At least a dozen of the resort's hotels -- several of them part of major chains -- are considered pet-friendly, meaning they are happy to host the family canine or cat along with mom, dad and the kids. (Comstock)

WHISTLER, B.C. -- Zigmund Alexander began his first day here with breakfast in his room, followed by a long walk outside.

Before he stepped out from the lobby of his cozy, upscale lodgings, he bid good morning to the front desk staff at the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa and several hotel guests. He also remembered to leave the card for the maid to make up his room.

Zigmund's philosophy is not just to get to know the place he visits but also the people he meets along the way. Noticing there were a few art galleries right beside his hotel, he decided to start his walk with a little culture and to satisfy his love of impressionist painting.

A little thirsty from his walk, he headed to an outdoor cafe for a drink and to mingle with the many people who always seem to gravitate to him.

But soon finding himself tired after a long flight from Toronto, the past midnight trip up to Whistler and a full morning of hobnobbing, he decided to return to his room for an afternoon nap and a few treats -- his welcome gift from the hotel.

Whenever Zigmund travels, he tries to stick to the same routine. Mind you this was first time he'd ever been given an International Doggie Jet Set kit upon arrival. Yes indeed, Zigmund get could used to this jet setting thing.

At this internationally renowned ski resort -- which is poised to host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games -- it's not just the movie stars and athletes who are top dog.

Man's (and woman's) best friends have become the latest VIPs.

Arlene Schieven, v-p of marketing for Tourism Whistler, says the people of Whistler are "quite passionate" about a number of things and being dog-friendly is one of them.

"People want to travel with their dogs and we've become a lot more responsive to focusing on what our customers want," she says.

At least a dozen of the resort's hotels -- several of them part of major chains -- are considered pet-friendly, meaning they are happy to host the family canine or cat along with mom, dad and the kids. Several of the resort's rental properties also advertise on pet-friendly websites.

When the Hilton Whistler re-opened its doors in December of 2005, after 30 months and $52-million of renovations, a conscious decision was made to be both family and pet-friendly, says Mark Paul, the hotel's director of sales and marketing.

Not only are dogs welcomed at the hotel -- for a small surcharge of $25 per night -- but upon check-in each furry four-legged guest gets a special kit containing an ID tag and lead, poop and scoop bags, massage cream, treats, dog food and a puppy postcard.

"It's kind of a fun thing ... it gets people coming back with their pets," says Paul.

"Visiting children get an amenity (a T-shirt or colouring book)... this is just an extension of that," adds Michelle Bartolo, the hotel's spokeswoman.

The Hilton resort gets much of its dog traffic -- particularly large dogs -- in the summer when their visitors can come by car through the mountains from Washington, Oregon, Alberta and B.C.

And while they "deep clean" their rooms "to remove the smell" after the pets leave, Paul says the wear and tear occurs "much quicker" from ski boots. (He notes that they also set aside non-pet rooms for people with allergies to dogs or cats.)

Schieven feels most of the damage done in hotels is not from dogs.

"People who travel with their dogs are very responsible dog owners," she says.

Many of Whistler's shops and outdoor patios welcome dogs. There are also a number of off-leash doggie parks surrounding the village and a special place for dogs to swim in the resort's Lost Lake called Dog Beach Canine Cove.

For visitors who want to ski or golf during the day -- and don't want to leave the dog alone in their hotel room -- there's a new doggie daycare, walking service and "spaw" offered by The Whistler Dog's Paw, conveniently located in the centre of Whistler village.

The new centre, which opened last Christmas, already has an association with the Four Seasons resort, says manager Kelly Nylander, meaning that the hotel includes the doggie daycare service in its weekend package rate.

Dogs have their own festival at Whistler too. Each April, a special two-day Dog Fest -- which is tacked onto the World Ski and Snowboard Festival -- gives pooches a chance to participate in a variety of events including a costume contest and parade, with all proceeds going to the Whistler Animals Galore (WAG), a Whistler-based-no-kill animal shelter for dogs.

"We're welcoming, we're down to earth, we're inclusive ... not every destination would have a Dog Festival or a Pride week," Schieven said during this past February's Winter Pride week, the event that initially brought my partner, Zigmund and I to the resort.

Not many hotels would allow Zigmund to lounge on a leather chair by a crackling fire while his owners sip an apres-ski cocktail either.

It's a good thing he keeps all four paws on the ground. Otherwise, there'd be no talking to this newest member of the pet jet set!

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BOTTOM LINE

GETTING THERE

Zigmund, a 15-pound miniature dachsie, was permitted to travel in the cabin of our Harmony Airways direct flight from Toronto to Vancouver. For a supplementary one-way fee of $50, small pets like Ziggy can be housed in a soft-sided bag under the seat. Harmony is no longer in business; However West Jet offers the same service for small pets under 22 pounds (including the bag or kennel used to house them.) Since September of 2006, Air Canada no longer allows pets to travel in the cabin. For more information, check the individual website of the airline on which you're planning to book.

MORE INFORMATION

For a list of Whistler hotels offering pet-friendly accommodation, check out whistler.com or contact 1-800-WHISTLER. For more information on the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, contact hiltonwhistler.com or phone 1-800-515-4050, a toll-free line.