Chips & tags & puppy dog tails

It’s prime tourism season here in Tucson, which is why I wrote my recent 36 hours in Tucson: Canine Edition series, and why, on my last’s month travel segment on KVOA TV, I suggested locals stay at home and take advantage of our prime pup-friendly places. (I hesitated to say “take a staycation.” After reading a post on Boldly Go Solo dissing the term, I’ve never been able to use it with a straight face.)

I’m doing the show again this afternoon, and am still not ready to send people away from our fair city. But I’m ready to suggest how they can get ready to travel before it’s time to leave town. I’m not talking about packing gear and doing other last minute stuff but about advance preparation that will help you find your dog if he runs off while you’re on the road — not an uncommon occurrence — and help ensure his health while you’re away from your usual support systems.

Update your dog’s microchip data

Sure, you had your dog microchipped when you first got him. (If you’re a conspiracy theorist who thinks this is a way for the government to track you down or one who worries more about the minuscule risk — from unsubstantiated studies — of your dog getting cancer on the chip site than about the risks of losing your dog, I’m not talking to you.)  But a microchip is only as good as the information it contains. Call the company responsible for creating the chip and make sure they have you most recent telephone number and vet information on file. Don’t know which company that is? Now is a good time to find out. You should have that data on a tag on your dog’s collar or in the file on your computer that you created when you registered on line (fat chance, right). When in doubt, call your vet.

Make the collar tags as useful as possible

Did you put your cell phone number rather than your land line number on your dog’s tag (I know, I’m dating myself; who has a land line anymore, right)? Did you announce any special medical conditions prominently? I put my money where my mouth is yesterday and had a tag made up that says

I’M FRANKIE & I’M DIABETIC, TEL XXX-XXX-XXXX

Consider investing in a GPS collar

If your dog is large and has escape artist tendencies, this might be the time to consider a GPS collar. They’re usually too heavy for small dogs, who are easier to hold on to in any case. Even mellow dogs run off at rest stops–whether out of fear that you’re driving them off to a new home, or a sense of adventure, or… who knows.

Create a file of  relevant health records

You’re not expected to bring along an entire veterinary  file on vacation with you, and registration tags ensure up-to-date rabies vaccinations. Still, in case of emergency, it’s good to have on hand information about any medications your dog might have taken or about any medical conditions that might affect subsequent treatment.

Update: And here’s the video version, which incorporates the advice offered in my comments section by Rod at GoPetFriendly.com – and which stars Frankie.

Posted by Edie Jarolim
Posted in Dog Travel | Tagged , , , , | 26 Comments

36 Hours in Tucson, Canine Edition, Part 2

Catalina State Park, view from Canyon Loop Trail

Okay, I’ve got you halfway through your dog-friendly visit  to Tucson, with an introduction to the desert and our quirky — in that it has no river — river walk. This finishing lap adds a bit of local history. I know, dogs live in the moment, but they’ll like these forays into the past because they take place outdoors and, in one case, involve meat.

In my last post, I left you in the Trader Joe’s across the street from St. Philips Plaza — not a bad place to be stranded — buying picnic supplies for your visit to…

1pm …  Catalina State Park. I might ordinarily recommend Saguaro National Park West  to Tucson newbies; it’s a bit closer to my chosen dinner destination for this evening and a classic local attraction. However, even leashed dogs are not permitted on trails in the park, only on the paved roads shared with automobile traffic. So this gave me an opportunity to send you to a wonderful patch — well, 5493 acres — of pristine desert that’s off the beaten tourist path. Its lures include an ancient Hohokam ruin on an abandoned ranch compound. Read about the Romero Ruin interpretive trail and other state park activities here.

Moral bonus points: Arizona’s state park system is strapped for cash and only the most popular parks will continue to be funded. By coming here with your dog you’re helping to keep Catalina State Park open.

Alternatively, if it’s too warm for a midday walk and your pup is water- (and other dog-) oriented, head instead to Christopher Columbus Dog Park, Tucson’s first off-leash dog park and still its largest, with lots of shade ramadas and an agility course. It’s part of a larger park with a lake that is, theoretically, off limit to canines. Tell that to the many dogs  you’ll see splashing around and shaking themselves off happily at the shore.

