The following email came to me while I was at work the other day. It was from Tinsley. To put it in context, I should say that we've been contemplating getting a dog. It's been almost three years since Wookie died and we feel like it may be time to fill her shoes, so to speak.
It just occurred why I need us to have a dog.Amen.
I have wondered much why I would want an additional source of chaos, feces, noise,
debris, etc... because that really does not make sense. However,
I just put both our kids down for an enforced nap at 11:30. They both totally hate me right now
and are drowsily plotting their next move. I can hear one of them rustling ominously this very moment.
But a dog NEVER does that. Not even terriers. (Cats might.)
A dog's only agenda is love, and maybe stick. And food, but let's face it, compared to being shrieked
at over peanut butter & jelly vs. peanut butter & honey, dogs culinary needs are pretty easy to handle.
Kids make you constantly aware of what a [beep] you are.
I don't even have to compare dogs to that. You know.
Selfish? Maybe.
Balm for the soul? Absolutely.
So I just had to sit here and tell you.
And they lick everything but a few veggies off the floor.
god bless dogs.
There's a cool guide to pet-friendly travel guide at the Boston Globe's web site, here. Places to roam with Rover, dog-friendly parks in Boston, pet-friendly lodging, pet-friendly attractions, dog parks and trails, and Boston kennels.
Also, a photo gallery of travel pals.
Mid-coast Maine (Penobscot Bay in particular) is the most beautiful part of the state. Camden is family friendly town with loads of recrfeational and photo opportunities within a short drive.
Where the mountains seet the sea, Camden is a popular destination. The harbor, the architecture, the landscape, and recreational features are vast and varied; and the food is pretty darned good too (hint: Cappy's Chowder House).
With a river running through town and emptying into the harbor as a waterfall, there are some great photography choices (hint: footbrige in early evening). Many of the shops and boathouses are built on pilings that are set into the water.
There are parks within walking distance to town as well as a short drive away, where you'll find warm water fun on the many lakes and ponds.
You can also hike or drive, up one of the mountains in Camden Hills State Park for sensational vistas (hint: bring a tripod, and go during leaf-peeper season).
Camden is also especially dog-friendly
Ol' Ralf can swim, chase balls (or sticks) in the inner harbor, and get fresh water at one on many dog bowls put out by local businesses along the sidewalks. Poop-bag dispenser boxes are conveniently scattered around the parks, and there are even a couple of doggie boutiques.
The two hotels that are down town, the Lord Camden Inn and the Camden Riverhouse Inn and Suites, each have dog policies.
Other photo oportunities are numerous and varied too. Morning and evening light in the harbor and parks can be magical (I don't say that things are magical very often; it's just not a word I normally use, but the light at thosae times is pretty cool). The wiki map below shows some of the places we like (give me a few more days to get little photos in the map please), you can add your favorites too.
This 1 mile round trip is a fun way to get a little excercise after dinner, a good photography opportunities, and a popular fishing spot. Kids love to run along breakwaters on top the rocks, and when they run this one, you can bet they'll be tired enough to go to bed without much guff! Maximize space by minimizing potential hassles
Our dogs have made nearly every road trip we've ventured on. From western Montana to Nashville, TN, to Lisbon Falls, ME to Connecticut, to North Carolina, to Washington, DC and Ocean City, MD, to Nashville and back to Connecticut. They logged a lot of miles. They're both gone now, running around on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge .
Dogs aren't too picky about traveling with you, they're typically happy just to go along, but there are some things you need to think about to make life better for Spot.
Here are a few tips:
1. Get a small dog
Do as we say, not as we do. Our heroes were a German Shepard and a Great Dane/German Shepard mix (see wookie in the left column). Big dogs are big fun, but they're a big pain in the neck on a road trip. They eat big amounts of food, which takes up big amounts of space in a small vehicle (anything but a Ryder truck is small compared to a big dog). Everything about big dogs is big. It's very hard for us to recommend against a big dog, but if you're looking for a road trip dog, go small. Look at the dogs that truck drivers travel with: little guys. Assuming you've already got a dog, we're certainly not going to recommend trading down, so you'll have to change the strategy: think of big ways to reduce your space needs.
2. Ice cubes are a good way to water the dog while driving
Ice cubes don't spill, and if they do, Ol' Rex can chomp them up 
before they melt. Place them in a wide shallow dish that won't tip over in the back of the van, and Fido can chomp ice cubes while laying down. You'll typically already have ice cubes in the cooler, so if you water the Woofer with them, you won't need to spend the floor space on water jugs; Sparky'll appreciate the spare room.
Ice cubes aren't a substitute for properly watering Frisky, you still need to give her plenty at the rest stops, but it's a good way to reduce the stuff you stuff in the minivan, and it's a nifty way for Snuffy to pass the time.
3. Residence Inn and Cracker Barrel
I rack up a lot of Marriott rewards points traveling for work, so I like to stick within the system; aside from that though, Residence Inn is one of the few family-friendly hotel chains that allows dogs. There's a free breakfast bar, which has nothing to do with the dog, but makes the family trip a heck of a lot easier (and cost effective). Consider how much breakfast costs: $10 for each adult, $7 for each kid, 15% tip (with two kids, that's 1/3 of the price of a hotel room) and the time invested...
Cracker Barrel doesn't allow dogs, but the parking lots are very, very big, and they usually have decent sized trees so you can pull around far in the back, find a shady parking spot with a private grassy area to walk Poopsie. Tip: when in the south, order fried catfish with beans n' greens. When in the north, don't. Go with the meatloaf and mashed potatos.
What rest areas and/or accommodations have you found to be especially dog-friendly?
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