Good Day Gone Bad

We have been working Ruby through the summer to prepare her for the busy fall agility schedule. When it gets cooler we tend to have more trials in this part of Texas. Yesterday we were back in College Station for a NADAC trial. Ruby and I are competing in Elite for some events now. What I am finding is Ruby is ready and I need to elevate my game.

Elite Jumpers

What you will notice about this run is how focused Ruby is on me (after she breaks her stay...) for the rest of the run she is brilliant, right up to me mis-queueing her over the wrong jump. All in all a great run for her...not so much for me.

Chasing the dog…

And Then Things Got Worse

After the run MJ was rubbing Ruby's belly and noticed some red blotches on her belly, thighs and near her tail. She flagged me down and after looking her over we decided it looked worse than we were comfortable with (she had crusty blood on her tail and it just looked scary), so we packed her up and headed to the on-call vet. The folks at Kingdom Vet Hospital were really great about taking us right in. (Quick note to anyone traveling with a dog, scan your rabies and vaccination certificates and save them "to the cloud" so you always have them ready. In my case I keep them on SkyDrive and just sent a link to the vet. This made it a lot easier to get right in.)

Following a brief examination the vet told us it could be a number of scary things but wasn't a simple allergic reaction. A quick blood test revealed that Ruby had no platelets. There are a couple reasons why this could be the case, none of them good. Generally, it's either a tick borne disease (TBD) or autoimmune reaction. Ticks carry all kinds of horrible diseases and they are very bad for dogs. Autoimmune issues are caused by the body going after itself for any number of reasons. It could may be a tumor or for some unexplained reason. The thing is, we may never know. The vet knew that the help we needed was over at Texas A & M University Vet School. They arranged a referral and we headed right over and admitted Ruby. They confirmed the diagnosis and the gravity of the situation.

What We Do Know

We know that Ruby has no idea that she is sick, and that's a good thing. We also know that if you are going to have a veterinary emergency it’s great to have instant access to a Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital like TAMU. The medical staff is in love with her. Many times this disease goes on so long the dogs is VERY sick and cannot fight the battle. We caught it very early. Early tests are negative for TBD and the X-rays of her chest and abdomen are clear, so no gross tumors. The treatment at this point is to get her platelets back up, so that means steroids to suppress her immune system. Tomorrow they will perform an ultrasound to ensure there is no cancer and they'll take blood for a more definitive TBD test.

The worst part yesterday was driving back to Austin without Ruby, then spending the night without her on the bed, then waking up without hearing her wagging tail pounding on the mattress. The house is very different without her. Please keep Ruby in your thoughts and prayers. We'll post updates as we learn more.

Best of our Trip to Ireland

Favorite Dogs

All of the dogs were our favorites. There we’re many more we could not catch for a picture. Ireland has a huge number of stray dogs, we saw them everywhere. The most frightening was seeing them cross the streets (though most of the time they did a better job than we did.) They moved through the towns like they were on a mission. We never saw one that was underfed or injured, so it may also be the case that they were “town dogs”, owned by no one but cared for by many.

Here are the shots of the ones who hung around long enough for me to photograph. (Though Coco never sat still long enough to get a “still photo”.)

Clockwise from top left: Orange dog and Black dog, Dingle Peninsula; Coco, Galway; Orange dog bringing us her bone; Music Lady and Lakeland Terriers, Cliffs of Moher

Region We’d Visit Again

Connemara, the area is huge and studded with lakes and rivers, fishing lodges and quiet getaways. We took the main road through for time, but there are hundreds of back roads that need further exploration.

Most Helpful Person

Our first night in Dublin we set out for a pub known for traditional Irish music and Guinness. It was a brisk evening and about 100 paces from the hotel it began to rain.  Not to worry though, MJ had an umbrella. What we were not prepared for was the 40 mile/hr winds that crashed down the narrow streets. We reached a bank ATM shelter where I stopped to cover my camera bag. Just then a man came by with an umbrella 3 times bigger than ours which is clearly designed to not only keep him and the surrounding half acre dry, but also baffles the wind without leaking. We got to talking (only understanding half of what he said) but he knew the Cobblestone Pub and went out of his way to be sure we made it there safe and dry. We call him “Umbrella Guy”.

