Mmm! It's Secret Menus!

Photo by Bijou Blue Photography

I always hear Mama and her friends talking about restaurants with "secret menus" that don't appear on paper but you can order special items from.  Well I found an article that lists 15 Popular Restaurants with “Secret” Menu Items for Your Dog, and a lot of them are in my neighborhood!  I'm already licking my chops just thinking of these special treats...

Starbucks offers a very special treat called a "Puppuccino." It’s a small shot of whipped cream.  Since my tummy doesn't react too well to a lot of dairy, this would be a special treat for me just once in a while.

Did you know that In 'N' Out has a secret menu for humans AND us dogs?  Ask your mom or dad to order your dog a “pup patty,” a plain hamburger patty without the salt, put in its very own doggy bag just for us.

Pacifica Held the World's 1st International Dog Surfing Championship!

Check out this video of dogs surfing -- right here in Pacifica!  Go to The World Surf Dog Championships website for more information!

Dog Hiking and Wine Tasting!

I previously posted about the Kunde Winery and their Dog Hiking/Wine Tasting Event.  Well Mama went this year (over the weekend).  I couldn't make it, but she told me all about it!  

She saw plenty of people with their dogs there, like this poodle mix catching some shade.

Summer Cut!

The weather is getting warmer so Mama decided to get me my annual summer cut!  Of course we went to Pam at Pawtastic Pet Grooming over at Pedro Point.  She's wonderful!  Thanks, Pam!

The 10-Most Dog-Friendly Cities in America

Photo courtesy of The Huffington Post

I saw this great article at The Huffington Post that lists the Top 10 Most Dog-Friendly Cities in America!

A warm bed, ample treats and some loving behind-the-ear scratches make for a considerably happy home for dogs.

But other metrics, like the amount of grass there is to sniff, qualifies certain parts of the country as better equipped for hosting a dog’s happiest life.

Financial consulting company SmartAsset analyzed data on several measures to rank the most wag-worthy cities across the map. To decipher the most dog-friendly cities, the study considered a city’s dog accessibility, as in the number of dog parks, dog-friendly shopping areas and dog-friendly restaurants. The study also looked at a city’s quality of life, which took walkability, weather and housing costs into consideration (happy pets need happy owners).

Making Friends at the Vet

So the vet is not the ideal place to make friends, but Mama took me there yesterday because I wasn't feeling well.  The doctor thinks it could be an enlarged colon and they'll have to do some tests.  Not one to turn down the opportunity to meet other fellow canines in the community, I took the time in between tests to make friends with the other dogs there.  We instantly all became pals!  

This is Zeus, an American Bulldog that looks like a boxer!  

He is a rescue dog and has been with his new owners for only 3 days.  His new family may rename him Spaghetti, because his first visit to the beach his legs were like spaghetti in the water!  I hope Zeus works out well with his new family.

Cold Weather is Here!

I scored my first Christmas present today from Pamela at Successories the Button Shop, located along Dondee Way here at Rockaway Beach.  She gave me a scarf up-cycled from a cashmere sweater!

That scarf came in handy today on the coast as it was chilly!!!

Pups of the Week

This week's Pets of the Week are my new friends Vince and Sunny!  I met them while they were taking a stroll around Rockaway Beach and just popped into Resurrected Boutique, a neighboring shop to my office.  

Sunny and Vince are doc hound and poodle mix.  It was nice to meet them and hopefully I'll see them more around Rockaway!

Resurrected is a funky restyle vintage boutique located in the Rockaway shopping area on Dondee Way.  I love to visit Ana, the store owner, to say hi, see all the new items, and receive a doggie treat!  Check out Ana's FB Page at Resurrected Boutique.

Pup of the Week

This week's pup of the week is Olive.  She was at the Surf Spot the other night for dinner, as pets are allowed outside on the patio.  The owner doesn't know the age of this French bulldog, and I don't think Olive wants to tell!

Congrats on being the pup of the week, Olive!

Old into Gold

This is a designer sash pocket for your dog-walking excursions. These are made from unique men's ties, and the artist Spring Garrett of Rumplestilskin designs "old into gold." She is modeling the hands free over-the-shoulder piece at Pam Wiston's Successories, located in Rockaway Beach. 

I really like the idea of knowing where my treats will be stored in these hand- free treat purses!

Successories also has gifts, button jewelry (unique!), hats, aprons, choker pieces, and more.  She allows dogs of any shapes and sizes to come in!

Summer Cut

I got my summer cut today at Pam's Pawtastic!  So happy to get my hair all done up.  Thanks, Pam!

Make your appointment with Pam today!  Pawtastic Pet Grooming can be found at 520 San Pedro Avenue in Pacifica, and can be reached at (650) 580-7439.

Hero Pup of the Week

This week's pet of the week is a special hero dog.  Mama went to Macy's and said she saw a dog inside!  Then she explained that it was a service dog, which is allowed in the store.  Amika is a labradoodle.  Her name is Italian, meaning "friend."  She is a beautiful chocolate brown and weighs 85 pounds.

