April 3rd--Egg-stravaganza!

Doggies can enjoy Easter too! Muttropolis is having Egg-stravanganza on 4/3/10 at 10am! It's their 3rd annual egg hunt. This event will be at their La Jolla location. Sounds like fun!

In 'N Out

Oh, there is nothing like a good old fashioned hamburger from In 'N Out! We went there for lunch not too long ago. One of us waited outside with Penny, while the other one went inside to order. I think almost all In 'N Out restaurants have outdoor seating, which we had never really taken advatage of until we got Penny...it's nice eating outdoors! (By the way, have you ever had 'spread-chup' at In 'N' Out? Yes, my hubby coined the term for his creation (in which you dip your french fries) of equal parts of their spread and catchup mixed together. Yea, laugh now, but it's awesome, and you'll never eat there without it again either!)

Social at Dexter's Deli in Del Mar on April 7th

I was on Dexter's Deli website and saw that they will be holding what looks like a dog & parent social on 4/7/10 (Wed.) in Del Mar from 5:00-6:30 PM. The site mentions: "Bring your pup for drinks & snacks, and mingle with some local pet pros on our patio. Refreshments for people and pups will be available."

Del Mar Dog Beach

We recently went to Dog Beach in Del Mar and had a great time! There were several dogs there running around on the sand, retrieving balls in the water, and making new doggy friends. Since Penny is adopted, we are not sure if she has ever been to the beach or played in the ocean before. She looked a bit confused by the sand and the tide rushing up on her paws, but it didn't take long before she was running around enjoying herself.

This beach is along Coast Hwy 101, just West of the Del Mar Fairgrounds. You do need to pay to park so come prepared (the machine there takes bills and coin). I'm not sure if this beach is leash-free or not as most of the dogs were off leash, however, I think CA law is that your dog needs to be on a leash (so in other words, play it safe and bring the leash). What a fun time we had...we will definitely be back!

Sun March 28th--Vaccination and Health Seminar

There will be a seminar on Sunday March 28th at the Del Mar Hilton that will present information on vaccinations and health care for dogs. Admission (includes breakfast, lunch and a bag of Nature's Variety dog or cat Food) is $115, or sign up with a friend for $100 each. All proceeds (minus direct expenses of the seminar) benefit the Rabies Challenge Fund.

My new favorite meal is breakfast

Its hard to sleep in anymore, having a dog. You wonder if they need to go out to the bathroom, if they are hungry, are they bored??? But that's ok, being greeted in the morning by a smiling face and a wagging tail makes waking up earlier worth it! And because we're waking up earlier, we're getting out earlier and actually enjoying breakfast instead of sleeping through it. We took Penny to Swami's Cafe in Encinitas. I absolutely love their Veggie Rama omlette. Mmmm! Everyone admired Penny and there were a handful of other people with their dogs too. Swami's Cafe is near the beach and downtown Encinitas, so after chowing down, you can go for a nice long walk. Cross the street and head south and you'll get a nice sea-side walk in with an incredible view, or head north and window shop in the downtown Encinitas area.

Sat. March 13th--Pet Education Seminar

There is going to be a Petlovers Educational Seminar this Saturday, which will discuss topics on having a healthier and happier pet. Presenters will share information on: Caring for Your Aging Pet, Canine Sports Massage, Reading Your Dog's Mind, Emotional Nutrition for Your Pets, Planting with Your Pooch. Registration is $20 and the seminar will be held at the Meeting Room at Dog Beach Dog Wash, 4933 Voltaire St, San Diego (Ocean Beach).

FREE--Learn more about raw food diet at Dexter's Deli on March 11, 13, 14

We were in a Dexter's Deli store recently (so cute!) and I was recently on their website and saw they were holding a free 90-minute event to learn more about the raw food diet: "Have you been curious about feeding your dog or cat a raw food diet, but had questions?...Then our 90 minute FREE "Why Fresh Is Best" class is for you!"
Thursday, March 11, 6pm - Carlsbad
Saturday, March 13, 1pm - Del Mar
Sunday, March 14, 1pm - San Elijo Hills

Escondido Paws in the Park event on 3/28/10

Check out 'Paws in the Park' on Sunday, March 28, at Kit Carson Park in Escondido. Participate in a 1.5- or 2.5-mile fundraising walk and festival with your canine. Registration is at 8am and walk starts at 9am. Escondido Humane Society website explains this event is to, "Raise awareness and funding for animals in need while celebrating those special pets in our lives..." and "helps us care for more than 4,000 animals a year and protect 155,000 more, and we NEED YOUR HELP. Every dollar raised at Paws in the Park will be transformed into safe shelter, healthy food, medical care, rehabilitation, and new, loving homes."

The other day we went for a walk near the beach in Carlsbad, on the upper level boardwalk along Coast Highway 101. It's such a great stretch between Carlsbad Village Drive and Tamarack. Over time, we hope to go as far as Cannon. There are even doggy bags provided to clean up after your pooch along the way. There are lots of benches to stop and admire the ocean. Near the Tamarack end, there are a few tables if you want to bring your lunch and enjoy it sea-side!

Parent & Dog Social!

We were in a Muttropolis store recently with our little Penny and were invited to our first Retriever Round-Up! Apparently, every week or so in the evening (on a Wednesday from 7pm-8pm), Muttropolis holds a little party, socialization time, get together, or whatever you want to call it, with different breeds of dogs at their store. What a fun idea! Here are the upcoming evenings:

Chihuahua Fiest (3/3) Solana Beach
Teacup Party (3/10) Solana Beach
Pug Party (3/24) Solana Beach
Brussels Griffon Meet-Up (3/31) Solana Beach
Oodles & Oodles of Poodles (4/7) Solana Beach

We have been having such a great time with Penny and discovering some fun places we can go with her! We recently went to Vinaka Cafe in Carlsbad where we had some delicious pastries and coffee and sat with Penny out on their patio. (There's nothing like a bear claw and hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning!) Penny even made some other doggy friends while we were there. After breakfast we walked Penny down to the grassy area and fountain that are on the lower level. Penny wasn't sure what to think of the fountain as the spray from it caught her face.