Favorite Pub

Which leads us to our favorite pub. We met a lot of great bartenders and had great beers and food, but our favorite spot included a group of musicians right at the front door that made the whole experience complete. Cobblestone Pub in Dublin is a great location for music and beer. It doesn’t have the formal feel of the other “Live Music Here Tonight” locations. The music is casual, informal, more improvisation and jam session than “set list”. (I was about to take a photo of the fiddle player and she caught my eye, I mouthed the works “OK?” and she winked approval while crushing a fast paced solo). It’s not so small that you can’t get away from the band and not so big that you can’t hear the music over the conversation (which is happening in about 3 different languages).

Best Meals

We had some great meals, to have to choose one would be hard. Here's the most memorable.

• Seafood: O’Grady’s on the Pier, Barna, Galway, Locally sourced prawns, crab and smoked salmon on a bed of field greens and a light vinaigrette.
• Pub Food: Murphy’s Pub in Killarney, Guinness Braised Beef with vegetables and “Loin of Bacon” with cabbage, we’d call it Ham, but not like US ham, the meat in both dishes was silky and tender, the vegetables, perfect.
• Indian Food: Mother India, Roscommon, amazing spice, perfectly hot. The Balti and vegetable pakoras were perfect. 

Best Part of Driving

Our car, the Citroen C5. I have never rented a car that I ever considered buying until I drove this car. It was a dream to drive. Absolutely the most fuel efficient car I have ever driven, we covered over 800 miles on a single tank. It would not idle, it shut itself off. Tap the accelerator and it’s going again. The controls, the handling, the layout, the seats, everything was perfect (it even stows the side view mirrors when you lock it.)

Second runner up for our favorite part of driving was the roundabouts. I really wish the US would stop putting up traffic lights and start using traffic circles, they are so much more efficient and allow the busy traffic to FLOW.

Worst Part of Driving

Everything else. While, technically, driving on the other side of the road is not hard, it does present spatial perception challenges. After a day we stopped using Left and Right and resorted to “My Side” and “Your Side”. We worked as a team when things got tight, I would deal with the immediate threat (oncoming car, bus, sheep, or tractor) and MJ would look ahead for the next turn, pedestrian, sheep, bus or tractor.

The roads here are lined with tall hedgerows that appear to reach out to trash the side of your car, when the road is wide you will rarely see another vehicle, the more narrow the road gets, the bigger the oncoming vehicle will be, sort of an Irish rule of inverse proportion.

Reading some road signs was fun too…

Worst Timing

Arriving in Westport on a Monday. All the music happens at night, this is a place to arrive on Friday and stay ‘till Sunday. One of the Pubs is owned by the flutist for the Chieftains. This would also be a good place to sleep off the 5 hour round trip hike to the top of Croagh Patrick.

Favorite Battle Story (even though it was a loss)

Apparently, in 1798, faced with an impending battle with Irish Rebels at the Hill of Tara, a cunning British Commander sent three cartloads of Whiskey along a path controlled by the Rebels knowing they would intercept it. The next day, the well organized, and sober, British troops prevailed over the Rebels.

What We Missed

Rock of Cashel, the Waterford/Wexford area, and Distillery Tours, so much more to do and see…we always have next time.

Favorite Photo

Finally, our favorite photo. I took a bunch with my Canon, but I captured this one with my Lumia 920 phone. It became a tearful reminder of my dad and we looked at it often, toasting fond memories.

Thanks for following our adventure. Mary Jane says “Best birthday ever!”

Sláinte! (Cheers!),

Mary Jane and Matthew

950 Miles of Ireland, 10 to go

After nearly 950 miles driven in seven days, our trip is nearing it’s end. We have seen so much and met so many that this has been an amazing trip.

Today we left Roscommon and drove to the Hill of Tara. This was the “chief pagan sanctuary of early Ireland” a place of worship and ritual for thousands of years. This is also the place where Saint Patrick explained the Holy Trinity to the Irish King using the shamrock as a metaphor. Creating an everlasting symbol for the country.

Speaking of things symbolic in Ireland. There are stone monoliths all over the countryside. Many buried as deep underground as they stand above ground. Symbols of strength and fertility, these monuments are present at the top of Tara, for this is where kings were crowned and held massive gatherings.

