Visiting Austin Texas Tops Bliss and Seven's Bucket List

Besides being known as a place where humans can have a great time on vacation, Austin Texas is also one of the top dog-friendly cities in the United States. In other cities, you might struggle to find pet-friendly activities. Not Austin. Dogs are welcome across the city, and hardly a week goes by where a great dog event does’t draw crowds. Dogs and their owners are more likely to have a “ruff” time deciding between the available options. That's why a visit to Austin tops Bliss and Seven's bucket list!

There are many pet-friendly places to stay in Austin, as well as restaurants and bars that welcome dogs. When you’ve got the basics covered, there’s more time to explore what you and your furry family member might like to do for fun! Here are some of the things Bliss and Seven want to experience:

1)    Zilker Park – No dog-friendly trip to Austin would be complete without a stop in Zilker Park. On the weekends, this 350-acre preserve comes alive with kite flyers, soccer players, pick-up football games, people out for a picnic lunch, and lots and lots of dogs. The park is split by Barton Springs Road – the area to the north side of the road is off-leash, and to the south dogs must be kept on-leash, except in the creek just below the pool, where they are welcome to have a splash.

2)    Auditorium Shores – If splashing and swimming is your dog’s favorite thing, head for Auditorium Shores. Dogs can dive in after balls and practice their belly flops into Ladybird Lake in the shadow of the city’s skyline. This park is currently in transition with a major renewal effort and a new fenced, off-leash area under construction. A portion of the park is still accessible for off-leash play while the project is ongoing, and the new dog park is expected to be completed sometime this summer.

3)    The State Capitol – Located on the northern edge of downtown, the dome of the Capitol will catch your eye from all around Austin. Completed in 1888, it is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most distinguished state capitols, and the perfect spot to grab a bench for a pet-friendly picnic lunch. They also have a self-guided tour that reveals the historical significance of the statues, historic markers, and trees around the Capitol grounds.

If you plan on visiting Austin soon, be sure to check out these dog-friendly Autumn Events:

1)   During the upcoming Austin City Limits Music Festival held at Zilker Park, Tito’s Handmade Vodka is partnering with the nonprofit Emancipet to make veterinary care accessible to all pet owners. Throughout this weekend and next (Oct. 6–8, 10–13), festival attendees will have the opportunity to give back by taking and sharing photos in front of a special mural which will prompt donations (up to $10,000) from Tito’s to Emancipet.

2)   Don’t miss the 10th Annual Dogtoberfest celebration-fundraiser on October 21. Featuring a 1K walk and an outdoor event that includes a costume contest, dog demonstrations and silent auction—all raising money for local dog rescue organizations.

3)   Also on that day, the 4th Annual Dog Beard and Moustache Competition will be presented at The Mohawk, benefitting The Schrodi Memorial Training Fund which helps owners who can't afford top-dollar training be able to train and keep their dogs.

4)   Barkitecture 2017, the custom doghouse design show, is set for Nov. 4. The fundraiser is hosted by Animal Lovers of Austin and showcases the creations of city’s brightest architects, interior designers, and builders. 

For more doggie fun in Austin Texas, read this article in Go Pet Friendly. Woof!

Bliss and Seven Love Their Bowl of Morning Oatmeal

Is oatmeal good for dogs? YES!!!!

Oatmeal is one of the most popular breakfast foods known to man. Mommy eats a bowl every morning. And lately, she’s been sharing it with me and Bliss.

Mommy found out that unlike other table scraps, oatmeal is completely safe for dogs, except for those allergic to oats of course. Oats are delicious and nutritious, naturally high in "good" nutrients and low in "bad" ones. There’s a long list of health benefits when it comes to feeding oatmeal to your dog including:

1)    Oats are high in protein (interestingly, wild oats contain from 27-37% protein while cultivated varieties average about 17%). According to the World Health Organization, oat protein is equivalent in quality to soy protein. So, equal to meat, milk and egg protein. Dogs also benefit from the soluble fiber found in oatmeal as well as iron, manganese, zinc, and B vitamins.

