Pet Patrol

What an amazing week! This was an experience of a lifetime that can be repeated year after year if so desired and have the time, resources and ability to travel. There is no possible way to cover all the bases in a single week of camp. In fact campers are advised, especially the first year, not to try to do too much. Both you and your dog will wear out, both physically and mentally.

One of Susie’s many male admirers brought an interesting and unique product to our attention that she would like to share with her many friends – Bowser Beer. What a great idea! Of course this beer is non-alcoholic and does not contain any hops which are toxic to dogs. In other words, do not give your dog human beer; instead buy him/her a supply of Bowser Beer.  

After leaving Montreal it was already past lunch time and we began to look for a place to stop and have a bite to eat. We left Quebec and barely had entered Ontario when we decided to take exit 814 off of Ontario 401 (the continuation of Quebec 20) which was the exit for Lancaster, Ontario.

On Saturday, June 1, the team left Erie to drive to Albany, NY to be close to the camp the night before our arrival in Vermont. Albany was a good stopping point because it put us within 70 miles of Marlboro for an easy drive to registration between 12:30 and 2:30 pm on Sunday.

Worth mention for travelers is the BEM Gift Shop at exit (19) of Quebec 20 heading out of Montreal.  The location is very close to the highway and offers easy access and return to the road.

Beau wants to let everyone know that he is working hard to get ready for full participation in the Pet Patrol. He has already been in training with his daddy and big sis Susie. The little dickens has already mastered “Sit” and “Down,” and has had a perfect score the past 10 days on going potty in his potty box filled with horse bedding material. He also is learning “No,” “Off,” and “Leave it.” The little smarty even understands “get all the way in your box” when he tries to do a lazy two paws in and two out when he pees.

The only words to describe Beau are “too cute!” Of course Susie calls him the “little dickens.” This may turn into a Lucy/Linus relationship because Susie says that she is the boss, but only time will tell. Needless to say we are all excited at the Boomer Travel Patrol to have a new member of the team, especially one so cute and full of mischief.

Want to combine luxury for both you and your pet? Bardessono in Yountville, California is the place for you and your best friend. In fact for the one-time pet cleaning fee of $150 you can have up to two pets stay with you in your room.

Here's my question – do you think you can stay in a boutique hotel in mid-town Atlanta for under $200? The answer is a resounding YES! Now is it going to be 5 star – no, but how about 3 star in the best possible way? Check yourself into the Artmore Hotel built in 1924, sitting among the high rise buildings across from a MARTA station. Their address is 1302 W. Peachtree St., so you are close to the High Museum of Art, lots of great bars and restaurants and in the center of Atlanta's Cultural Arts District. It has an old Hollywood vibe with lots of black and white framed art of music and movie star icons.

In Albany our new friends Sheri and Anne, who are already alumni of Camp Gone to the Dogs, told us about the camp and gave us an address to input into the GPS. The Garmin actually found it, but typical of most GPS’ it decided to route us by what it saw as the most direct route, which was in the back way through the woods.