Another advantage to this option, especially for those who want to cut down on their driving: It’s directly en route to my dinner pick.

Christopher Columbus Off-Leash Dog Park

5:30pm Where better to chow down after a hike or romp in the dog park than a casual steak and rib house with outdoor tables?  L’il Abner’s, on the site of a 19th-century Butterfield Express Stage Coach stop,  fits the bill to a T-bone. Although the city has encroached on this once remote setting, when you’re sitting out under a canopy of stars, listening to live country or bluegrass music (weekends only), it’s still easy to imagine you’re in the Old West.  Keep your dog close by you — that shouldn’t be difficult while you’re enjoying your steak — because  the outdoor mesquite grill smells mighty enticing.

9am After you’ve had breakfast and checked out of your hotel, it’s time to go downtown to the Presidio Trail — an easy two-mile loop that’s sometimes called the Turquoise Trail because its 23 historic sights are linked to one another by a painted blue line (which looks, in spots, like it was applied by a drunk on a unicycle — but your dog won’t notice or care). At this writing, the link to the online printable version of the Presidio Trail isn’t working, but you can write ahead or drop in for a map at the Tucson Visitor Center, which is an excellent source of information of all kinds.

Plaques detail the sites, among them the Spanish Colonial-style Pima County Courthouse (1929) with its striking cerulean mosaic dome; El Tiradito, a folk-art shrine to a pair of star-crossed lovers; and the Hotel Congress, built in 1919 as a railroad hotel. In 1934, two members of John Dillinger’s gang holed up here until a fire forced them out. This led to the eventual capture of the famed outlaw — and to an annual celebration of Dillinger Days at the hotel.

The Hotel Congress is also home to the Cup Cafe, where you and your pup can sit out on the patio and get an omelet to order or, perhaps, eggs with biscuits and andouille sausage, fortifying you for your journey home. Yes, it’s time to head for the airport if your canine companion is small enough to travel in the cabin — and if that’s the case, check out the excellent DogJaunt.com for tips on the best carriers (airlines) and carriers (bags) — or for the freeway, in which case GoPetFriendly.com can help you plot out your route and find places to stay along the way.

Update: I just learned Loews Ventana Canyon Resort & Spa, my recommended lodging, is running a Pumped-Up Pet special, to help you get your pudgy pup — and you — back in shape. Love it!

Posted by Edie Jarolim
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36 Hours in Tucson: Canine Edition, Part 1

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, dwarfed by the Santa Catalina Mountains

Sometimes I’m way ahead of the curve. For example, I’ve been blogging about doggie dental care since the beginning of this month, well in advance of the designated Pet Dental Month, February. (Of course, I’m not big on designated months; see November Is Pet Diabetes Month: Oh the Irony).

Sometimes I’m far behind it.

On January 3, the New York Times published one of its travel wrapups, 36 Hours in Tucson. This, in turn, generated spins on the story by several Tucson bloggers. At Tucson Cowgirl, writer Monica Surfaro Spigelman took readers off-the-beaten-path. Donna Hull at My Itchy Travel Feet directed active baby boomers to her favorite local attractions. Then Vera Marie Badertscher at A Traveler’s Library explored Tucson’s northwest side in a laid-back fashion, adding  a literary twist.

Now I’m going to give the pup’s eye perspective, a tour that provides plenty of dog-friendly fun while ensuring that human visitors savor Tucson’s special flavor, too.

For a brief video overview, see my pet travel segment on KVOA TV (extra incentive to watch: Frankie’s in it).

4pm Check into the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. It’s not only a world-class lodging in a spectacular setting, but it accepts dogs — in fact, all domestic pets — of any size for a one-time fee of $25. Which is as it should be.

After settling into your room, head over to the Ventana Canyon trailhead, which branches off from the entryway into the resort. You can’t hike more than half a mile or a mile into the canyon with your dog — to protect the pronghorn sheep, according to the Sierra Club, which details the entire hike here — but it’s a nice long walk from the resort back to the road, so you and your pooch will get plenty of exercise and a brief introduction to the desert (careful, it bites) before dinner….

