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Chloe’s Clicks: This week’s best dog travel links

Happy New Year, friends! On a looking-forward day like today, I’m looking back at last week, at posts like this one from Fido Friendly‘s blog, written by Helen Fazio (who’s also guest-posted on Dog Jaunt). She and Raja, her Shih Tzu, describe a couple of dog-friendly winter vacation options — in Mt. Tremblant, Canada (not far from Montreal) and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Take a look, too, at the guest post on All Things Dog Blog by Fido Friendly‘s Carol Bryant about her favorite dog-friendly ski resorts. It’s Part III of three posts — click on the link at the end of Carol’s post to start with Part I.

A tweet by Fido Factor led me to a note on the California State Parks site, listing the parks in the Russian River District where dogs are allowed on beaches — very useful — and when I temporarily lost that link, I found this fine list of all California state parks where dogs are allowed on the beach. In other news from California, the Orange County café I mentioned in a Chloe’s Clicks in September (“a café that not only allows dogs to join diners at an outdoor patio but also provides a doggy play area for them”) will open in early 2011, according to the O.C. Register. And take a look at this post from The 50th Plate — you won’t want to miss the author’s pictures of her two Corgis — two Corgis!! — romping on the beach at Carmel.

A couple of links from abroad to share with you: Yak & Natter wrote an inspiring post, with beautiful pictures, about a week-long dog-friendly getaway (beaches, trails, rental, pubs) in Pembrokeshire, and CNNGo reader Shirley Ngo wrote an extensive article about “the best dog-friendly spots in Singapore.”

The three last links I have all focus, in different ways, on driving with your dog. Our friends at Take Paws wrote a very useful post about preparing for a pet-friendly road trip, and Have Dog Blog Will Travel drew my attention to “Pit Stops,” a book written by Michelle Sathe about her road trip from California to the East Coast and back with Loren, her rescued pit bull. Click on the link in the post to see excerpts from the book and to learn more about Michelle and Loren, “a perfect ambassador for her breed, charming everyone she met along the way.”

This last post is my favorite this week, and that’s saying something (did I mention the TWO CORGIS?!). TechEBlog posted an overview of Honda’s W.O.W. (“Wonderful Open-hearted Wagon”), a concept mini-van with a pair of seats that convert into a dog crate and — here’s the part I love — a crate for a small dog built into the dashboard. It’s actually old news (the wagon first appeared at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show), and I don’t know why TechEBlog just ran a post about it. However, it’s new to me, and I’m in love. Watch the short video, and you’ll fall in love too.

Photo Friday: Sadie the Boxer mix puppy

Today’s photos were sent to me by readers Donna and Stuart, who are traveling the U.S. in an RV with their Boxer mix puppy named Sadie. These particular photos are from a side trip by motorcycle to Key West:

Sadie, in Doggles goggles, on the back of Stuart's Harley-Davidson trike

And this one is of Sadie getting a lift from Stuart at the end of a long day:

Now THAT is a wonderful dog...

I was happy (and impressed!) to learn that they are a family of many blogs: Sadie has a blog of her own, called Sadie Speaks; Donna and Stuart write a blog with the wonderful name of 2 Taking a 5th, about their travels; and Donna writes a third blog, called Toadily Pets, about a variety of pet-related topics.

I’d love to see your pup, and hear what you’ve been up to together this week — please post your photos on Dog Jaunt’s Facebook page so we can all enjoy them!

Flying with an in-cabin dog: More considerations in choosing a seat

This post was inspired by a comment on Dog Jaunt’s Facebook page from reader Genny, who recently traveled with Eva, her Papillon, from Seattle to Michigan and back. She mentioned that although everything went smoothly, Eva did try digging through the bottom of her carrier during one take-off. That rang a bell with me, because on the past dozen or so flights we’ve taken, Chloe has scratched vigorously at the “door” of her carrier during take-off. Since she settles down as soon as the plane levels off, I’ve become convinced that something about the sound of the engines during take-off bothers her.

My solution so far has been to curl up in the crash position so I can stick a hand in Chloe’s carrier, tucked under the seat in front of me, and pat her during take-off. That works, though it must make the passengers around me wonder what I’m up to (I do explain what I’m doing to my seat-mates!). Genny pointed out, though, that Eva seemed to do better when she was seated farther away from the engines. For that reason, she recommends that anyone flying with an in-cabin dog choose a seat towards the front of the plane.

Here’s something else to consider: Several flights ago, we were seated directly over the wheels, and the noise they made when they were lowered surprised and upset Chloe (who had been snoozing). It was the only time I’ve ever seen her truly nervous on a plane. Again, my solution has been to assume the crash position as we’re starting our descent, so that I’m patting Chloe when the landing gear is lowered. I stay there until we’re taxiing, so I can reassure her during the loud thrust-reversal part of touchdown.