We moved on to the town of Trim, site of the largest Norman Castle in Ireland. It takes up the center of town and, from what we saw, is now the coolest dog park we’ve ever seen!

Last stop of the day, and the trip, was Bru na Boinne (the Bend in the Boinne) the site of the largest Passage Graves known. Passage graves are all over Europe, usually 10-12 feet high and about 20-30 feet in diameter. Here, on this site, they are huge, 40 feet high and 250 feet in diameter. These mounds predate Stonehenge by 500 years and the Pyramids of Giza by 1000 years.

We’re spending the night at a lodge near the airport, but quietly nestled in next to a golf course.

We can’t wait to see Ruby again!

Mary Jane and Matthew

Galway to Connemara to Roscommon

We took a couple photos last night after posting our update from Galway. This is our favorite.

We left Galway (and Coco) in a light rain and had rainbows leading us onto the Connemara Peninsula. This is a beautiful fisherman's paradise studded with lakes and streams. They still raise sheep and the occasional castle pops up into view. This was our favorite (though one of the smaller ones).

We made our way to Westport, County Mayo. This was billed as a hopping little village, bustling on the weekends, though apparently hungover on the Monday that we arrived. After lunch we made our way to Croagh Patrick and the Famine Memorial. This is the site where legend says St. Patrick fasted for 40 days before driving the snakes out of Ireland. Today it also hosts the “Coffin Ship” memorializing the victims of the Irish Potato Famine.

We left Westport and headed for Boyle, County Roscommon, home to Lough Key and the Castle McDermott. Also host to zip lines, ski boats, boat rides and all manner of outdoor adventures. We ducked in long enough for a photo and a cup of coffee, then hit the road for Roscommon. Here’s the Castle sans-ziplines.

Last full day tomorrow, heading back toward Dublin by way of New Grange.

Mary Jane and Matthew

Cliffs of Moher to Galway

This morning’s trip took us under the Shannon River and into County Clare. The Cliffs of Moher are on the western edge of the county. They are an amazing site, think Cliffs of Insanity and you would be close. The tower at the top is about 30-40 feet high.

Just North of the cliffs is the tiny town of Doolin. Home to McDermott’s Pub. It was so close to the cliffs it made a perfect stop for lunch, half-pint for the driver and a full pint for the passenger/birthday girl/co-pilot/navigator.

We have learned something interesting about traveling for so long on the “other” side of the road. We are beginning to confuse Left and Right. It’s not affecting our driving, but we look for sights on the wrong side of the car. We have begun to use “My Side” and “Your Side”. (We have also discovered that “Eeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyy” is not very helpful to the driver, while “Buuuuuussssssss” causes me to take corrective action.)

On the way out of Doolin we took a side trip to see “The Burren”. This is a huge expanse of exposed rock from the tree cutting exploits of early inhabitants of this area. Somehow, back 6000 years ago these guys had enough time on their hands to clear cut the region, change the ecosystem and make it a poor location for new trees.

On the way out to Galway we passed this amazing Monastic Site. The Kilmacdaugh Monastic site was started in the 7th century! It’s beautiful and still standing (well, leaning.) The tower was where the monks hid from the Vikings! It’s got a bit of a list, but it is beautiful.

Dinner in Galway and bed.

Mary Jane and Matthew

Dingle Peninsula

This morning we were up early and back on the road. Before leaving Kinsale we stopped in at Charles Fort. Built in the 1600’s, it is a star shaped stone fort that once guarded the entrance to Kinsale Harbor. At one point the Spanish sent troops to help the Irish against the English.

Next, we set out for the Dingle Peninsula. A rocky, windy, desolate sort of place that the hearty folks around here have inhabited for more that 5000 years! It is seriously windy, the only building material is ROCKS. Rock walls, rock fences, rock houses, rock churches. I have a feeling that ancient parents told their kids “Go outside and play with the rocks, you’re driving your mother and me crazy!” or “Your punishment is to go outside and build 5 more feet of stone fence!”

There are a lot of sheep out here too, so there is a rich woolen goods industry. The only bad thing we saw was all the graffiti, though it was isolated to the sheep.

