Barbara Garcia, a resident of Moore, Oklahoma, who survived yesterday’s potentially historic tornado, was being interviewed by CBS News about riding out the storm in the bathroom of her former home.

Garcia was holding on to her dog when the winds came, but after the walls fell down the two separated, and she had been unable to locate him since.

Then, in the middle of the interview, little “Toto” suddenly emerged from the rubble, and the two were reunited in the most tearjerking of fashions.

“Well I got God to answer one prayer to let me be okay, but he answered both of them,” Garcia said.

CBS: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50147264n

This woman was going to work when sirens were going off about the tornado so she turned back and went home to her dog. The two of them spent their time in her bathtub with pillows as protection and they survived the storm.

http://kfor.com/2013/05/20/woman-saves-dog-rides-out-moore-tornado-in-tub/

In Texas, this man was inside his mobile home with his dog, an adorable pit bull, holding the dog in his arms when the tornado came and literally ripped the dog from his arms. Amazingly, the man and his dog were reunited when the dog was found in a nearby shelter after the storm.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/weather/2013/05/18/ac-pkg-kaye-texas-storm-pet-reunion.cnn.html

more survival stories about pets

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/moving-stories-of-oklahoma-tornado-victims-finding-their-pet

Ways everyone can help the animals in Moore Oklahoma, Please share…
http://www.examiner.com/article/animals-need-help-moore-oklahoma?cid=db_articles

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the disaster in Oklahoma. We hope for peace and health to those searching for their loved ones and recovering from the devastation.

Some of the displaced dogs… please help them be reunited with their owners, share.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.574182702604564.1073741828.321167654572738&type=1

Wine countries

Our favorite pet friendly wineries…

Larson Family Winery 

23355 Millerick Road

Sonoma, CA

707-938-3031

Larson Family Winery

Navarro Vineyards 5601 Highway 128, Philo; (800) 537-9463; www.navarrowine. com. Doggie heaven. There are always treats and a bowl of water in the tasting room. Picnic tables are around the grounds, and there’s a fenced-in dog exercise area.

Toulouse Vineyards 8001 Highway 128, Philo. (707) 895-2828; toulousevineyards.com. Dogs are free to roam the big warehouse of a tasting room or outside on the loading dock.

(Contact me for a free list of pet friendly wineries in California)

Mendocino

Pet Friendly Avenue of the Giants

from Willits to Garberville is about 1 to 2 hours (twisty and windy) and then to Orick another 2-3 hours….very twisty and windy from Oregon to Crescent city (just beyond Orick)   Orick is north of eureka and arcata

and Trinidad is just before Orick, or south of Orick on the way to Eureka and Klamath is just north of Orick a few miles

if you take the 5 rather than the 101 north, you wind up in Medford, Oregon…

Ruffing it in the redwoods

If your dog has a certain affinity for trees – and what dog doesn’t? – they’ll certainly enjoy a fragrant stroll among the tallest in the world. Humboldt County has some of the few places where you can let your dog scamper among redwoods. And while other regions boast of having a single off-leash dog beach, Humboldt has six of them – one of which awaits at the end of a scenic 5-mile coastal trail.

http://www.redwoods.info/showrecord.asp?id=2685

Beaches

Several County Beaches allow dogs to run without a leash on the wave slope within voice command:

Clam Beach 

Big Lagoon

Moonstone

Luffenholtz

Mad River County Park

Samoa Dunes Recreation Area

Leash only

Trinidad State Beach, 

Little River, and Dry Lagoon. 

http://www.friendsofthedunes.org/resources/dog/

http://www.treesofmystery.net/trails.php

Pet Friendly lodging

Motel Trees across from Trees of Mystery

http://www.treesofmystery.net/motetree.htm

$60 + per night

Humboldt Gables Motel

Rio Dell Clean, comfortable, AAA approved, & just a few minutes from the Wild and Scenic Eel River.