She helps her owner by wearing a service vest and keeping her company while she shops.  Remember when you see a dog with a service vest, you should not approach them, because they are on duty.

Dogs like these are everyday heroes!

Pup of the Week

Mama and I love to go to Surf Spot here in Pacifica because they let me sit with her outside by the firepits while she eats!  I also love it because I can meet all kinds of friends out on the patio, like this little guy, who is the Pet of the Week.  I didn't get his name, but he sure was friendly! 

We smelled each other for a long time, and then I went back to hang out with Mama.  We enjoyed gluten free pizza and salads while listening to live music.  Life is good! 

Surf Spot is located at 4627 Coast Highway in Pacifica, near the bowling alley.  They have live music every Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Garden Guard Dog

Mama went on the Pacifica Garden Tour Saturday with her friends.  She didn't take me, but she said she met this great part Australian cattle dog and Corgi mix named Celia Cruz!

Celia Cruz is named after The Queen of Latin Jazz.  Celia lives is part of the team at the Dig It Organic and Landscaping business, and has a beautiful garden to "cruise" (couldn’t resist that one) in the backyard while her owner Dave Martinez grooms his organic and sustainable garden.  

Dog Hikes and Wine Tasting

If your human is like my Mama (a wine lover), then this is the perfect event for the two of you!  At Kunde Family Winery, they have Dog Hikes where your human can take you on a nice walk through their vineyards!

As the Kunde website says:

Fourth-Generation Winegrower Jeff Kunde and his Dogs Cooper and Marley cordially invite guests and their furry friends for a hike through the breathtaking Kunde Family Estate vineyards. Where else do dogs get such royal treatment? A hike along the Sonoma Valley floor — winding through oak woodlands, native grasslands and chaparral—trumps the dog park any day. In addition, earn an in-depth education in Kunde Family Estate's sustainable winegrowing practices from grape to glass. This moderately strenuous hike will last approximately 4 hours, concluding with a much-deserved wine tasting and wine country lunch. A portion of the fee for the Dog Hike will be donated to Canine Companions and Sonoma County Humane Society.

No, we can't drink the wine -- but our humans can and then they can always tell us how it was!

The next hike is on July 4th, from 9 AM to 1 PM.  You can have your human buy tickets here. For other hiking events at the Kunde vineyard, visit their website or call (707) 833-5501, extension 334. The winery is located at 9825 Sonoma Highway in Kenwood, CA 95452.

Makeover Friday

During this past week I went to see my groomer again.  Pam of Pawtastic on Pedro Point gave me the special "puppy" cut.  Pam has been grooming me since January of 2008, when I was just 5 months old!

I love to get groomed so that I look professional when attending appointments with Pete and my mom.  We all work at the RE/MAX Star office located in Rockaway Beach.  Come on by anytime to say hi!

Down to Earth

I love shopping locally in Pacifica.  Right near my office at Rockaway Beach is a great little shop called Down to Earth.

Located at 450 Dondee Way #3, Down to Earth is a specialty gift shop that has a lot of cat and dog gifts for the pet lover.  Owner Virginia Kemp has been there for 22 years now, and is so sweet to me whenever I come in.

She even gave me some treats while Mama and I were there!

Devil's Slide Trail

Hi, it's me your roving reporter, Jake.  My buddy Mac (a border collie) and I decided to take our moms on a walk at the Devil's Slide trail here in Pacifica.  We chose a foggy day since there's little shaded areas.

 

Mom liked that there is easily marked parking on either side of the trail, but the number of spots are limited, so we had to circle around to finally park.  She and Mac's mom kept us on our leashes, because there are a lot of signs saying we can't be off-leash.  But I liked that on either side of the trail there are bathrooms, drinking fountains, and signs that give all the information of the trail and what you will see -- looks really nice and clean, too.

Ready for My Closeup!

Pam of Pawtastic did my hairdo today to prep me for a big photo shoot I'm going to be in tomorrow! Pam is awesome -- I love her.  Best of all, whenever I go there I get to see a few of my friends, like Loti Jaquith and Rocky Cruz. Thanks, Pam!

Pawtastic is located at 520 Pedro Avenue in Pacifica.

You can make an appointment at (650) 580-7439.

Oyster Point Walking Path

Hi there, fellow canines!  It's Jake, your roving reporter and I wanted to tell you about this great walk my Mom and I took the other day.  It's over by Oyster Point in South San Francisco, and there's this really long trail that is all nicely paved.  

The trail starts next to the Genentech biotechnology campus and runs from Point San Bruno Park, through Oyster Point Park and Marina, and goes to Oyster Point. The views of the boats docked are really amazing and there are some nice grassy places and shrubbery to sniff around in.  Besides the marina, there is a yacht club, and fishing pier around the 33-acre park, but we didn't walk the whole way since I get tired easily.