… which you can order in if you don’t want to leave your pup alone; there’s a doggie room service menu. When Frankie and I stayed there, I ordered a brown rice, veggie, and salmon combo for his dinner. When it arrived, I realized it could have fed a Great Dane. I gave Frankie his fair share and ate the rest. It was a bit bland until I added some hot sauce, but fresh and filling.

Alternately,  post pup-feeding, you can dine at the resort’s excellent, Southwest-oriented Flying V Bar and Grill. A friend and I recently shared their bison-and-blue cheese sliders, achiote-rubbed salmon and mole-roasted pork chops.  (Shhhh…I didn’t bring any home for Frankie.)

9 am (that’s late for us Tucsonans but you’re on vacation so sleep in). Head for St. Philips Plaza, a lovely Spanish-style shopping center with some of Tucson’s best restaurants. One of them, Acacia, recently opened a gourmet market where you can buy takeaway breakfast burritos, quiches, and sandwiches. If there’s no room at the sole table in front of the restaurant, you’ll find several benches and tables arrayed around a fountain on the west side of the plaza.

Note: If you come on a Sunday morning, the city’s best Farmer’s Market is doggie central, with lots of meeting and greeting and sniffing of food and rear ends (the dogs, not usually the humans).

10am Take a walk with your dog along Rillito River Park.  Out-of-towners tend to be disconcerted by this name because the park consists of trails flanking a riverbed that’s almost invariably dry. But if you don’t see water, you do see  plenty of desert scrub (mesquite, creosote, palo verde), the soaring Santa Catalinas, bike riders, horseback riders… and of course people walking their dogs.

An entrance to the trail is right behind The Windmill Inn, which is another great place to stay if dog-friendly rooms are available (they’re in limited supply). But it’s best to walk south of the plaza across the pedestrian bridge to the river park entrance marked by a sign for the University of Arizona Agriculture and Life Sciences extension. On this (east) side of the river walk, you’ll come to a newly revamped area in the Rio Vista Natural Resource Park that’s particularly dog friendly, with pup-height fountains and a large open space to run.

Warning: Many people take their dogs down to the dry riverbed where there’s even more space to run. But coyotes like to play — and eat — there too.

Noonish Trader Joe’s is right across Campbell Avenue from St. Philip’s Plaza. When you return from your walk, go there to pick up supplies for a picnic at… well, you’ll just have to wait for my next post to find out.

Posted by Edie Jarolim
Posted in Dog Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

The Ritz, Redux

I promised to continue my story of staying with Frankie at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, so I will, but I’m not quite sure how it ends: Frankie’s eye, which has been bothering him ever since the trip to the groomer to gussy him up for his debut at the posh property, is little improved.  It looks like a trip to the vet is in the cards today.

The takeaway message(s) might be: Home grooming — at least for shaggy chic Frankie — is best. And there’s no such thing as a free hotel stay. Had I not wanted to improve on Frankie’s natural good looks, his eye would be fine (ok, deep breaths: This is a guilt-free zone, guilt-free zone…).

So… we arrived at the resort in time for a cocktail reception and dinner with the other media guests, including Joan Lunden, former host for Good Morning America.

Evan Agostini / Getty Images

Being not only a luxury hotel slut, but also a celebrity whore, I had hoped to get Frankie to the cocktail reception in order to  photograph him with Joan for my KVOA TV slot. This was not to be. The reception was indoors, in the resort’s signature CORE restaurant, a dog-free zone.

No worries, I figured. I’d have plenty more time the next day to get Frankie — who of course is famous in his own right — his celebrity shoot with Joan.

So Frankie stayed in our hotel room, watching the flat screen TV. I did interrupt the (amazing) six-course dinner to walk him and give him a bit of purloined buffalo steak.

That’s when I began noticing he was pawing at his eye. It continued through the night. By the next morning, it looked red and he could hardly open it.  There was only one thing to do: Check out so I could have Frankie checked out.

