13 Weeks of Summer: Week 11

 

As summer winds down there are only 3 more weeks to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather.  Each week will include a new idea, dog event, or activity for you and your dog to try.  Don’t be afraid to try something new and encourage your friends to join you.

Road Trip!

Labor Day signifies the end of summer for most people since you get one last holiday weekend before school starts (although, these days school has already started for most).  Why not take advantage of the extra day off of work and school and take a trip with the whole family, dog included. 

While there are a number of places you could go, why not try the very dog-friendly South Lake Tahoe? Located about 2 hours east of Sacramento, California and 1 ½ hours southwest of Reno, Nevada, South Lake Tahoe offers beautiful scenery and plenty to do during your stay. 

 

No matter what kind of trip you prefer to have there are plenty of lodging options, be it a hotel room, a lake-side cabin, or even just a campground spot.  For a list of campgrounds and a few resorts where you and your dog are more than welcome, check out tahoesouth.com.  Or for private cabin rentals check out petslovetahoe.com.

You could easily take a trip to Tahoe and not have time to experience everything the beautiful city has to offer.  With over 9 trails and 4 dog-friendly beaches, you could easily spend your weekend just enjoying the landscape.  Bring your boat or your bike to enjoy the city on another level by land or by lake.  If you want a little more adventure you can go kayaking, parasailing, skiing, rafting or simply just go fishing all weekend.  Grab a bite to eat at one of the city’s dog-friendly restaurants like Colombo’s Burgers A-Go-Go or Getaway Café.  Or course, this is just the summer fun.  You can go back in winter and hit the slopes with your dog as well.  For a list of restaurants, trails, beaches, and ski trails (for your future winter trip) check out petslovetahoe.com.  For recreational options and rental information, check out tahoesouth.com
However you choose to enjoy the Labor Day weekend with your dog, be sure to make safe decisions for you and the whole family.  When on the water everyone should be sure to wear a life jacket, dog included.  Even the strongest swimmers can get disoriented or may temporarily be unable to swim.  Bring plenty of water and sunblock for you and your dog as well.  Your dog can’t exactly tell you when he is overwhelmed by the heat.  Sun poisoning and dehydration are serious dangers when enjoying the lake, especially during these peak summer months.  For more information, check out the articles: Traveling Safely with your Dog by car, Traveling Safely with your Dog by boat, and Heat Stroke in Dogs parts 1 & 2.

Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!     

13 Weeks of Summer: Week 9

Now that summer is officially here it’s time to get out of the house and make the most of these three short months.  Each week will include a new idea, dog event, or activity for you and your dog to try.  Don’t be afraid to try something new and encourage your friends to join you.

This Week, Walk for a Cause

You and your pup can give back to the community and help those in need simply by going for a walk.  Yes, it’s as easy as that.  So get the leash, the poop bags, and some water for you both and head out to Long Beach or Costa Mesa this weekend to participate in the “Walk for Pet Preparedness” or “Bark for Life” (or both).  It’s a great way to support a good cause while bonding with your best friend. 

Walk for Pet Preparedness

SoCal Animal Response Team (SCART) will be hosting their 1st Annual Pet Fair in the Park on Sunday, August 19^th, from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.  The event is being held at the Long Beach Marine Stadium located at 5255 Paoli Way in Long Beach.   

 
“SCART is a Southern California based animal disaster response team whose goals are to educate the public in disaster preparedness for their families and pets and, to provide assistance to animals affected by a disaster.”- scart.us.  Because SCART is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, it completely relies on donations to fund the education, rescue work, and other services they provide on a local and national level in the event of a disaster. 

“Walk for pet Preparedness” welcomes dogs of all shapes and sizes to walk around the long Beach Marine Stadium in an effort to help raise much needed funds for SCART.  Registration is $20 per dog or $30 for 2 dogs and all proceeds go to support SoCal Animal Response Team (SCART).  The pet fair will also feature Avid Microchipping for $20 (includes microchip registration), low-cost dog and cat vaccinations, local animal rescues, pet-related vendors, Agility Dog demo, opportunity drawings, and more.  There will be great information on disaster preparedness as it relates to pets and Long Beach Red Cross will have an ERV, CPR demo and blood pressure testing. This is a great family event which will even have a puppet show for the kids!  So get ready to have a fun day with your family and dog(s) and learn more about disaster preparedness for your family and pets.

To register for the “Walk for Pet Preparedness” go online to www.SCART.us, or simply register the day of.  The walk begins at 9 a.m.

 Bark for Life of Orange County

The annual Bark for Life of Orange County will be held this Sunday, August 19^th from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the TeWinkle Park located at 970 Arlington Dr. in Costa Mesa.

“The American Cancer Society Bark For Life^TM is a noncompetitive walk event for dogs and their owners to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society's fight against cancer.” –RelayforLife.org

·         Approximately 1 out of every 3 women in the U.S. will develop cancer in their lifetime.

·         Almost 1 of every 2 men in the U.S. will develop cancer in their lifetime.

·         1 out of every 9 dogs in the U.S. dies of cancer each year.

·         Cancer is the 2^nd leading cause of death in the U.S., exceeded only by heart disease.