2)    Oats are low in gluten and Genetically Modified Organisms (so far, oats are not grown using GMO)

3)    Oats are considered a nervine, an herbal compound that acts as a general nerve tonic, calming the nerves when necessary, stimulating them. when needed. Oats are used for treating a variety of nervous disorders.

4)    Oats benefit several body organs and systems in dogs, including skin, nervous system, stomach, spleen, lungs, and the urinary and reproductive systems.

5)    Oats act as a digestive aid to calm the intestinal tract.

6)    Oats are also cholesterol lowering and reportedly good for treating a wide variety of diseases in dogs and humans, including inflammatory conditions, mental or physical exhaustion, depression, and more.

7)    Oats can also be beneficial when applied topically. Remember that your pet’s skin is its largest organ, and there is an active absorption of many substances, thus adding whole-body benefits from external applications of oats. Feeding oatmeal can help soothes itchiness and eczema in dogs. High levels of minerals and vitamins in the seeds may help with skin healing.

The best oatmeal you can feed your dog is plain, all natural oatmeal that’s thoroughly cooked it with water. Don’t feed your dog a brand of oatmeal that has artificial fruits, additives, artificial sugars, and flavorings. Just like they’re not healthy for you, they’re also bad for your dog. As long as you stick to the all-natural brands of oatmeal I say go ahead, feed your dog some oatmeal. Yum! Woof!

Bliss loves her Danger Dog Portraits, Your Dog Wants One Too!

Every DANGER DOG (and Cat) tells a story... what will your pet's story be?

Wouldn’t your four-legged family member be proud to be a DANGER DOG? These hand-painted fair-trade portraits are one-of-a-kind metal works of art based on BE AWARE OF DOG signs from Nepal. DANGER DOGS – Folk Art from the Himalayas is the creation of my friend Michelle Page of Santa Monica. Michelle, a fledgling art dealer who loves art and travel, became intrigued by hand-painted metal “Beware of Dog” signs she saw all over Nepal. She decided to promote her own fair-trade art project featuring these charming paintings in order to save a dying art form.

After 25 years in the film business as an assistant film editor on such movies as Sam Ramie’s Spider-Man trilogy and Bob Altman’s ‘The Player’, Michelle opened her business in 2007 to protest against the inexpensive digitized computer-generated graphics that were replacing hand-painted signs. Michelle feared the art and expertise of the artists in Nepal would soon be lost to modern technology. Through her efforts, Michelle is effectively saving the livelihood of these artists, one DANGER DOG at a time to the delight of pet-lovers everywhere just like Bliss.

Be ahead of the pack  

Michelle will be in Kathmandu later this month and is accepting orders through November 20, 2017. This is your chance to immortalize your pet - at no risk - while helping struggling Nepali signboard artists. Here’s how:

1.   Send a photo of your pet to Michelle at ampage1@gmail.com. 

2.   Let Michelle know what you'd like your sign to say. Bliss loves her “Enlighted Dog Here” sign.

3.  Let Michelle know if there’s a particular style or artist you like or allow her surprise you.

4.  Watch your work of art in progress on the Danger Dog Blog. That's it!

You pay nothing until you choose one of the three portraits Michelle brings back in early December, plenty of time to send holiday orders. DANGER DOG signs make wonderful presents, as you can imagine. Surprise your dog loving friend by taking an image of their pet from their Facebook and sending it to Michelle today! 

Satisfaction guaranteed

if you don't like any of the works of art she brings back, you don't pay. My mommy loved all my portraits! The artists are paid fair trade wages in any case. You get three choices, three artists get work, and museum stores get folk art. Micro-finance through Art Patronage

All paintings are hand-painted, approximately 1-foot square, synthetic enamel on metal, can be hung indoors or out. The price for one pet is $250 for your choice of one in three. Multiple figures on one sign are $325 for two pets and $400 for three pets per sign.

Signs are also available for purchase in art galleries including the Craft and Folk Art Museum shop in Los Angeles, and the Santa Monica Museum of Art at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. They are also available at shops in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Texas, Cambridge, and Manhattan. See the Dogs Live!

Order your Nepal Art Dog (or Cat, bird or horse) today. Woof!