurant patios?

Yes, on patios with a county Dog Friendly Patio permit. Your dog stays leashed, under control and off chairs and laps.

Can I hike Camelback with my dog?

No. Dogs aren't allowed on Camelback's Echo Canyon or Cholla trails, or on the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail.

When is it too hot for dogs on Phoenix trails?

At 100 degrees, dogs are banned from every City of Phoenix trail.

Can I get my dog trained while I'm here for the winter?

Yes. Mark trains in your winter home. The Home Dog Program takes about five weeks, and you can text Mark after you go home.

Mark is a dog trainer, not a lawyer. Rules change, so check with your city or the county for the latest.