After viewing a particularly fine ancient (1,300 year old) stone church, we wandered down the lane to the castle. On the way MJ was accosted by a couple of scoundrels who were adorable. They came after me and she shouted “They’re friendly!” good thing to, they jumped, played and mouthed our hands!

We landed in Killarney for the evening. We’re tucked into a tiny B&B just off the Town Centre. A very short walk into town for dinner and a pint and then off to bed. Long day tomorrow as we’re off to Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher. Here is one last shot of the Dingle Peninsula.

Dublin to Killkenny (you bastards!) to Kinsale

Started out the day with a run in Dublin. On my way I saw signs for the Old Jamison's Distillery, I tried and tried to find it, to no avail, but it was 7:20 in the morning, so it’s not like I was going to get a tour, or a taste.

MJ and I ate breakfast and hit the road for Glendalough, Wicklow. Driving down the Wicklow mountains,past streams and snow, that we both know will, some day, become Guinness, was amazing!

We stopped in Killkenny to eat lunch and swung by Killkenny Castle. This town has the NARROWEST streets I have ever driven down. We crawled through town (both in and out) but it was worth the risk for the views.

The rest of the trip involved staying in the middle of the road and avoiding the hedgerows that were hell bent on snatching MJ out of the passenger seat (and avoiding the rocks that wanted to scratch our beautiful Citroen).

We finally arrived in Kinsale and chose to walk to town. Ireland, after a beautiful day, decided to start raining. We walked in the rain to town down a near vertical road. Downhill, not bad, note to self, find a cab for the ride home. We found the Tap Tavern for our first pint of the night. The rain stuck around and as it cleared, the most amazing (and cliché thing ever) happened, a rainbow. The thing is, it began and ended in Kinsale. Here’s the beginning.

After dinner at Fishy Fishy, of chowder, oysters and mmmm…mussels and wine. Then off to another pub for a pint, find a cab (I am not walking back up that hill!) and back to the B&B.

OH, here are both ends of that rainbow…

MJ and Matt

Silver Lining

Today was Willa’s Graduation of sorts from Heart of Texas Veterinary Specialty Center (http://heartoftexasvets.com/). I passed a quivering, trembling Willa off to Deanna for her last Melanoma vaccination. She has had 4 in the past 2 months, wow, how the time has flown.

Following her physical exam Dr. Brown confirmed what I had already seen. The tumor is “different”, depending on how you describe it, it is changing in appearance and looks like Willa’s immune system is fighting it. You can see the pink of her pallet next to the usual black of the roof of her mouth. The part that used to scare me, the white of the tumor, has turned greyish, pinkish and is not as well defined. Her mouth definitely suffered from the radiation. Two days ago she looked like she had a chapped lip in the corner of her mouth (see her lower lip below). That inflammation is going down, but we’re extending the antibiotics just in case.

We made our next appointment for a check-up in November. Willa was happy to leave, which is sad, because they really love her there.

Once we got home Willa was back to herself. Chasing squirrels and rolling in the freshly mowed grass. Physically she is doing great. She eats well and shows no sign of growing older.

We have learned from many friends and family that Willa was included in the prayers of individuals as well as whole congregations and a prayer chain that spread around the world. We are so grateful for everyone who contributed to Willa surviving and thriving through this ordeal. We are touched by the thoughtfulness and generosity of those who do not know what an amazing girl she is, but pray for her health and recovery.

Thanks to everyone who cares about Willa, you are our support system.

The Only Constant is Change

Chicago was great, but the best welcome home gift was Willa, Ruby and no green slime. It looks like the antibiotics are working. During the morning agility training Willa started barking, well…trying to bark. The folks at LSU warned us that the radiation may cause changes to her eye, mouth and throat. It appears that is the case. Her eye is watering a bit, her mouth, now free of the slime, is a bit pink and her bark is…well…tiny. We’ll continue to consult and monitor, but aside from a tiny dog bark, Willa had a great time and ran her butt off this morning.

While visiting Shedd Aquarium we picked up a few gifts for the girls. If you know Ruby, you know she LOVES whales. Shamu has been her favorite for years (in fact she is actually on her second Shamu, the first was loved to death). Ruby wraps her paws around her whale and nurses on its head, falling into a trancelike state we call “The Shamu Zone”. We name all the toys and Ruby’s new Beluga is “Bella” after one of the Shedd whales. Here are Willa and Ruby with their Octopus and Bella.

As you can see, Ruby loves her Bella. Note: She’s not chewing on Bella, she’s in a nursing trance, waking  only if she needs to adjust her paws, needs to nurse a bit more or begins to fall over.

It’s good to be home.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

We left LSU right after Willa’s final radiation treatment for the week. The folks that took part in Willa’s treatment at the LSU Vet Clinic Cancer Treatment Unit signed her bandana with kind words and prayers for Willa. It is a touching reminder of how much they all care about my girl.  Willa was happy to be headed home and slept most of the way…at least until I pulled out the chicken sandwich I had made for lunch.

Willa and I arrived home safely Friday evening. Tropical storm Don had nothing for Austin, but still managed to dump a lot of rain on us East of Houston. Once home, Willa promptly hopped out of the car and ran to Mary Jane for “welcome home” kisses. She then ran into the middle of the yard, flopped down and began “Crazy Dog”.

Aside from the blue, green and black marks (and an odd hair cut) Willa is no worse for the ordeal. She has a follow-up visit at HOT Vets Wednesday and her 3rd Melanoma Vaccine injection. I’ll continue to update the blog as we hear more news.

Mary Jane and I cannot thank you all enough for your kind words, prayers and thoughts as Willa has gone through treatment. The Twitter #GeauxWilla hash tag has shown MJ and I the reach Willa has had. I appreciate the memories folks have shared with me about Willa. She has touched many folks and I am proud to hear how others talk about her.

The plan now is exercise in the form of swimming, great food, and lots of love. (Sounds like a plan I’ll be following too!)

Blackberry Bliss

While planning our summer getaway, we searched for dog friendly accommodations in Sonoma County. Russian River Getaways popped to the top of the list. They have a variety of cabins for rent and welcome good dog owners and their well mannered dogs. The staff was friendly and guided us through the locations and options for the days we had available.

It was our luck that "Blackberry Bliss" was waiting for us. Located on Austin Creek in Cazadero, this wonderful cabin can sleep 6 folks who aren't shy or 4 who need a bit more privacy. Even in the summer there was enough water to swim Willa (tired dogs are better behaved while wine tasting).

Would they have called it "Blackberry Bliss" if the backyard was not filled with huge bushes filled with Blackberries? The grounds deliver a huge tangle of bushes between the house and creek that made easy picking for our nightly deserts. The welcome card includes a recipe for cobbler, though we cheated and used a ready made crust. Hey, we were on vacation!

Austin Creek intersects Highway 116 just West of Guerneville. This is a great location for day trips to the Sonoma wineries and vineyards. Even the Northernmost vineyards are less than 30 minutes away or a short drive westward will take you to the stunning Coast Highway! 

We stayed during the middle of July. The creek was down to a trickle but there was still enough water for Willa to swim. Our usual morning consisted of coffee and a swim for the dog, a bite of toast then pack up the car for a day of picnicking and wine tasting. The early swim meant Willa was sedate all day in her post exercise bliss.

After we returned, we would review photos and sit under the towering redwoods and watch the hundreds of hummingbirds duke it out for the nectar provided by the cabin. As the sun goes down through the trees, you can enjoy the rest of the cool evenings by lapsing into a coma in the hot tub.

Get up the next morning and start that grueling schedule all over again...Bliss!

Great dining no whining!

My wife and I have been indulging in a Sonoma County Wine vacation with our dog Willa. While the focus of our visit is the wine, we would be lost without food. Traveling with a dog can make finding sensational food a challenge. Dog friendly dining usually means being relegated to shabby outside tables or just eating in the car. Unlike our vacation last year to Colorado where we honored Ft. Collins, CO with the "Poser Award" for the being the Most Dog Unfriendly City on the planet. Where outdoor restaurants have fences...you can sit at a table outside but your dog must be tethered on the other side of the fence. The much lauded beer festival had "No Dogs" signs posted everywhere, but there was a guy walking around with his Ram on a leash. We finally sought refuge at the New Belgium Brewing Company where an enlightened view on dogs was awarded with our travel dollars.

Not so in many locations in Sonoma County, though it is still your obligation to ask before bringing your dog to any location that serves food.

Dry Creek General Store

If it's Thursday night, it's barbeque at the General Store. We pulled up at 5:30 and were told that dinner would be served at 6:30...oh darn. I guess we have to sit with our dog and watch the sun go down over the vineyard while enjoying the mix of smoke, rosemary and garlic wafting through the evening air. Slake your thirst with a Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA. There is plenty of room at the picnic tables in the shade. Our dinner was roasted rosemary chicken, linguini a'olio and salad. The sauce for the linguini was prepared in the biggest paella pan I have ever seen, right on the grill. The attendees included 4 cowboys and cowgirls that rode up on their horses, a handful of local bikers and a guy who just HAD to park his Ferrari right in front. Conversation was lively and everyone fit in.

Roadhouse Restaurant

Redwoods tower over the deck at the Roadhouse in Guerneville. Part of the Dawn Ranch Lodge, the Roadhouse Restaurant offers a full bar and local wines paired with a delightful menu for meat eaters and sea food lovers alike. We shared an ample salad and mopped up every last drop of the broth that smothered our mussels. The staff was attentive without intruding and the dirty martini was perfect!

Big John's Market

Big John's is not a restaurant, it's a grocery store. No, you cannot take your dog inside...and I am not suggesting that you eat at one of the many shaded tables over looking the parking lot, not when there are so many wineries out there with picnic tables. Here's the deal: buy your lunch at Big John's, the ample sandwiches made from there their our oven roasted turkey breast or some of the amazing meats from Zoe's stacked on top of fresh made breads and rolls are better than any lunch counter. Add a pint of any of the fresh salads, grab some chips and your favorite non-alcoholic* beverages (like the local apple juice) and you can unpack the whole thing at the next next dog friendly winery on your list.

*Don't bring any alcohol, local laws prohibit the consumption of "off premises" alcohol at the wineries.

 

Korbel

While Korbel does not fit our definition of Dog Friendly, they do allow well behaved dogs on the grounds and at the outdoor tables. The reason I mention them here is because they make the most amazing Tri-Tip sandwich. Thin cut Tri-Tip stacked on a soft roll with chimichuri, horseradish and blue cheese.

Revisiting the Top 10 Dog Friendly Sonoma Wineries

When we arrived at the rental office we were handed a post of the Top 10 Dog Friendly Sonoma Wineries. This post from 2006 lists some amazing tiny (and not so tiny) wineries that, at that time, allowed dogs. We love wine and we love lists, so with a bit of planning we set out to revisit the ten on the list (plus a few more).

As you would expect, there have been a few changes since 2006. Some new wineries have popped up and a few have changed hands. To our dismay, several have changed their policies due in large part to Dog Owners who think dog friendly is a right rather than a privilege. We also have a slightly different interpretation of Dog Friendly than the 2006 author. In order to qualify for our list you had to be able to have your dog by your side while tasting.

Anyway, here is our list, be nice to these folks, ask if you can bring your dog, don't assume just because they allowed us that they will allow you...

Our revised Top Dog Friendly Sonoma wineries are:

Rank	DF	Winery	2006
1	DW	Wilson Winery	4
2	DW	Matrix	*
3	DW	Mazzocco	10
4	DF	Donatiello (Formerly Belvedere)	2
5	DF	Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves	*
6	DF	Taft Street Winery	3
7	DF	Russian Hill	5

We dropped the following wineries because they do not allow you to have your dog with you while tasting.

DF	Winery	2006
DT	Seghesio	6
DT	Gary Farrell	9

As I said, a few dog owners ruined it for the rest of us. The following wineries are no longer on the list because they do not allow you to have your dog on the grounds.

DF	Winery	2006
NP	Iron Horse	7
NP	Hop Kiln	8

And finally, we did not evaluate Joseph Swan Vineyards because they are closed weekdays, though they were very nice about it even after I totally misread their hours on their web site!