RATES STARTING AT $60

707-923-2721

Sherwood Forest Motel

Urban luxuries in a northcoast motel located in the center of a beautiful redwood forest.

http://www.sherwoodforestmotel.com/

 Travel Inn

Clean and comfortable stay at a reasonable price. Close to the redwoods. Travel packages for groups.

Econo Lodge Downtown

Humboldt County’s best in the budget segment. Close to Old Town. Indoor pool.

Bode Suites & Rentals

Perfect choice for a 30 day+ stay. Comfortable, convenient and affordable in the Eureka area.   53/day (30 day minimum).

stay far far far away from the eureka motel 6 worst place ever

http://redwoods.info/capsule.asp?seeall=yes&category1=Lodging&searchtype=&petswelcome=yes&orderby=&searchphrase=

http://www.redcrestresort.com/rates.html

visit to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center in Weott, 6 miles south. The friendly staff will be happy to answer all your questions. Then it’s time to go! Hiking, biking are literally at your doorstep and golfing is just a short drive away. Fishing, swimming, kayaking and rafting are possible on one of our six spectacular rivers. Search for shells and agates on one of the many redwood coast beaches.

Traveling North from Redcrest

Visit the Victorian Village of Ferndale which is listed on the Historic Register. See the many turn of the century homes and shops. Many movies have been filmed there, the most recent being The Majestic, with Jim Carrey. Don’t miss the cemetery, it’s awesome.

In the “Good Ole Summer Time”, Fortuna, Eureka and Arcata have an old-fashioned farmers market once a week, featuring all home made crafts and home-grown produce. Stroll the boardwalk and visit the quaint shops in Old Town Eureka.

Visit picturesque Trinidad, a fishing town with a scenic harbor. Hike on Trinidad Head and stroll along the beautiful beach and view the historic lighthouse. If pulling the handle of a slot machine makes your day be sure to visit the Casino in Trinidad.

http://www.trinidadcalif.com/lodging.html

Orick is about 20 miles north of the town of Trinidad

Sounds like music, reminds me of Orick, CA where we heard the elks mating

Visit spectacular Fern Canyon and Gold Bluffs Beach. Jurassic Park, The Lost World was filmed in the canyon, you don’t want to miss it. Watch out for the elk in the meadows at the Fern Canyon turn off and on Gold Bluffs Beach.

http://www.redwoodparkslodge.com/about/index.php

http://www.redwoods.info/

Traveling South from Redcrest

You don’t want to miss the Rockefeller Forest. Turn off of the Avenue of the Giants onto Mattole Road and drive through the largest virgin forest in the world, just 4 miles south of Redcrest Resort, where you will find the tallest trees in the world. Continuing on this road past Rockefeller Forest, the Lost Coast Loop will take you through Petrolia, where oil was first discovered in California. While driving the Lost Coast you will pass through the furthest western point of the 48 states. The Lost Coast Loop takes about 3 hours (you should start with a full tank of gas) and you will see the scenic back country, and end up in the Victorian Village of Ferndale.

Ever see a black sand beach? Take a drive to the scenic fishing village of Shelter Cove. Watch the fishermen clean their day’s catch. Watch the sea lions on the rocks or maybe you will spot a whale in the distance.

The rugged coastline of Humboldt County proved an obstacle to early road builders, and so Highway 1 gives up just north of Fort Bragg and heads inland to join up with Highway 101. This mostly undeveloped coastline became known as the Lost Coast. While some sections are only accessible on foot, there is one route, known as the Lost Coast Loop that provides a pleasant day drive that will take you through giant redwood forests, to the splendid scenery of the rugged coastline, and then end up in the Victorian Village of Ferndale. Works just as well in the other direction too. Just make sure you have a full tank of gas before you leave, as services are sparce.