By supporting or participating in Bark for Life, you help the American Cancer Society raise much-needed funds and awareness to help save lives and reach their ultimate goal, which is to “create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.”  If you were to donate to the American Cancer Society you would be providing support to cancer patients and their families in the community.  With the proper funding, the American Cancer Society will be able to offer a broad range of essential programs and services at no cost to the recipient. To donate, log on to www.relayforlife.org/barkorangecountyca

The Bark for Life welcomes dogs from all walks of life to join in the fight against cancer.  Online pre-registration is $25 per dog or it will be $30 per dog the day of the event.  Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the event kicks off with the walk at 10 a.m.  There is plenty of fun to be had after the walk including doggy contests, pet-related vendors, food, adoptions, demonstrations, agility course by ‘Intelligent Agility’, and more.  Participants are also welcome to bring pop-up canopies, chairs, and blankets to set up in the picnic area. 

For more information, or to pre-register your dog, log on to www.relayforlife.org/barkorangecountyca

13 Weeks of Summer: Week 8

Now that summer is officially here it’s time to get out of the house and make the most of these three short months.  Each week will include a new idea, dog event, or activity for you and your dog to try.  Don’t be afraid to try something new and encourage your friends to join you.

This Week, Go to the Market

The Fullerton Market is a favorite among locals, and rightly so.  Operating weekly, the market offers fresh produce, prepared foods, arts and crafts, jewelry, novelty and gift items, live entertainment, kid’s activities, and a beer garden.  

This Thursday, August 9^th, you and your dog can experience the renowned market for yourself as the Fullerton Museum Center Association hosts Dog Days at the Fullerton Market.

Dog Days at the Fullerton Market is a great opportunity to not only get a taste of the Fullerton Market but also to join in the camaraderie of the dog community, giving you the chance to interact with other dog lovers and dogs alike.  You and your dog can join in the fun of one of the dog contests, like loudest bark or fastest eater, or simply enjoy a short dog show.  Whatever you decide to do, this special dog market will feature many dog-related vendors and activities to make sure you and your dog have a good time.   

The fun takes place this Thursday, August 9^th, 2012 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Downtown Fullerton Plaza located at 125 E. Wilshire Ave., in Fullerton.   

13 Weeks of Summer: Week 7

Now that summer is officially here it’s time to get out of the house and make the most of these three short months.  Each week will include a new idea, dog event, or activity for you and your dog to try.  Don’t be afraid to try something new and encourage your friends to join you.

This Week, Cruise along the Santa Ana River

When’s the last time you went out to enjoy a nice bike ride? The Inland Empire and Orange County have made it possible for their communities to enjoy the Santa Ana River by putting bike trails along it, from the mountains to the coast.  It’s a great way to get the family out of the house and enjoying the outdoors together with your dog.  

Where to go…. 

One great bike trail you can enjoy with your dog is the Riverside Santa Ana River trail.  This trail starts at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains and connects several local parks as it follows the river through Riverside.  Two of the parks along this trail are Fairmont Park and Carlson Dog Park, which are great starting and stopping points for your bike trip.  For more information on the Santa Ana River trail, and Riverside’s plans to connect the trails leading to the Pacific Ocean, check out Riverside’s Parks & Recreation webpage.

If you were up to the task, you could bike from Featherly Regional Park, (off Green River) in Corona, to Huntington Beach, following the Santa Ana River for a cool 30 miles.  But it’s likely you and your dog are not ready for that marathon of a bike ride just yet.  The trail has plenty of starting and stopping points along the way so you can decide how long you want to ride for.  Just remember, when deciding how far to ride, that you will most likely need to ride back the same distance you came, so be sure to save some energy.  Some great starting and stopping points through Orange County are Featherly Regional Park, Yorba Regional Park, Lincoln (off the 57, just past Rio Vista), and Fairview Park just to name a few. 

For all Santa Ana River Trail maps and a complete list of starting/stopping points, as well as picnic and rest areas along the trail, check out the S.A.R.T.website.  You may want to print out a map for the trail you wish to explore because there are many times when you need to cross a bridge to the other side of the river to continue on the trail.

There are also great bike trails along the coast at every beach.  Just pick a beach, find the trail (usually just before the sand), and bike to your heart’s content while you soak in the sun and enjoy the salty sea air blowing through your hair.

Don’t have a bike? No problem!

The City of Anaheim has partnered up with Bike Nation to introduce a new bike share program! It works as “a self-serve kiosk rental system where individuals can rent and return a bicycle anywhere within a network of stations within the City of Anaheim” – Anahiem Magazine. This first year of the program will be a trial run so there are limited rental stations as of yet, but you can find one of the bike rental kiosks at the Anaheim Metrolink Station, which is in close proximity to the Santa Ana River Trail.  For more information on this program visit www.anaheim.net or www.bikenationusa.com.

Before you go….

Biking with your dog can be a very positive experience for both of you.  If your dog has never gone walking next to a bike, be sure to introduce him slowly (and with treats if need be) so he has a positive association with the bike.  Once he is comfortable around the bike, take your dog out on a couple of short biking trips (around the block is good) so he gets a chance see how to cooperate with the bike and also to toughen up the pads of his feet.  If a dog doesn’t have tough foot pads they will most likely get torn walking or running alongside a bike for too long. 

During these hot summer days, its best to go biking in the morning before 11 a.m. or in the evening after 6 p.m. You don’t want a heat stroke for you or your dog.  Put on sunscreen (your dog may need some too), bring plenty of water for you and your dog, and pack a light snack.

Walking or running alongside a bike is not for every dog so you should take your dog’s physical health, size, and age into consideration before deciding to bike with him.  Also, biking with your dog should be done with great caution when around cars, pedestrians, or other dogs and bikers.  Remember to always put safety first!