As I prepared to drive off, the whole media group returned from a morning hike. They stopped by the car and said hi, and Joan  got a peek at Frankie, but he was not looking his best. This was no time for a photo op.

Sigh.

Incidentally, Joan Lunden, who was scouting out the Ritz for her Camp Reveille, is not only extremely nice but someone who does not have to worry how she’ll look on HDTV, unlike some pet travel correspondents I might mention…

Posted by Edie Jarolim
Posted in Dog Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Putting on the Ritz

When I was a full-time travel writer, I often said that my lifestyle bore no relation to my income. It was part of my job description to check out posh hotels and resorts for a variety of guidebooks and magazines, either hosted by the destinations or paid for by the publications (I lost count of the number of solo honeymoons I took for Brides). I’m not going to get into the whole press trip ethics discussion here; it’s been covered ad nauseum on other sites.  Suffice it to say that there is no way I could experience and report on certain places if I had to do it on my own dime.

Places like the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, where Frankie and I recently spent the night.

A picture that doesn't do the Ritz-Carlton justice because a) I'm a bad photographer and b) my Canon A1100IS told me I needed to change batteries even though I put in new ones the previous day

Although I don’t take as many trips as I did in the past, I do a monthly pet travel segment on KVOA TV, the Tucson NBC affiliate (Note regarding the clip: I looked far better before the switch to high-definition TV). And because the Ritz, which just opened near Tucson, allows pets under 20 pounds, I jumped at the chance to take part in a press group that was invited to visit the resort.

I even did something I rarely do to get ready for the big: I got Frankie professionally groomed. (Before the give-up-your-cable-TV crowd jumps on me, I hasten to say that I got the grooming in trade for a couple of copies of Am I Boring My Dog that the pet boutique/grooming salon is selling. Unlike me, Frankie feels no shame at getting services for free. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go back and read my last two posts, The cost of dog care: Where do you draw the line, where I got dissed in the comments section for wanting to keep my cable; and Dental confessions: A brief digression)

The decision to go pro with Frankie’s hair care turned out to have been a mistake, however.

Not that he didn’t look handsome. He came away with his usual tousled appeal and a natty kerchief:

Disheleved chic Frankie

Tousled chic Frankie

But he also came away with an eye problem — which cut our stay short. For details, tune in tomorrow.

Posted by Edie Jarolim
Posted in Dog Travel | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

How Amtrak could become solvent (hint: pets are involved)

Doing a guest post about traveling with dogs on MyItchyTravelFeet.com, a terrific travel blog, was a great experience and not only because it brought new visitors to WillMyDogHateMe. A couple of the comments and questions got me thinking about topics I needed to explore further, or that I have explored further but never thought to share.

In the first category is the question of train travel. I wrote:

Sorry, no go. Dogs are not allowed on Amtrak. Frankly, I think the company could solve all its financial problems if they allowed pets on board — I’d be the first to shell out for a sleeper compartment that I could share with my dog — but no one asked me.

This elicted the comment:

Wow–didn’t realize that about Amtrak. Why not let little lap dogs on the train?

Why not indeed?

Why can't Chloe ride on Amtrak -- legally?

So I checked it out. According to The National Association of Railroad Passengers:

Amtrak (and its predecessors) allowed  [pet travel] until 1976, often in three places—sleeping car rooms, and in containers in parlor cars and baggage cars…

In 1976, pets were banned from sleeping and parlor cars. They were allowed in containers of specified dimensions in the baggage car (on those trains that had them). Passengers were allowed to visit them en route during station stops of ten minutes or more “when passenger safety and operating conditions permit, by making arrangements with the train conductor.” ….

Then in 1977, the federal government issued new regulations affecting carriage of pets on trains. There were new requirements for heat and air conditioning for baggage cars (and possibly for providing water).  In the early 1990’s, Amtrak was looking at allowing it on the Auto Train when it got new bi-level equipment (which has since happened)… That project was not carried through.

For the full text, click here.

