Apopka's Club Lake Plantation full of dog-friendly fall fun

Looking for some fall fun with your pet. This feature I wrote for Barkpost has some great fall/Halloween activities you can do with your dog. 25 of them, in fact.

• 25 Fantastic Fall Events Around the Country for You and Your Dog

And for us Central Floridians, this great month-long festival is going on right now!

Trip Advisor's Holiday Lettings named us a Top Pet Blogger

We're honored to be named a Top 9 Pet Blogger by Holiday Lettings by Trip Advisor!

Beagles at the ballpark: How to take your dog to a baseball game this summer

Take your dog to the ball game, take your dog to the parks!

Buy them a hot dog, no Cracker Jacks.

Grab their leash tight at the crack of the bat.

And it's AROOOOOO! AROOO for the home team

If they don't win it's a shame!

Cuz it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the old ball game!

It's baseball season! Spring training is underway for one of America's grandest past times, and the season will open soon enough.

Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays.

In the last few years, man's best friend has joined forces with Major League Baseball. Baseball teams have hosted Dog Days and Bark at the Park events across the country. And 2016 is no exception!

REPOST: Pet friendly communities: Winter Park

I wrote this piece for Weichert, Realtors Hallmark Properties. It appeared on their website Monday. Weichert is sponsoring the post, but all the ideas in it are my own.

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If you were to spend a typical Saturday in Downtown Winter Park, chances are you’re going to encounter a plethora of dog owners with their fellow companions. At the city’s famous farmer’s market, you’ll probably see at least a dozen dogs there alone.

The Winter Park Farmers Market is every Saturday.

In addition to seeing several dogs in Winter Park, I’ve seen people walk with birds on their shoulders (or in strollers), cats on harnesses, and I even saw one man with a rabbit at the recent Doggie Art Festival (how this rabbit survived is truly a testament to both the dogs and their owners).

Why is Winter Park so pet-friendly?

Judy Charuhas is a co-founder of Winter Park Lost Pets.com and has lived in the city since 1983.
“Many residents, business owners and city employees have pets,” Charuhas said. “There can be a certain unspoken camaraderie among pet owners. For example, I’ve noticed that residents walking their dogs generally have a smile for other dog walkers. It’s often said that owners and their pets have a strong bond. I’ve also seen pets build bonds among neighbors as well.”

Brian Wettstein is part owner of The Doggie Door on Park Avenue, a pet-friendly boutique.
“Savvy new businesses like the Alfond Inn did its homework about Park Avenue and they welcome pets there,” Wettstein said, mentioning the newest hotel in Winter Park. “Even new publications like the Passport on Park Avenue acknowledge the importance of pets to our community.”

Lulu takes in the Doggie Art Festival.

The next time you’re in the Winter Park area, check out these pet-friendly favorites:

Fleet Peeples Park: This 13-acre park sits on Lake Baldwin. Pets can run and swim to their hearts’ content, and if you are worried about your little guy playing with the big dogs there’s now a small dog area. There’s also a dog washing station, bathroom, and on-leash nature trail.

Fleet Peeples Park.

Pookie’s Bow Wow Bakery: Since 2002, Pookie’s has served the Central Florida community by offering all-natural and organic foods, treats, and supplements for pets. If you can’t get to the store on Fairbanks Avenue, Pookie’s has a home delivery service. The owners of Pookie’s also host rescues to help find homes for pets. Each year, Pookie’s hosts an annual fundraiser and pet adoption event called RescueFest at nearby Lake Lily Park in Maitland.

Woof Gang Bakery: Woof Gang Bakery may be a chain, but unlike other locations, the Winter Park store is a big, beautiful boutique for chic dogs. They sell homemade treats, the centerpiece of the Woof Gang brand. They also have grooming and doggy daycare in the store. The store is located on Orange Avenue, not too far from Fairbanks.

Hip Dog Canine Hydrotherapy: Could your dog use some time in the pool? Maybe it needs to lose weight, arthritis, or another condition that means they can’t walk as much. Or maybe your dog just wants to go for a swim. Hip Dog gives owners a place to take their dogs so they can get their swim on. The hydrotherapy center has been around since 2001, off Palmetto Avenue near the Orange-Seminole county line. Hip Dog is by appointment only.

Park Avenue in Winter Park.