Found out that the Monterey SPCA has a low cost vet clinic. We went, Cici loves going to the vet, she got a three year shot, 1-2-3 we got her dog license renewed for three years (last year we did not know about the 3 year shot) and voila, it was done…

well, not quite. Now this week, the itchiness that she was already having has gotten much much much worse. She is beyond itchy… scratching, chewing on herself until she bled (in one spot on her rear)…

Amped up giving her the doggy goo, gave her a bath, slathered dr Harvey’s healing cream onto her rear, and poured aloe vera and hot spot oil onto her. Even got her a soft cone to keep her from chewing and scratching.  She is still chewing and scratching MUCH more than before the shot and she is blotchy, with lots of spots all over her fur.  Below, here she is calling Dr Harvey for help…

Also, the soft cone is too small to keep her from doing it… now started thinking about getting her some dog panties… these are cute… what a royal pain though to put them on and off…

and meanwhile, it occurred to me that perhaps her enhanced/increased itchiness had to do with the stupid rabies shot… sure enough, it DOES..

talked to Dr. Harvey about it and he asked why did I do that?  I did not know what else to do.

Dr. Harvey said that Cici getting rabies is about as likely as a big bear coming to dinner… (in other words, no need for a rabies shot because the shots do not prevent rabies anyway)… sheeeeesh…

well, I have three years now… but meanwhile, here are some tips for YOU dear readers… beware vaccination side effects for your dogs. Some are LIFE THREATENING others are a royal pain in the butt…

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/itchy-skin-wins-big-a-mystery-to-vets/

Animal Control sends a notice stating that your dog’s rabies vaccination is due. Some of us will vaccinate readily. Because it’s legally mandated, it must be safe, right? Besides, what choice do we have?

Others of us panic, desperate to avoid the shot at any cost. We remember what happened the last time our dog had a rabies vaccination. We wonder, will our dog survive another?

World-renowned pet vaccination scientist, Dr. Jean Dodds, wrote recently: “Rabies vaccines are the most common group of biological products identified in adverse event reports received by the USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB).”

An adverse reaction to a rabies vaccine may exact a high price – to your dog’s health and your wallet. Here’s what you need to know to make vaccinating your dog safer:

1. Learn to recognize adverse reactions. Short-term reactions include vomiting, facial swelling, fever, lethargy, circulatory shock, loss of consciousness and even death. (If your pet appears distressed, contact your vet immediately.) Reactions occurring days or months after vaccination can be difficult to recognize. They include:

• Fibrocarcinomas (cancer) at the injection site
• Seizures and epilepsy
• Autoimmune disease
• Chronic digestive problems
• Allergies
• Skin diseases
• Muscle weakness or atrophy
• Pica (eating inappropriate materials, including feces)
• Behavioral changes (aggression, separation anxiety, compulsive behaviors and more)

If you suspect a health or behavior problem may be connected to a vaccine, you may have to convince your vet. It’s common to hear “it couldn’t be the shot” or “a reaction like that is impossible.” Even the drug’s manufacturer (to whom you should immediately report the reaction — giving them the brand and lot# — may deny the connection. Insist on seeing the product’s package insert,  viewable on-line or from your vet. Also know that long-term reactions aren’t usually documented or even studied. Note: a vaccine reaction, especially one supported by your vet, may entitle you to compensation for medical expenses from the drug manufacturer.

2. Vaccinate healthy dogs only. Vaccinating an unhealthy animal can exacerbate illness and do irreparable harm. Also, immunity may not develop after vaccination because of the dog’s compromised immune system. This is especially dangerous as you may presume immunity that does not exist. Pets with autoimmune disease or cancer are obviously “not healthy,” but neither are pets suffering from stress from a move or surgery, a virus or infection, or allergies or skin problems or any other condition compromising health. (Never allow your pet to be vaccinated during surgery.)

3. Ask for a rabies vaccination exemption.  If your dog has documented health problems, ask your vet to apply for a rabies vaccination extension or exemption. Many localities permit them even if state law doesn’t specifically allow them. If your vet won’t apply for an exemption, go elsewhere. You may want to contact a holistic vet who may better understand the dangers of vaccinating an unhealthy animal. If local law forbids exemptions, change the law. Numerous states are in the process of adding exemptions to their laws. Click this link to check your state’s rabies law and pending exemptions.

4. Don’t vaccinate against rabies within three weeks of other vaccinations or medication for parasites. Multiple vaccines given at once greatly increase the chance of reactions.  Multiple vaccines are especially risky for small dogs.

5. Make sure your dog gets the correct vaccine. If you’re vaccinating a puppy, make sure your vet administers a one-year vaccine initially (as late as legally possible) and a three-year vaccine (or whatever is required in your area) thereafter. The one-year and three-year vaccines are virtually identical medically – but not under the law.  A one-year shot must be followed by re-vaccination a year later. Note: the one-year shot is not safer than the three-year (except that it may contain fewer adjuvants).

6. Vaccinate at the safest time. Vaccinate in the morning, early in the week, and don’t leave the area for at least an hour if possible. Watch for reactions for at least the next 48 hours. Reactions occurring when the closest vet’s office is closed can prove disastrous, even fatal.

7. Tell your vet you want a Thimerosol-free vaccine. Thimerosol (mercury) in vaccines has been linked to adverse reactions. Merial, for one, makes one- and three-year thimersol-free rabies vaccines: IMRAB® 1 TF and IMRAB® 3 TF. Make sure you see “TF” on the label. (If your vet doesn’t carry the vaccine, you may have to vet shop to find the vaccine you want.  You might also ask why the vet why he/she doesn’t carry it.)

8. Find a vet trained in homeopathy to vaccinate your dog.  Certain homeopathic remedies given before, during and after vaccinating can lessen the chance of ill effects from vaccination. Click the link to find vet referral lists.

9. Report all vaccine reactions to your vet and make sure they’re recorded in your pet’s file. Have the vet sign relevant pages, get copies and put them in a safe place. (Vets lose records, retire and move away.) Also report the reaction to the drug’s manufacturer. (You’ll need the vaccine lot number.) Vets are notoriously bad at reporting reactions, but exemptions to rabies vaccination and drug safety require documentation.

10. Don’t vaccinate within a week of travel. Pets experiencing reactions on route can die for lack of immediate medical assistance.  (Find a list of emergency clinics by area athttp://www.vetsnearyou.com/ml2/?v=352875029&u=0880F1AAC5EF9BA40210818080F807184B&gclid=CKOmmcXvm6QCFQY-bAodawLaEg  (I cannot guarantee the clinics’ expertise, but at least this is a place to start.)

11. Keep copies of vaccination records and titer tests in your car(s) and license tags on your dog’s collar or harness. Otherwise, you may be forced to re-vaccinate if your pet bites someone, runs away and is taken to a shelter or if you have to board your pet unexpectedly.

12. Do not administer a rabies vaccine yourself. It will not satisfy legal requirements and you’ll have to have a vet vaccinate again. You will also be unprepared to deal with a potentially life-threatening reaction.  Similarly, a vet’s office may likely be a safer place to get the vaccine than a mobile clinic.

13. Support the Rabies Challenge Fund.  World-renowned scientists, W. Jean Dodds, DVM, and Ronald D. Schultz, PhD, are working as volunteers to increase the interval between rabies boosters by proving that the vaccine gives immunity, first, for five years, and then for seven years. (The study is in year four now.) They’re also working to establish a blood “titer standard” to provide a scientific basis to avoid unnecessary boosters with a simple blood test. This nonprofit group is supported solely by dog lovers and dog groups.

Before the next notice from Animal Control arrives, do your homework. A little time spent learning about the rabies vaccine can mean the difference between your dog’s wellness and serious illness.

