Bring your favorite four-legged friend for an evening of casual fun! Taste a selection of Lambert Bridge wines, indulge in an assortment of wood fired pizzas, and let your furry friend mingle with others of the same in our beautiful gardens! Reservations Required.

Please bring well-behaved leashed dogs and don’t forget to pick-up!

Lambert Bridge Winery
4085 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg,CA
Date: Friday, September 10 2010
Time: 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Price: $35/person
Reservation: raelynn@lambertbridge.com or call 707.431.4670

For many people a vacation isn’t a real vacation unless they can wade in the ocean with their four-legged buddies. Virginia Beach is a great year-round fido-friendly getaway where the beach seems to go on forever. Their website includes much useful information including doggie day care, dog parks and emergency vet services.

Many lodgings are pet friendly including some right on the beach with private balconies overlooking the Atlantic. For example, the Sheraton doesn’t charge extra for dogs and the Marriott’s Residence Inn includes a full kitchen.

Pets are welcome year-round, however during the peak season between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there are some limitations for dogs on the beach and boardwalk which are explained on the website. During the quieter off-season, they are welcome everywhere.

The boardwalk is actually a wide ribbon of cement where people jog, bike, walk their dogs, push their strollers and watch people build sand castles all the while keeping an eye out for dolphins which come quite close to shore. December is dazzling on the boardwalk with more than 300 remarkable displays of holiday lights and after dusk, visitors drive their cars right on the boardwalk to view the marvelous show.

For nearby hiking, leashed dogs are welcome during non-breeding seasons from November through March at the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge which showcases precious fresh-water precious wetlands with extensive wooden boardwalks, explanatory displays and trails for hiking. First Landing State Park is the most popular in the state and offers camping, picnicking and hiking on scenic trails. Always carry proof of rabies vaccination.

As a special treat for your pooch after a day of playing in the surf or hiking, head for the flagship store of Mrs. Bones, a boutique for sophisticated and unusual dog collars – some with matching belts for you.

An online search for “Virginia beach coupons” yields downloadable discount coupons for many activities, shops and restaurants. While your pet cannot go into restaurants, many eateries offer take out – from fast food and pizza to gourmet meals – and dining on your balcony with your dog is hard to beat. Three notable places for good carryout are family-owned Waterman’s, Wine Spectator-award-winning Mahi Mahs and Rockafeller’s with special brunch, lunch and dinner menus.

The ideal system to scoop poop is one that doesn’t involve actually handling the waste matter. The latest innovation from Bamboo meets this criterion. The mitt has a durable scoop edge that works on all surfaces including grass. It contains a roll of pick-up bags that works in conjunction with the mitt by placing a bag over it so that everything goes directly into the bag. (See photos) This way the mitt also remains clean. There is a large caribena clip to attach to a belt so that once again you can walk hands-free. For a list of retailers nationwide, visit www.Bamboopet.com.

Be sure to check out FDB’s Bark & Blog!

Pittsburgh Pirates Pup-Night at PNC Park. A portion of the proceeds benefits local animal shelters. For more information contact: Kevin Roach at KevinP.Roach@pirates.com or call 412-325-4797.

August 29, 2010
San Francisco, California

Bring your best friend to the San Francisco Giants’ Dog Days of Summer! $56 Dog Days Combo Ticket includes a special item for your dog, pregame parade, & costume contest. A portion of sales benefits the SF SPCA

S.F. Giants Dog Days of Summer

September 26, 2010
Greenough, Montana
The Canine Classic at Paws Up Resort is a benefit hike/run for you & your canine. 100% of registration fees and donations support Humane Society of Western Montana.

Resort at Paws Up Canine Classic

The Coombs House Inn invites you to bring your dogs and cats to a “Dog Days of Summer” Celebration Saturday August 7th. Feline and Fido events include a “Pussy Galor-ious” Beauty Contest and a “Doggie Duds” Fashion Show. Photos will be taken of all winners and they will receive prizes. All entrants will receive doggie biscuits and kitty treats. Join us on Facebook and send us your pet photos. Hot dogs, beer, and wine will be served. All profits will be donated to the Franklin County Humane Society.

Contact email : info@apalachicola.com

While most airports are coming into compliance with federal regulations about dog relief areas, Dulles International Airport appears to have taken the lead with three outdoor relief areas and two indoor post-security areas. This means travelers making connections with dogs don’t have to leave the terminal and the go through security again on their return – a great convenience.

Each secure pet area uses “K-9 grass,” which is an easy-to-maintain, paw-friendly artificial turf. Each also has an iconic fire hydrant and has pet-waste disposal supplies. While signs mention Service Animals, pets are also welcome.

There two outdoor areas are on the Departures level of the Main Terminal. On the East end, exit the doors closest to the United Airlines ticker counter and turn right. On the West end, exit the doors closest to the Delta ticket counter and turn left toward Daily Garage 2. For the area on the Baggage Claim level, follow signs for Service Animal Relief Area near Baggage Claim #1.

The indoor area for A and B gates is between Gates A31 and B35. A facility opposite Gate D1 serves C and D gates. These facilities may be opened with a combination available from gate agents and have special ventilation and flushing capacities to keep them fresh.

Would you like to comment about this article or pet amenities at U.S. airports? Check out our new blog – FDB’s Bark & Blog!

In extreme summer heat, dogs can dehydrate as quickly as humans and it’s a good idea to ensure that you have water with you wherever you go. The H2O4K9 is a stylish stainless steel water bottle, similar in shape to the trendy eco-friendly bottles that people are touting everywhere these days. The lid is designed as a drinking bowl suitable for dogs both large and small and unused water can be simply poured back into the bottle. It’s available in a variety of fun fashion colors with a clip to attach to a belt. Alternatively, you can go hands free with the Neosling, an over-the shoulder holder made from neoprene, fabric that will further insulate the bottle. It holds people bottles too. The bottles cost $19.95 and the slings sell for $14.95.

Have a yen to pitch a tent and get close to nature (with your favorite canine, of course)? If so, consider the large number of Northern California campgrounds overseen by three state and national agencies: California State Parks (CSP), National Park Service (NPS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). They offer dog-friendly camps along the state’s stunning coastline; at major outdoor playgrounds like Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park; and at countless other forests, lakes, and natural wonders.

Pet regulations vary, so research a specific destination’s rules before you go; you’ll typically need to keep Fido on a leash during the day and inside your tent or car at night. As for trail hiking, some CSP and NPS destinations allow dogs, but most don’t. Most BLM recreational areas permit leashed dogs on trails.

Here’s a look at “pooch camping” through these agencies and a few of their campground options.

California State Parks

Dogs are allowed in most state campgrounds (but not in those designated as “environmental”). For details, visit this page at California State Parks. To find a campground and make an online reservation, visit the official CSP site.

Easy-Access Coastal: MacKerricher State Park, on the coast three miles north of Fort Bragg, offers 148 campsites. Cost: $35/night.

Lake Tahoe: D. L. Bliss State Park near Emerald Bay offers 268 family campsites. Cost: $35/night.

National Park Service

Can you camp with your dog in a National Park? That depends on the Park. For example, Yosemite allows pets in many campgrounds and on fully-paved Valley trails (unless a sign says otherwise). But many other NPS Parks simply don’t allow dogs. To determine the rules for a specific Park and make reservations, visit the official NPS site.

Get Away-From-It-All: Yosemite’s Hodgdon Meadow Campground, 25 miles from Yosemite Valley, has 105 sites. Read Yosemite’s rules about Pets. Cost: $20/night.

Bureau of Land Management

The BLM oversees more than 250 million acres (much of it in California). As a general rule leashed dogs are welcome, including on trails. Campgrounds range from well-developed to wild country (overseen by 15 California field offices).

River-Camping: Northeastern California’s isolated Pit River Campground, near Fall River Mills, is gorgeous, surrounded by pine, ash and oak trees. It’s right on the river, so great for fishing. Reservoirs and lakes nearby, lots of hiking trails. Cost: $12/night on a first-come basis.

Another dog-friendly camping option: New Melones Lake in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. New Melones Lake is a reservoir operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and offers year-round camping at two locations near Angel’s Camp and Sonora.