Adapted from Washington, D.C. - Baltimore Dog Lover's Companion by Don and Ann Oldenburg

They all may look the same but some hydrants make for more interesting stops during a dog walk.

Beautiful as the tour is, we must warn you it is also long. Without adding the distance of the optional Watergate loop, the tour is about 4.5 miles long. With a good stride, but still letting the dog sniff his stuff, the main loop alone takes about three hoursdepending on which of you wins the leash-tugging contests. Because the main course is an elongated loop that stretches from one end of the National Mall to the other, taking a short cut directly across the Mall at any time you or the pooch gets weary is not only permitted, it's advised and even required.

What You Need To Know

The tour requires fitness of both you and your dog. One of you should wear comfortable shoes. One of you should bring along a plastic baggy in case the other poops. Drinking water is plentiful along the route, so you needn't carry that. The photo opportunities are stunning, so do carry your camera. If you park your car, look for a space in the northeast and southeast neighborhood streets a block or two behind the United States Capitol, off East Capitol Street, for instance, or on either of the A Streets (NE or SE) back there. Be informed: Your dog needs to stay on leash the entire tour, per D.C. law.

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The Washington, D.C.-Baltimore Dog Lover's Companion is available from Amazon.com. Click here to order! Click here to visit Avalon Travel Publishing

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