NARP came out in favor of carriage of pets in baggage cars, “if it can be done legally and affordably.” I can’t imagine why it couldn’t be, especially since the problems that airlines encounter don’t apply, i.e., changes in pressure and temperature in the baggage hold, and no access to the area during flights, including time on the ground.

But that still doesn’t answer the question of why small dogs can’t travel with their owners in carriers under their seats. Again, airlines allow pets in the cabin — and charge hefty fees for the privilege. Why couldn’t Amtrak?

Think there’s no interest? I dug around a bit and discovered that my pal over at DogJaunt.com — who did a guest post here –  covered the topic on her blog, when she describes sneaking the lovely Chloe on board for “a reconnaissance mission, to see whether I want to risk traveling with her on future Amtrak trips.” Her conclusion? “On balance, the risks (for me) outweigh the benefits.” Read the entire post here.

Listen up, Amtrak: The pet industry is recession proof. The American Pet Products Association estimates that Americans will have spent 45.2 billion by the end of 2009 on everything from toys and food to surgical veterinary visits – 2.2 billion more than they spent in 2008 and more than double the $21 billion they spent in 1996.

Follow the money, and get on board with a pet-friendly policy.

Posted by Edie Jarolim
Also posted in Train travel with dogs | Tagged , , , , , | 26 Comments

We’re on the road

That’s the royal “we.” Frankie is staying at home. But I’ve done a guest post for Donna Hull, a terrific travel writer whose blog, My Itchy Travel Feet, has won all kinds of awards. It was Donna who provided me with the colorful dog clothing pictures from Asia that I posted last month.

Dog car booster seat from www.canineconcepts.co.uk

Dog car booster seat from www.canineconcepts.co.uk

Enjoy your trip to Donna’s blog (which, by the way, I envy for its clean layout and gorgeous pictures). And buckle up for safety.

Posted by Edie Jarolim
Posted in Dog Travel | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Five training tips for traveling with your dog

[originally posted November 19, 2009]

I was looking for something clever to title this guest post by Mary-Alice Pomputius and then realized I had one of those gems that doesn’t need a flashy setting. This interesting, informative article does exactly what the title says: gives five great training tips to help you travel successfully with your dog. And, in case you haven’t noticed, it includes pictures of one of the cutest dogs in the universe.

Mary-Alice Pomputius and I met on Twitter recently and bonded over our mutual recognition that there were other ways than Cesar’s Way to train dogs — thus her emphasis on using positive techniques to accomplish her goals.

***

Chloe, our 14-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is our first dog. When we brought her home, we barely knew that different approaches to dog training existed. Happily, her breeder gave me a copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Positive Dog Training to read on the flight back to Seattle, and our neighbor suggested that I take her to puppy class at Ahimsa Dog Training, so we were on the right path without even realizing it.

Chloe loves the clicker

Chloe loves the clicker

As I’ve learned more about the alternatives, I’ve thanked my lucky stars that I thought to ask the breeder and my neighbor for advice. Once Chloe learned that “click” meant “lamb lung,” she’s been a huge fan of training.

Chloe is a terrific traveler — partly because she’s good-tempered enough to accept being zipped into a carrier for hours at a stretch, and partly because she’s learned enough commands to function well in unfamiliar surroundings and among unfamiliar people.

Here are the five commands that we find most useful when traveling:

“Crate” I strongly recommend traveling with a collapsible crate. It provides your dog with a secure den in an unfamiliar room, and it allows you to leave her (if you must) in a comfortable enclosure, where she cannot escape into the hall and beyond during nighttime turn-down and she cannot chew on the furnishings (or the power cords). “Crate” was easy to teach, since every time Chloe went into her crate on command she got showered with treats. The trick was to get her to regard more than one crate as the “crate” of the command, since she has one in our kitchen, one next to our bed, and a couple of different ones that we pack and use for traveling. Spending a little time with each, in each environment, ultimately worked.