Note: a veterinarian/author who specializes in over-vaccination issues read this article and wanted to add a few points.  Click here to learn what this veterinarian says about preventing vaccine reactions.

http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2010/09/23/rabies-vaccination-12-ways-to-vaccinate-more-safely/

http://www.dogs4dogs.com/truth4dogs.html

Suggests doing a detox before and after the vaccination… to prevent and/or reduce symptoms

http://www.parvobuster.org/vaccine-information/rabies-vaccine-side-effects-prevention#!/exjun_

am giving Cici Asea, which helps people and canines and others on a cellular level… these stabilized redox signaling molecules help the cells communicate with one another. As we age, our cells become toxic and we develop diseases. Asea helps to restore the body’s ability to heal itself and each body is different. It is known as a time machine in a bottle… truly revolutionary, I have been taking it for more than three months now… I have more energy, less pain in my knees/legs, and I’ve seen that cuts, burns and wounds heal much faster and itchies go away quicker, too… I spray it on my face and take it internally once or twice a day. Some athletes claim it gives them more endurance; friends of mine in their late 60′s say that it makes them feel younger and takes away the wrinkles and age spots.  I have been spraying it on Cici and it helped with the bloody spot (did not want it to get infected)… and will keep on spraying her and me as well as give it internally.  She does not like it if I pour it into her mouth but she likes it when I spray it into her mouth. Am also getting her some Dr. Harvey’s Shine (salmon oil for Omega 3′s) and chlorophyll and alfalfa and Ester C, all to help her immune system.

http://asea.myvoffice.com/suemagic/

 http://vimeo.com/asea/review/50508279/3e1ab4f330

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

the first is a beautiful sanctuary for horses near Los Angeles in Acton, CA… the horses are given lots of room/acreage to roam… and they also participate in the Horses for Healing program… when I lived in Arizona a few years ago, I met some gorgeous horses at a sanctuary… they all surrounded me including a few ponies and gave me so much love, it was precious.  I had been reading the Tao of Equus by Linda Kohanov which is an incredible book about the spiritual and healing power of horses.

http://eponaquest.com/

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is a therapeutic modality. The horses facilitate psychotherapeutic change by interacting with people.  Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) incorporates horses experientially for emotional growth and learning. It is a collaborative effort between a licensed mental health therapist, a horse professional, and horses working together with the client(s) in order to address the treatment goals.

“Why horses? Why not other animals?”

Horses are large and powerful, which creates a natural opportunity for some to overcome fear and develop confidence. The size and power of the horse are naturally intimidating to many people. Accomplishing a task involving a horse and overcoming those fears creates confidence and provides for wonderful metaphors when dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations in life.

Visit Wolf Mountain Sanctuary and sing with the wolves…

http://www.wolfmountain.com/Visit%202011.htm

Similar to the pit bulls and parolees concept, this sanctuary works with military veterans and wolves.

http://www.warriorsandwolves.org

Gifts from Heifer International are the prefect way to show your mom, grandmother, aunt, or mother figure in your life that you care… fund a project in the USA, to give families in Arkansas and Appalachia in poverty, a leg up…  or give a goat, chickens, geese, ducks, sheep, rabbits to help end World Hunger.

https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog

http://www.heifer.org/

https://secure1.heifer.org/fund-a-project/usa-seeds-of-change.html

shopping at oxfamgifts.com for Mother’s Day can make a BIG difference.

 Shop now to print or send an eCard before Mother’s Day >>

Something as simple as a goat ($50) can be just what a family needs to fight hunger and poverty – in Sri Lanka, India and Kenya.  

Give your mom a gift that keeps on giving… Kiva… loan money (loans as small as $25) to people around the world… you choose… and they pay the money back… helps people get a hand up out of poverty…

http://www.kiva.org/gifts

Give a bow wow of a paw print lavendar scarf… for the dog mama …  Think Green 

this scarf is made in the USA, made of eco friendly fabric and printed with water-based ink… it is soft, shiny, and this company also makes tee-shirts for a cause (endangered species, eat your veggies and other great topics)… tees are made either 100% from organic cotton,  a blend of recycled plastic bottles (RPET)  and organic cotton, or other eco-friendly materials. To make the RPET, recycled plastic bottles are melted down and then processed into a fine yarn which, in turn, becomes a soft and silky t-shirt. They are made with No pesticides, less plastic in landfills.   It takes between 3 to 5 plastic bottles to make each RPET/organic cotton blend tee.  After the bottles are melted, the plastic fiber is blended with organic cotton to give these tees their soft, silky feel. These tees can be washed and dried over and over and they won’t shrink, fade or lose their shape.

http://store.revengeis.com/Scarf-Paw-Print-Lavender-p/s101pwl.htm

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

http://www.pet360.com/custom/custom/when-julie-met-charlie-the-love-story-of-a-foster-parent-and-her-pet/-ViFi4TtM06sp3r-eeyQuQ

Did you know that over 110 Open Admission shelters/animal controls are SAVING more than 90% of the animals?

through Sunday, the ebook version of Friendly Fire, will be available for free on Amazon. Learn more why it is so important to adopt, foster, pets from shelters:      www.nathanwinograd.com/?page_id=10433

What’s cooking for Mothers Day?  Why not take your mom to dog friendly SLO for a week or the weekend?

San Luis Obispo County Has Tons of Dog Friendly Places to Explore

San Luis Obispo is located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and a few hours south of Monterey county. It is known as the Happiest City in America… According to Dan Buettner’s National Geographic book Thrive, “San Luis Obispo has snagged the top spot for happiest people in America.”

Below are some suggestions of dog friendly places to stay and visit while you are in SLO.

Take a dog friendly wine tour in Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo regions with a Breakaway Tours Dog Day Wine Tour.

www.breakaway-tours.com

Mom and dog can learn how to surf at Pismo beach with miles of lovely sand and waves. Amble along the boardwalk, fish from the historic pier, or explore Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, which hosts an average 25,000 butterflies per season.

Lunch at the Splash Cafe (try the yummy clam chowder) is a must.

Mom and pooch will feel right at home at a pet friendly oceanfront hotel such as the SeaCrest OceanFront. Ask for their Celebrity Pet Package which includes a pet bed, food bowls, a pet concierge brochure, and a 5 acre lawn area for pets to do their business (with pet waste stations along the way) and direct beach access to the pet friendly Pismo beach.   More info at www.petfriendlypismobeach.com

Take a walking tour of the downtown of the Happiest City, SLO, visit Bubble Gum Alley, the dogs will LOVE the creek that goes through downtown, and dogs are even welcome at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Also, check out the pet boutique Tails for yummy treats for the canines. Other pet friendly attractions include the San Luis Obispo Botanical Gardens.

Enjoy a leisurely dinner at a pet friendly restaurant such as Luna Red. Their patio is filled with guests and their four legged friends. And the food and wine is to drool for. Organic, sustainable fresh seafood and salads.   Crab lasagne, wild boar spare ribs and a variety of vegetarian fare.

http://www.lunaredslo.com/storage/Dinner%20Menu%20March%202013.pdf

After dinner, head on down to Grover Beach, and relax at a beach party with bonfires, wine and s’mores and all.  Beach Butlerz will set up bonfire pits, each with a good supply of seasoned firewood, luxe beach chairs, a Luxe Cabana (ultra style), tiki torches, and a 12–‐foot tall teepee decked out with plush pillows and all the fixings to create s’mores. The marshmallows are huge and the service is magical. All you need is a full moon to get the party started (and some lit bocci balls).

Beach Butlerz
(805) 878-4283; www.beachbutlerz.com

Pooches all aboard on a Tiki Boat tour of the Morro Bay Harbor on the Lost Isles Cruise.  View the wildlife in their natural habitat, and sea otters, seals, sea lions, and a wide variety of birds in Morro Bay’s beautiful estuary. The dogs will love the sounds of the sea life.  www.baycruisers.com

Lots of shopping and meandering after the cruise along the Embarcadero… Then enjoy a great meal of freshly caught fish, smoked oysters, calamari, fish and chips and more. at Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant. Tognazzini’s is also home to three beautiful and friendly white Labs.
www.bonniemarietta.com/Dockside-Restaurant.htm

Before you leave the coast, be sure to take a coastal hike at one of the many pet friendly parks such as Montana De Oro (Mountain of Gold).

