I'm blogging from Southern California this weekend. I am visiting my sister Kathy and her family in Riverside, which is about two hours from the Los Angeles International Airport. Kathy is a dog lover too and has two dogs: Kahuna, an itty-bitty Chihuahua, and Bruno, a 13-year-old brown Lab. Her dogs love company and look forward to the dried liver treats I bring with me twice a year.

California living for Zoe's cousins is very different from Zoe's Island lifestyle. Kathy lives on a half-acre with plenty of fruit trees: avocados, peaches, lemons and oranges. Her dogs have the run of a huge backyard, munch daily on peaches that fall from the tree, and scare away skunks and other vermin that enter into the yard.

On Friday, we drove to Big Bear, a Shangri-La for dogs. It's a small town high in the mountains, with elevation over 7,000 feet. The winding roads aren't for folks who get carsick easily (like me), but once you get there, it's worth it. During the winter, people ski. During the summer, it's a kayaking and fishing spot.

Leaving Riverside on Highway 91 at 11 a.m., the temperature was a sunny 99 degrees, unbearably hot, and the air was smog-laden. After driving 90 minutes up the mountain to Big Bear, the temperature dropped to the low 70s and thunderstorms threatened. There was a light drizzle, but not enough to put a damper on the fun. California rain is different from home because the drops are huge, cold and plop down hard!

We walked down the main street filled with unique stores selling antiques, ice cream, quilts and old books. Some shops even specialized in dog memorabilia, showcasing old photos. Most surprisingly, each store had a resident dog!

Visitors walked by with all kinds of dogs — big and small — letting passers-by (like us) give them pats on the head. Outside shops were "welcome" stations with bowls of water and yummy biscuits to chomp on if they came into the store. Some of the restaurants were dog-friendly, too!

Big Bear is my kind of place! I recommend this lovely town for the "dog-mosphere" to all pet lovers. I cannot wait to visit again.

Are there other dog-friendly places that you know of?

Animal lover Leslie Kawamoto has been with The Advertiser for 18 years, or 126 in dog years. Check out her blog at www.islandtails.honadvblogs.com