Since the wheels are located under the engines, Genny’s advice — choose a seat towards the front of the plane — would help with both problems. Thank goodness for clear-headed readers! I’ll make a conscious choice to sit closer to the front of the plane on our next few flights, and see if it improves Chloe’s comfort level.

Chloe’s Clicks: Last week’s best dog travel links

What can I say? The holidays got ahead of me this time. Better late than never, though — you wouldn’t want to miss these links.

It’s all about the snow, this time of year, so you won’t be surprised that My Pet News has five pet-friendly ski resorts for you to consider, from Vermont to Wyoming (and then north to Lake Louise). Also consider two inns, one in Connecticut and the other in Ohio: The Interlaken Inn in Lakefield, CT reported that they’ve just added a pet-friendly room to Sunnyside, a restored Victorian building (the Woodside building is also dog-friendly); and Bocci’s Beefs raved about a stay this past summer at the Inn at Cedar Falls, in Logan, OH (for more details, read the article they wrote for the current issue of Fido Friendly).

Alternatively, you could just go to Rome and Milan. That’s what our friends Diane and Cosmo, of To Dog with Love, are doing — here’s Diane’s post about the prep work she did to make sure that Cosmo could travel to Italy comfortably (and legally!). As an alternative, how about Turkey? Here’s a marvelous post from How to Travel with Pets that walks you through the prep work you need to do before traveling to Turkey, and describes the kinds of resources that are available in Turkey for travelers with dogs. I particularly appreciate Anil’s overview of the place pet dogs and cats occupy in the Turkish culture.

Changing gears, here’s a hoot of a post from a college student traveling, recently, on a Southwest plane carrying an in-cabin dog (as well as a number of in-cabin infants). It made me laugh and wince at the same time. Traveling with a dog really works best with a dog that can handle it comfortably…

And finally, here’s another Teddy Hilton celebrity picture — this time, it’s singer and actress Brooke Hogan arriving at LAX with her pup in a Sherpa carrier. It makes me happy when celebrities follow the rules (though opening the carrier inside the airport isn’t actually allowed).

Photo Friday: Cooper the Jack Russell Terrier puppy

Today’s photos were sent to me by reader Meg, who lives in Geneva, Switzerland with Cooper, her five month-old Jack Russell Terrier puppy.

Alert, and ready for action

This one’s a tiny bit blurry, but I’m so glad Meg sent it — isn’t it wonderful?!

Resting up for the next time he needs to be alert...

I’d love to see your pup, and hear what you’ve been up to together this week — please post your photos on Dog Jaunt’s Facebook page so we can all enjoy them!

Product review: Land’s End car seat cover

One of the items on Dog Jaunt’s travel packing list is a towel to put between your dog and a car seat, whether it’s a rental car or a car you’re borrowing from the folks you’re visiting. In real life, I’ve been using a Zentek crate pad instead of a towel, because I’m impressed by the magic material Zentek uses and because it packs compactly. Just before this holiday season’s car trips, though, I bought the Reversible Dog Travel Blanket offered by Land’s End, and we’ve been trying it out. [2/21/12 No longer available! Drat! If I had to buy one now, I’d try this one from Orvis.]

The whole point, after all, is to protect the car from your dog’s hair, drool, etc. (and to improve your dog’s comfort, especially on a hot or slippery seat). A small pad like the one I’ve been using is good for a quick trip, or when your packing space is limited, but it doesn’t protect the back of the seat — and thanks to gravity, Chloe typically ends up resting against the seat back.

Across the back of our rented Chevy Cruze (twill side up)

Here’s what I like about the Land’s End seat cover: It has a fleecy side and a twill side, so it’s pleasant in either hot or cold weather. It has generous slots providing access to the latch bars (next to the seat belt buckles) to which I clip Chloe’s car harness. There are two straps on one side of the cover which clip around the back seat headrests, holding half of the cover up vertically (so it protects the back of the seat as well as the seat itself). They are easy to clip and unclip, allowing you to install the seat cover quickly in a rental car. Renting a mini-van and only need a cover for a single seat? Just fold the cover in half, and clip both headrest straps around the same headrest.

The cover is attractive enough on its own (it’s really just a large quilted square) that you can also use it inside a hotel room or a friend’s house to protect a chair, or part of a couch. Some users leaving comments for Land’s End wish the cover was more than a simple square — since the edges just hang down, an active dog can easily disarrange the cover — but a dog Chloe’s size can’t wreak that kind of havoc.

So far, it’s worked well in a rented Chevrolet Cruze (that’s a small car, so the cover sagged between the headrest straps — again, no problem with a dog Chloe’s size) and in my father-in-law’s mini-van (where I learned the fold-it-in-half trick). It did not work in my mother-in-law’s Lincoln sedan, since her back seat headrests are merely bumps in a smooth expanse of leather — twining the straps through the tops of the seat belts provided some vertical coverage, but wasn’t pretty.