After lunch, you may want to relax or head up the coast to San Simeon. Tour the infamous Hearst Castle (or save that for the next day). www.hearstcastle.org

Dogs are NOT allowed at the castle.  If you want to visit and do not want to leave the dogs alone, hire a pet sitter from Faithful Friend Pet Sitting Service.

You can also enjoy wildlife viewing including bird-watching, whale-watching, sea otter preserves, and elephant seal viewing and the dogs can roam along the beach.

Stay at the pet friendly Best Western Cavalier Oceanfront Resort, Cambria and San Simeon’s only oceanfront accommodation that offers direct beach access to dog friendly beaches and 14 acres for walking the dogs. A King room with oceanview has a fireplace and your very own patio. There is a hot tub/jacuzzi and pool on property and bonfires at sunset.

Check out the artistic town of Cambria. Be sure to enjoy lunch or dinner at Robin’s Restaurant. The gorgeous garden patio will be a treat for the dogs and your mom alike. The food will please everybody. Unique starters such as Singapore chicken sate, fresh inviting straight from the garden salads and curried chicken and other sandwiches are what’s for lunch. For dinner, lamb curry, Tail Lobster Enchiladas, Malaysian chicken and Moroccan duck breast entrees, plus delectable desserts (hot fudge sundaes with coffee ice cream and pistachio nuts) , Robin’s seasonal menus are prepared from scratch.

www.robinsrestaurant.com

Top off the weekend with a visit to one of Paso Robles pet friendly wineries. Ecluse features Bordeaux and Rhone style wines, as well as their fabulous Zinfandel. Meet and greet Ecluse Winery’s blind dog Toby. www.eclusewines.com

Ecluse has a special love for dogs and produces “Blind Dog Wines” In honor of their assist dogs that both lost their vision, they have created an eclectic blend of some of the best Paso Robles reds. A percentage of proceeds from “Blind Dog Midnight Run Cuvee” will be donated to Dogs for the Deaf in Central Point, Oregon.

Stroll through downtown Paso Robles after the wine tour and shop in stores like Sealed with a Kiss. Pet friendly retailers offer special treats and you can enter the Thomas Hill Organics dog friendly patio restaurant from this store. www.thomashillorganics.com

Brunch or lunch will be a feast of the eyes as mouth watering plates piled high will fill your tummy. The menu features organic produce from their farm and highlights unique wines from sustainable growers on the Central Coast. Thomas Hill Organics also provides local organic grass fed beef, lamb and free range organic poultry.  Smoked Salmon Omelette, PC Cattle Burger, Pumpkin Bread French Toast, and more. Gluten free bread upon request.

http://www.thomashillorganics.com/menu_files/Brunch%20Menu.pdf

Whatever you do, your dog and mom will feel lucky, refreshed and grateful for the great getaway.

Dog Parks

- Dinosaur Caves Park, Price St., Pismo Beach

- Elm Street Dog Park, Ash St., Arroyo Grande

- El Chorro Regional Dog Park, Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo

Dog Friendly Beaches

- Pismo Beach, To the left of the pier

- Port San Luis / Avila Beach, Between 2nd and 3rd pier

- Oceano Dunes, Off of Hwy 1 exit

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

…California has more dog-friendly destinations than any other state, with more than 21 destinations on its list,  according to the list published by DogFriendly.com.