Dog Friendliness Rating: DW=Dogs Welcome, DF=Dog Friendly, DT=Dog Tolerant, NP=No Pets

Wilson, Matrix, and Mazzocco

If there is a common dog/dog owner heaven it probably feels a lot like Wilson, Matrix and Mozzocco. Award winning wines, great views, tables for picnicking and cool concrete floors for hot dog tummies make these sister vineyards our top pick. If that were not enough the staff are dog people as well as wine people. Their passion for both infused our conversations with equally disparaging comments about wine snobs and bad dog owners. Pick up a sandwich and some pasta salad from Big John's Market on the way to Wilson.

Donatiello

Crisp wines and an amazing garden make Donatiello another great stop for a picnic with your four footed friend. The water falls and English garden steps make for a picturesque backdrop for wine tasting and picture taking.

Bella

You may be surprised by how hot it can get in the summer in Sonoma. Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves offer a cavernous tasting room that stays cool on the hottest summer day. The concrete floor feels great on a dog belly. Great people, great wines.

Taft Street

Taft Street started in a garage in Berkeley (or is it Oakland?) "As long as Finnigan is OK with it..." you can bring your friend into this tiny tasting room. Though Willa ignored the cat, Finnigan would not leave her alone, playfully patting at Willa's paws and sniffing her in a very canine way.

Russian Hill

More great views and a very cute winery dog named Kiri (after the famed opera singer) greet you as you reach the top of the hill. Russian Hill has a nice variety of wines including Port.

Honorable Mention

We have to give Iron Horse Vineyards honorable mention for their very gracious and welcoming winemaker David Munksgard. We arrived late and spotted the "No Dogs" sign. After telling us he was closed, he paused and with a "what the hell" opened a bottle of their terrific 2003 Classic Vintage Brut. I inquired about the "No Dogs" sign mentioning the Top 10 list and he told us why he changed his policy...suspicions confirmed...bad dog owners.

Dog Friendly is not binary

As my wife and I travel around with our dog we find many places that tout their "Dog Friendly"-ness. To our disappointment we usually find that they are "Dog Tolerant" or "Dog Accessible" but far from dog friendly. There are two important concepts that the owner of any so called dog friendly establishment must understand before laying out the welcome mat:

1. Understanding the attachment of a dog owner to their dog. Dare I say...actually owing a dog yourself.
2. Understanding what it is like to travel with a dog. Dare I say...that you actually traveled with a dog...outside your city limits...for at least a few days. (Extra points if you have taken you dog through one bath cycle away from home.)

Once you have the basics understood the next step is to evaluate your "offering" based on how far you (or the local health department) will allow dog owners to go. This is where the gap exists in the definition of "dog friendly". After minutes of consideration we have developed the following scale:

No Pets

This is the clearest category. Simply put, leave your dog in the car. There are many reasons why proprietors choose this designation. I respect the clarity of this designation. I also choose not to spend my money at these establishments unless there is an overriding reason. Examples include National Parks (dogs in parking lots only) and restaurants without outdoor dining facilities.

Dog Tolerant

Dog tolerant establishments pretend to be dog friendly but really aren't. Dog tolerant means that you can have your dog present with you on the grounds but must never be off leash (see my point about your responsibility when taking your dog off leash). Dog tolerant hotels generally make you pay extra for keeping a dog and you have to sign some huge contract. Well behaved dogs are welcome most places but there are restrictions imposed by the proprietors that have nothing to do with the health department.

Dog Friendly

Dog friendly establishments allow you to keep your dog as you would at home. The only way a joint can be labeled Dog Friendly is if I have equivalent access to the establishments offerings while I have my dog at my side. For example: restaurants that serve me on a deck or patio, wineries that allow my dog in the tasting room or serve tastes outside. Many of the so called "dog friendly" wineries did not allow tasting with a dog by your side.

Dogs Welcome

Establishments that open their doors to good dogs and good dog  owners allow access to all areas under the health code. This means that unless the establishment serves food, dogs are welcome everywhere (except on the tour). This designation goes beyond physical access, it also indicates a mind set that some thought and consideration has been put into the accommodation for dog visitors. Whether it is water dishes and water for those who may have forgotten or biscuits behind the bar, it is that good dogs are welcome without hesitation, indoors and out.