Given that it’s meant to adapt to as many cars as possible, this may not be your best choice for a permanent car seat cover. It also sounds like it’s not the best choice for bigger, active dogs. It works well, however, when you’re traveling with a small dog. On trips where I have extra room in the suitcase (the cover is about the size of a folded bath towel, for packing purposes), I’ll bring it along happily.

Results from the Passports with Purpose fundraiser

Back on November 15 (and many times since then!), I told you about this year’s Passports with Purpose fundraiser, and encouraged you to bid on Dog Jaunt’s prize: A two-night stay and dinner at any Kimpton hotel. The fundraiser ended on December 13, and the winners of all the prizes were announced this past Friday. That means that if you, like me, did not get a congratulatory e-mail message, you did not, in fact, win the prize or prizes you bid on. Sigh. On the bright side — and it’s very bright indeed — the fundraiser was a smash success, blasting past the organizers’ goal of $50,000 to raise a total of $58,132. Thanks to you, twenty-five Dalit (“untouchable”) families are building themselves a village of sturdy brick homes in Southern India. “Yelam Seyalkoodum!” (that’s Tamil for “Together everything is possible!”)

I am so grateful to the Kimpton Group for their generosity. It was a delight to be able to offer you such a wonderful prize. Janet, the winner, says she’ll likely use her vouchers to visit one of the Kimpton hotels in the San Francisco Bay Area. Congratulations to her, and thank you to everyone who bid on the Kimpton prize!

New dog-friendly policy at eight Las Vegas hotel/casinos!

In fact, this is not breaking news, but it certainly surprised me to learn today that eight more properties in Sin City now welcome guests traveling with dogs. Under the “PetStay” program, launched about a month ago at the three Caesars properties on the list, rooms are set aside for visiting dogs and their owners in seven hotel/casinos on the Strip (Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Harrahs, the Flamingo, Bally’s and the Imperial Palace) and at the Rio, just off the Strip. I’m agog, because until now, the only hotels on the Strip to allow pet dogs to stay with guests were the Four Seasons, THEhotel and the Cosmopolitan.

Up to two dogs are allowed per room, each 50 lbs. or less. Pet dogs still may not join their owners in casinos, but may “walk through designated common areas while on a leash and accompanied by the owner.” The pet fee is, per night, $40 at Caesars Palace, $35 at Paris, Planet Hollywood, Harrahs, the Flamingo, Bally’s and Rio, and $25 at Imperial Palace. Visiting dogs are greeted with a packet of goodies, including dishes and a mat, dog treats, poop bags, and information about nearby “outdoor relief areas and dog walking routes.” Check out this November 2010 post from the Pulse of Las Vegas, with heaps of pictures, about the first pet dog to stay at Caesars Palace under the new program (please note that the pet fee has increased since November, as has the number of participating resorts).

Chloe’s Clicks: This week’s best dog travel links

I have two weeks’ worth of dog travel links to tell you about, so sit down, shut up and hang on, as the bumper sticker says. This time of year, it’s all about the winter getaways, starting with a petswelcome.com post about dog-friendly hotels in Miami, Vermont and Monterey, and another post from the same folks about dog-friendly things to do in beautiful Santa Barbara. Kim Swidler, from timesunion.com, wrote a quick note about the Kiawah Island Golf Resort (located just south of Charleston, South Carolina). Dog-friendly? Yep!

Miami Beach Magazine posted a long list of pet-friendly hotels in, you guessed it, Miami Beach, and Wet Nose Guide provided a one-day itinerary of fun dog-friendly things to do in New York City. Sidewalk Dog wrote a great holiday to-do list (including going to the drycleaner, buying hostess gifts) for you and your dog to accomplish together in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Casey and Peanut are thinking sandals, not snowshoes — guest blogger Owen Jones urges you to bring your dog with you to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Guest-posting on Take Paws, blogger Karen Friesecke wrote a review of her visit this past summer to a dog-friendly beach in Canada’s Awenda Provincial Park (about two hours north of Toronto). Today Travel, an msnbc.com column, discussed a number of tempting dog-friendly winter destinations, including Park City, Lake Placid, Red River, Aspen, Telluride, and South Lake Tahoe. And Fido’s City Guide posted a press release from Joie de Vivre, a family of California boutique hotels: The group has added several more dog-friendly hotels to its collection (“Almost half of Joie de Vivre’s 35 boutique hotels welcome pets”), and dropped its weight restrictions and pet fees.

I’ll leave you with two overseas links: Significant Truths applauded the Kennel Club’s decision to name the Horse and Jockey pub in Chorlton, South Manchester the “2010 most dog friendly pub” (and posted an adorable picture of Bessie snoozing off her doggie beer). On the other side of the world, CNNgo proposes that Shanghai is China’s most dog-friendly city (and a linked article from earlier this year lists several dog-friendly places in Shanghai to eat, drink and hang out with your dog).