(Cici and I wonder what Dogfriendly’s criteria is… there are some other cities that should be on this list… and other inns that are truly dog welcoming not just dog tolerant)…

California

Carmel

Carmel City Beach   Carmel, CA

Cypress Inn   Carmel, CA

PortaBella   Carmel, CA

Lake Tahoe

The Village At Squaw Valley   Olympic Valley, CA

Los Angeles

Runyon Canyon Park   Los Angeles, CA

Mendocino

Stanford Inn by the Sea and Spa   Mendocino, CA

Napa Valley

Old Faithful Geyser   Calistoga, CA

Orange County Beaches

Huntington Dog Beach   Huntington Beach, CA

Fashion Island Mall   Newport Beach, CA

Fun Zone Boat Tours   Newport Beach, CA

Placerville – Highway 50 Corridor

High Hill Ranch   Placerville, CA

Sacramento

Old Sacramento Historic Area   Sacramento, CA

San Diego

Otay Ranch Town Center   Chula Vista, CA

Loews Coronado Bay Resort   Coronado, CA

San Diego Dog Beach   Ocean Beach, CA

San Francisco

Baker Beach   San Francisco, CA

San Jose

Santana Row   San Jose, CA

Solvang

Solvang Village   Solvang, CA

Sonoma Wine Country

Russian River Adventures Canoe Rentals   Healdsburg, CA

Yosemite

Yosemite National Park   Yosemite National Park, CA

http://www.dogfriendly.com/server/travel/guides/lists/top200US.shtml

Hotels, Inns and Resorts on DogFriendly.com’s Top 200 List:

Westward Look Resort: Tucson, Ariz.

Cypress Inn:   Carmel, Calif.

Stanford Inn by the Sea and Spa: Mendocino, Calif.

Loews Coronado Bay Resort: Coronado, Calif.

Dog Bark Park Inn: Cottonwood, Idaho

Paris Las Vegas: Las Vegas

(Vegas is not that pet friendly according to Cici and me… more dog tolerant and only if the dog is under 50 pounds)…

PetStay Luxury rooms come with a welcome treat and a dog food/water bowl. Guests traveling with their dog will be asked to fill out a waiver form accepting responsibility for any damage and/or cleaning charges that may be incurred. Up to 2 dogs per room are permitted and each dog must weigh less than 50 pounds.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2013/05/dog-friendliest-destinations-in-the-u-s-and-canada/

And we met a chi-wow-wow named Lillie who out-diva’d my polka dot princess.  Seriously this tiny pup has x-ray eyes, follows her guardian man Leslie wherever he goes and does not stop shaking until he comes back to her. Then she sat on my chest and went into Zen meditation mode. What a cutie, am missing her already.  (me and Lillie and her dad Leslie at Thomas Organics restaurant in Paso Robles).

Emma, some kind of heeler, herder puppy, two years old, with a black eye, Cici and Emma had some fun together playing, jawing, wrestling, running around on the beach.

April, an adorable Beagle mix, also white but with some brindle/brown markings. Cici and April chased one another, too.  Here are most of the dogs walking with Robyn.

Zoe, the Saluki, kind of kept to herself (I think she is kind of scared of other dogs) and she is a lapdog.

and Demi (who I keep wanting to call Murphy), a Heinz 57 type of gal with her mom Deb at the Ecluse Winery (Deb took all of these photos except the Saluki).

can you imagine a more diverse group of dogs???

All of the dogs are female and they and their owners/guardians and I went on a press trip (very intense) for three days and two nights to San Luis Obispo county (seven cities in three days)… whew !!!     (Cambria, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Morro Bay, San Simeon, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles).   www.visitSanLuisObispoCounty.com

will be writing more about the FUN we had and the dog friendly places we met along the way in future blog posts including one for  Mama’s Day which is coming up May 12.

All of the dogs also got to meet some white Labs and a blind dog named Toby at the Ecluse winery in Paso Robles.

A great time was had by ALL…lots of divine food, wine and treats and s’mores at Grover Beach…

well except for one day…  every dog has her day…

Cici’s terrible horrible no good very bad day…

well, you know that Cici has three nemesis, right…

1. cats

2. bull dogs

3. skateboards (and scooters)

all three of the above make her freak out… bark and act like she is having a canine melt down…

and guess what happened to my girl?

she met all three of her nemesis in ONE day… and she flipped out….

otherwise, we all had tons of fun…