 Downtown Winter Park Business District: Park Avenue and Hannibal Square are very pet friendly areas. Water bowls can be found in front of most stores as you and your dog stroll down Park Avenue. Dogs are welcome on patios and in front of most sidewalk cafes. Pets are also allowed in many stores, and some even have store pets. There are few places on Park Avenue where pets aren’t allowed though, and Central Park is one of them. But even that is changing. Last year the city council voted to allow two pet events in the park a year. Wettstein’s Doggie Door sponsors those two events – the Doggie Art Festival and the Pet Costume Contest that finishes with a pet trick or treat on Park Avenue.
Other pet-friendly events around Park Avenue include the Running of the Chihuahuas, which just happened on May 4.

If you haven’t taken your pet to Winter Park, you’re missing out on all the fun!

Sunday in Sanford -- Dog park, German food and more in the Historic District

This is Lulu.

I have no idea how she did that with her tongue.

We've been pretty lazy lately, and I decided I wanted to go for a long drive and check out something new. So we went to Sanford.

Sanford is a city on the shores of Lake Monroe in North Seminole County. Lately it's gotten some notoriety in the news, but if you're in Orlando and you're looking for a day trip, or if you're headed to the beach, it's a great place to stop. The Historic District is great, especially if you have a dog.

So Lulu and I hopped into the car and drove off to our first stop.

Sanford says The Paw Park is the oldest in Central Florida. It was first established in 2001. It has some good reviews from national magazines.

It's compact, with parking on three of the four sides. Each entrance is a double entrance, and the east entrance includes an entrance into a small dog play area off to the side.

In the center is a big downed tree and a community bulletin board. There is a walkway that wraps around the park, and there are benches and shade trees.

But the dogs are more interested in each other.

There wasn't a ton of running going among the dogs, but there was plenty of sniffing. And when it comes to sniffing, Lulu is a champ.

She walked the whole park and sniffed just about everything. And every one.

It's a nice little park. There were places for the dogs to climb, there were water areas and even a time out area.

My only complaint is the dirt. There were several dirt patches, and where there's dirt there's a dog who wants to jump and roll in it. The little doggy pool was full of dirty water, and I don't think there was anything that could be done to get that pool clean.

Conveniently though, there's a dog wash and groomers right across the street.

That's Paw Park Place, which also has a little mini area of its own for dogs to play at, grooming and a boutique with fresh baked doggy treats and a case full of frozen "dogurt." Unfortunately they wouldn't let me shoot any pictures inside.

After Lulu and I took a look around, we got back in the car and headed back onto First Street to a place I've always wanted to go.

Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe is very popular and well-known., but when I found out this German eatery was doggy friendly, I had to check it out. So Lulu and I got a seat on the patio, danced a little to the beer garden-style music playing, and ordered a schnitzel.

Before long the waitress brought an iced tea for me. Just water for Lulu, thanks.

Willowtree doesn't have a doggy menu, but they had no problems letting me order something for Lulu.

So my schnitzel came:

(It was yummy, by the way)
And Lulu got a bratwurst.

Cooked and cut to order.

And gone in 30 seconds.

The Willowtree Cafe is open for lunch and dinner every day and is located on East First Street in Downtown Sanford. They also have Magnolia Square Market around the corner, but the market doesn't allow dogs inside.

If German food is not your thing, there are several other restaurants along 1st Street that allow dogs at the table. There are also lots of lovely shops to window shop in, and the marina is right up the road if you want to sit out and enjoy Lake Monroe. In fact, Lulu and I drove right next to the lake on our scenic route home.

Paw Park Place is open Tuesday through Sunday, and is located on South French Street, right across from Paw Park.

Lulu the beagle becomes a hot dog: Summer, your dog and health issues to watch for

It's Florida in May. It's hot. Very hot. But the other day I decided it'd be a good idea to take Lulu to the doggy park anyway. It'd been a while since she'd been out socializing since I've been busy with some personal changes, and she enjoys it.

A lot.

There weren't many dogs out, but she did meet some new dogs and got to run around a bit, but it wasn't long before I noticed she might have been getting hot.

Lulu rarely goes into the pool, and when she does she never stays for a long period. This time, however, she just walked around it, I guess trying to keep her feet cool. So I decided to take her home.

And in the car she panted like a fiend, even with the air conditioning on.

According to Pet WebMD (yes, there is such a thing), a symptom of heat stroke can be heavy, fast, and/or erratic panting. But she showed no other signs: no heavy drooling or frothing at the mouth, he tongue and gums looked fine, and she didn't feel hot to the touch. And eventually she cooled down. 

More and more people are taking their dogs to doggy parks, and in the summer that means looking for the signs that your dog may have a problem. VPI Pet Insurance.com recently put out a release on what dog owners should do to prevent your dog from having a heat problem at the dog park. Aside from watching for the signs and keeping the dog hydrated, you should also maybe not go to the park between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (we went to the park around 3:30). This way the dog is out of the sun when it's at its highest point.

But heat exhaustion/stroke is not the only problem pet owners should be aware of at the dog park. VPI's list also includes:

• Sprains and Soft Tissue Injuries
• Lacerations and Bite Wounds
• Kennel Cough/Upper Respiratory Infection
• Insect Bites
• Head Trauma
• Parasites
• Parvovirus

VPI compiled this list based on last year's dog park-related medical injuries. Sprains and soft tissue injuries are the most common -- the more the dog is outside, the more likely it can get hurt. All kinds of illnesses can come from insect bites, including lyme disease from ticks and heartworm issues from mosquitoes.

The best advice is to have an eye on your dog at all times when the dog is outdoors, and make sure to check the dog when you are finished being outside. 

Don't forget -- you can follow us on Twitter via our Life With Beagle account, or on Facebook, just like the page for "Lulu the Beagle."

FACTOID: What exactly are the DOG DAYS of SUMMER? According to Wikipedia:

"Dog Days" (Latin: diēs caniculārēs) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the Northern Hemisphere, the dog days of summer are most commonly experienced in the months of July and August, which typically observe the warmest summer temperatures. In the Southern Hemisphere, they typically occur in January and February, in the midst of the austral summer. The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, also called the Dog Star, in close proximity to the sun was responsible for the hot weather.

So the "dog days" actually have nothing to do with an actual dog. Good to know.

Lulu the beagle makes her mark in Winter Park, FL

UPDATE: Winter Park is still very dog friendly. However, The Doggie Door closed down in 2017. 

I want Lulu to be one of those trendy dogs I can walk around those trendy little downtown areas.

I know, I probably should have gotten another kind of dog then, right? That's not really what a beagle is for. Still, I think Lulu can be stacked up against any of the other dogs that prance around those places. So Tuesday I bathed Lulu, put on her most fetching bandanna, and took her to Winter Park.

Winter Park is one of the most dog-friendly areas in Central Florida. It's a small city just north of Orlando that was built in the 1800s as a haven for the wealthy. It's now a trendy home for people looking for that old Main Street USA feel -- except Main Street here is called Park Avenue.

People walk dogs of all kinds along Park Avenue, where fresh water bowls are outside many of the shops for the dogs to get a quick lap as they follow their human friends. There's The Doggie Door, a shop dedicated to chic pet stuff, and this year there will be a doggy festival.

The first thing I did when we got there was make sure she knew she had to listen to me (well, at least try to get her to understand that). I stepped on the leash, and told her to sit. I didn't go anywhere until she did so.

Once she finally got the message, we met my friend at Shoooz. I called ahead of time to ask if it was okay to bring Lulu inside.

I knew the store's owners had a dog who hung out at the store, so I had hoped she wouldn't be too much of a bother. But the minute she smelled the other dog, look what she did:

I was incredibly embarassed. The managers were very nice about it, but I was so ready to go home, right there and then.

Fortunately, the dog's young golden retriever came out from the back to meet Lulu, and told her what's what in the nicest way possible -- assertive sniffing. Lulu kinda calmed down after that.

After we got the shoes, we decided to get some lunch. We chose Paris Bistro, which has outdoor seating along the avenue. We got a table, and they brought a bowl of ice water for Lulu.

We sat and ate, and I fed her little bits of bread with some of the sauce from my beef burgundy. She sniffed about and watched, but was generally pretty good, eventually just sitting down. We only had one scuffle with a dog she didn't like where I thought she would pull the whole table down. She seemed to like the other dogs she met.

She even got to look at some fish while I got to give myself a treat at Le Macaron.

And since she did reasonably well, I stopped at The Doggie Door on the way back to the car and bought her a treat.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt for doggies. They just lick it, so it lasts a while.

And with that, we got on the elevator at the parking garage and drove away.

Winter Park is just north of Orlando, and is easily accessible from I-4 off the Fairbanks Avenue and Lee Road exits. They have a great farmers market on Saturdays, and festivals throughout the year. Dogs are welcome on Park Avenue and at the farmers market, just keep them off Central Park.