Pet Patrol

Susie and Beau are anxious to get out and about after the rigors of winter and being restricted to indoors or their own yard.  Everyone is planning to travel, whether locally or on out of town trips, as the weather improves and spring and summer rise on the horizon. Susie once again says what – “Don’t forget to pay attention to your pet’s allergies and be prepared to treat them and deal with your pet’s discomfort.”

If you and your dog want to have an incredible southwest adventure, this is the place. The Sunglow Ranch is rated in one list as one of the ten most pet friendly lodgings in the United States.

Hello Boomers! Remember when you went to Florida for Spring Break? Well, I was lucky enough to do that in college and just ran across a motel where I stayed back in the late sixties! It’s still there and owned by the same family! I was really excited to see the place and it brought back many fun memories. Oh no, I won’t be telling any stories - what happens in Cocoa Beach, stays in Cocoa Beach.

Susie and Beau are ready to celebrate National Dog Day next Tuesday, August 26, 2014. Of course around them, every day is dog day, but they love having a day of recognition where the importance of dog adoption and placement is emphasized.

Susie and Beau both want all of our followers to have a happy and safe Fourth of July with their pets. Many of the activities centered on the birthday of our nation are safe and enjoyable for both pets and their humans.

Susie is looking forward to the holidays with her momma, daddy and little brother Beau. There are two stockings hung with care on the fireplace mantel. Susie’s has a little Lambchop looking out of it because she loves sheep. Beau’s has a stocking that has Good Dog on one side and Bad Dog on the other. He also has a cloth bone with Nice and Naughty on either side. Beau has a stuffed Olaf from Frozen peeking out.

Time, 3338 miles, 7 states, 2 provinces, and hundreds of dog treats fly by quickly when you’re having fun! But every great journey has a beginning and begins with the first steps. Susie was born ready, and turned out to be a great traveler. She and her pal, Lambchop, were packed and ready to roll.

Another set of recommendations and warnings from the mistress of treats, Susie Sweetdog and her brother Beau – be sure to know what you are giving your beloved pets both in their regular diet as well as with treats. Susie says what again!

As you can see from her latest photos, Susie is all set to go for Halloween. She has been taking test flights on her broomstick with her little black cat familiar, and although she is looking forward to celebrating Halloween wanted to share some advice with her friends – after all she is a good witch.

Susie is on point for the New Year to start running out of the gate with her New Year’s resolutions for 2014. The question is – has she bitten off more than she can chew? 

After sharing their home-made dog biscuits with their local friends, their friends have requested that Susie and Beau share the great dog biscuit recipe that their daddy bakes for them on a regular basis.

Once again Susie says what – things we need to be aware of during the busy holiday season to ensure the safety of our beloved pets. Whether you have a dog or cat, or some other variety of pet such as a ferret, hamster, guinea pig, bird, lizard or other, there are many things to watch for during this crazy and busy time of the year.

My kind of town – Chicago! And my kind of hotel – the Talbott! I don't know about you, but I love big cities, however, when I go to my room, I want to take the “big” out of the city and feel more cozy. The beauty of staying at this property is that the location is close to the Magnificent Mile, nightlife and museums, but it sits a few blocks away on a quiet tree lined street which gives you the best of both worlds.

Looking for an incredible place to enjoy luxury accommodations for both you and your pet, the Allison Inn & Spa in Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a great place to stay. The Inn is listed as one of the top pet friendly hotels in the United States.  There is a one-time fee of $50 per pet whether you stay a night, weekend or spend a week enjoying the Spa and Oregon’s wine country.

Susie discovers the creation of an air terminal just for animals in New York called The Ark. She just wonders if they will have to enter two by two?

Susie has been talking to her British cousins about great places for dogs in the UK so we can provide recommendations for places our European readers can visit with their best friends. One of her pals from across the water brought a whole bunch of hotels and B&B’s to our attention in the United Kingdom. Susie and Beau are ready to hop on the Cunard Queen Mary II to visit them.  This option was featured in a recent pet patrol article entitled “Cruise with your Pet?: The Options are Limited.”

Susie has been concerned for some time of stories she has heard about pets taken on airline flights. A recent news item has brought this concern to the front again as the DOT (Department of Transportation) has just expanded the rules requiring the reporting of incidents involving live animals during flights.  The rules only apply to dogs and cats. These new regulations will take effect on January 1, 2015.

Susie was delighted to find a unique travel and vacation experience in northwest England. The Farmhouse at “A Corner of Eden” is located near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria and is another pet friendly property that can be easily accessed in particular by our European patrol members.  Kirby Stephen is 94 miles north of Manchester and 75 miles southwest of Newcastle.

Have I got a surprise for you! Who says you have to go overseas to stay in a charming bed and breakfast that also gives you cooking classes? Don't get me wrong, going to Italy, France, Spain, etc. is amazing, but if you don't want to break the bank, go to Cincinnati! Yes, I said Cincinnati, as in Ohio.

Susie is always looking for great places for pets to stay and one of her friends told her about this great bed and breakfast in West Central Massachusetts. Restful Paws really got her attention because it might be classified as people-friendly because it is geared to pets first. Susie said what with “Great Name!”

If you want to stay at a very unique property with loads of atmosphere, the Inn of the Five Graces fills the bill. The five graces refer to the five graces of Tibetan philosophy – sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. The inn was formed from a group of abandoned adobe structures to create a very unique hotel.

As boomers we have seen the unfortunate disappearance of many of the smaller local drive-ins, diners, restaurants, and quaint local motels that we grew to love as children. Also many of the small shops and stores have also bitten the dust.  I remember the joy of going up to the neighborhood Rexall soda fountain for a chocolate or cherry coke, looking at the latest comic books and then walking down to the Woolworth’s five and dime where I could buy some new toy figures and soldiers that we used in our creation of new worlds in the family den during bad weather.

The Oxford Hotel in Bend, Oregon is a boutique hotel that focuses on making your stay a memorable experience. Bend is located 128 miles east of Eugene in the central part of the state, right in the middle of Oregon mountain country and near to Mt. Bachelor. The hotel offers amenities not found in the other hotels in the area. The Oxford is located in the middle of the downtown historic district of Bend.

Susie has found another great place to stay in the United Kingdom in another area of the beautiful British countryside.  The Traddock is located in Settle in Yorksire around 40 miles almost due north from Manchester. The Traddock has a country house charm giving the traveler a wonderful base to explore the Dales and other sites of northern England.