“Wait” This command is invaluable at street corners. For us, it means a sit facing forwards in the direction we’re walking (“Let’s go!” releases her to move again with us). Your dog first learns to sit facing you, so the trick was to get her to spin around and face forward instead. Lamb lung bits, held just above nose level, lured her around in a circle until she faced the desired direction, then a “Sit” command got her tush on the ground — click! Once she got the basic idea, the command turned into a counter-clockwise arm swirl and the command “Wait.” This one took some time and patience, but she had it after a couple of weeks of corner-intensive walks.

Chloe waiting (and wondering "What's that in your hand?")

Chloe waiting (and wondering "What's that in your hand?")

“This way” We use this to encourage Chloe to move forward and to guide her in the direction we want her to go. It’s a good command for traveling because we often find ourselves on busy sidewalks with her, and it helps steer her around traffic that must be bewildering to a small dog. As she was learning it, she first got a click and a treat for catching my eye and later for moving in the desired direction. A gentle tug on the leash also helps, in combination with some yodeling and capering on your part, but your goal is to catch her attention so the click and the lamb lung can work their magic and get her moving — not to haul her along by force.

“Settle down” This, for us, is a more relaxed, curled-up pose than “Down.” A settled-down Chloe rests at our feet under patio tables while we eat. We owe this one entirely to Ahimsa, which had us bring a small mat to classes, and in between more demanding exercises would have us put the mat down and reward our dog for getting onto it and for any sign of relaxation on it. At home, we’d also use the command and employ the treats whenever she voluntarily curled up on a mat or in a dog bed.

Chloe following the "settle down" command

Chloe following the "settle down" command

“Sit” I put this one in hesitantly, because what really should be in this position is not a command but a learned behavior — sitting when meeting a new person — and it’s one that Chloe doesn’t really have under her belt yet. We’re working on it, and in the meantime we’ve learned a good stopgap: When your bouncy dog meets a new person, rapidly step on her leash about a foot and a half back from her harness, so that she learns that she will receive pats and attention even though she cannot jump. When Chloe’s traveling, everyone she meets is new, and we think it’s crucial for her to keep “four on the floor.”

Mary-Alice Pomputius writes a dog travel blog called Dog Jaunt, which provides advice for people who want to travel with their small dogs, on trips of any length.

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Am I Boring My Dog: The Final Video

Frankie was very antsy last night, roaming around the house and pacing. He even curled up and slept on my stomach for comfort — an unprecedented move. Clearly he was having a bad case of nerves. But it’s here at last, Am I Boring My Dog? and the final video trailer. I think the videographers, Open Lense Productions, did a bang up job. And, no question, Frankie is a star!

Tell me what you think. I’m old enough to remember how pissed off people were when a similar trick was pulled on Dallas — you know, when Bobby Ewing came out of the shower. Do you feel had by the idea that Frankie didn’t actually travel to all those places? Disturbed by the notion that I may indeed be boring him? All comments welcome.

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Frankie’s excellent adventure

It’s been a hectic weekend at the Jarolim/Doodle residence (that’s Doodle for Frankie Doodle; see my July 3 post to learn how he came by that surname and to get dog naming tips).  Frankie had some kind of intestinal distress — the effects of being a dog, was my vet’s scientific diagnosis– and spent Saturday night in the clinic, hooked up to a drip. He’s home now, and several friends have come up with an alternative theory for Frankie’s health issues:  pre-publication stress and travel sickness.

I can’t argue with those assessments. Knowing he’s going to be a target of critiques has made Frankie a bit anxious and out of sorts. Add to that his extensive hot air balloon touring. Like others who eat unfamiliar food and disrupt their sleep habits, the pup became susceptible to the globe-trotting trots.

But those travels will be over tomorrow, when the final installment of Frankie’s extended tour to promote Am I Boring My Dog is posted.

For those who haven’t been following that wild, strange trip, here’s the video recap.

Part 1: Frankie takes off from Tucson in search of book buyers

Part 2: His bad-to-the-bone inner dog emerges

Part 3: Ooh la la: An interspecies romance

Part 4: Surf ‘n’ storm — oh my!

Part 5: Frankie explores parts remote & otherworldly

Posted by Edie Jarolim
Also posted in Am I Boring My Dog, Dog health, Dog names, Dog video on YouTube | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment