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Have you ever gone surfing with your dog? It may be time to try it out because humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy a good wave, man’s best friend too, can hang ten. This Saturday, May 22, 2010 dozens of dogs from around the country will prove it when they compete in the 5th annual Surf Dog Competition.

The competition will be held at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort here in San Diego. Practice sessions will begin at 10am followed by the competition itself at 11am. Heat one is for smaller dogs, 40 lbs or less; followed by heat two for those pups who are 41 lbs or more; and heat three will be a tandem run for humans with their canine counterparts.

If you are travelling to San Diego to visit our renowned training center at Absolute K9, and you are looking for a place for you and your dog to stay, please see the following recommendations of pet-friendly hotels in San Diego, categorized by location.  Each listing has the latest available information on pet policies, though it is always a good idea to call the hotel (all numbers listed below) to confirm the policy and check availability.  Also, this list is not inclusive.  There are literally hundreds of hotels in the San Diego area.  If you are interested in a hotel not listed here, you might consider giving them a call to see if they accept pets.  Many do with a deposit and/or fee.

** And if you would prefer a hotel that is not pet friendly, come check out Snug Pet Resort, the newest, nicest pet hotel in Southern California!

In 2003, Balboa Park was ranked one of the “Best Parks in the World” by the Project for Public Spaces

If you are a San Diego resident, you know how blessed we are with our beautiful weather and our excellent outdoor areas.  If you are a visitor to our fine city, we hope to share all of these great spaces with you and your pup!  Here are seven of our favorite places to take your dog for a walk this spring.

Balboa Park.  Balboa Park, located in the heart of San Diego, is a dog’s dream.  And their owners will love it too.  Balboa Park is the country’s largest urban cultural park, renowned for its miles of beautiful lush canyon hiking trails, brilliant gardens, 15 major museums, gorgeous architecture, and a surplus of sights to take in as your dog sniffs out all the latest happenings in this green escape from city life.

Some dog owners believe that proper dog training is reserved only for those who have competition or show dogs.  But the truth is that every dog—and their families—benefit tremendously from dog training.  Equally true is that every dog can be trained—this is something we firmly believe here at Absolute K9.  In our decades of experience training dogs, we have found countless benefits for both the dogs and humans we are pleased to work with.

Here are the top five reasons to train your dog:

1. Dog training improves your relationship with your dog. Dog training is really an education for both the dog and its human family; and, as such, it fosters a harmonious relationship between them.  Dogs, like their wolf ancestors, are pack creatures.  They naturally seek a leader.  If their owners do not assume this leadership position, often gained through dog training, the dog may try to become the leader, which can lead to a host of problems.

This March Absolute K9 is highlighting 3 specials that ALL dog owners should consider taking advantage of. From FREE socialization classes to heavily discounted (over half off!!) in-kennel training programs, Absolute K9 has a special for every dog owner.

Free puppy socialization classes will be offered every Saturday in March at 10am.* The focus of the class is educating new puppy owners about the socialization process. Also covered will be topics such as: housebreaking, crate training, beginner obedience, environmental enrichment and of course – puppy playtime! Contact us today to reserve a space for YOUR puppy.

For those whose dog needs a bit of obedience training, a 6-class series of courses is being offered for only $99.

Ok, we really can’t endorse having your dog off a leash, as it is always safer for them to be on one.  But, we’re dog lovers too, and we know our dogs LOVE not having their leashes on.  As the summer has passed, the kids are back in school, one of the most fun activities that you can do with your dog is take them to one of the many pet-friendly beaches or park around the county. Visit our dog beaches page or sandiego.about.com