A terrific thing about living in Phoenix is that you can take advantage of some deals and sneak away to one of our swanky local resorts for a good price during the summer.

We’re talking $150 for a room that normally goes for $300 during the high season. And it’s not just the room, it’s the amenities like beautiful swimming pools, lush grounds, activities and the tasty drinks with the umbrellas in them.

But what about the dog?

Bring them with.

Happy Dog Phoenix has already done the homework for you; we have a handy-dandy list of pet-friendly resorts

Of course, it is up to you to pick your palatial spot. Are you in the mood for family fun? Spa get-a-way? Golf and tennis – each of them offers a break from your daily grind.

Note of caution: some resorts are dog friendly but what they really mean is that they will gladly take your money to put up with your dog and that is the extent of their hospitality. Others truly seem delighted for there to be a dog in the house. FireSky Resort and W Hotel are two that come to mind.

See you poolside!

Here at Happy Dog Phoenix, we are big fans of movie night at Urban Beans, a central Phoenix coffeehouse. It’s a cool, dog-friendly event, which in Phoenix in the summer, can be hard to find. Screening starts at twilight — get there early for a good seat.

Here’s a clip from this Monday’s showing “The Wizard of Oz” just to get you in the mood. Toto, by the way, rocks. Think of how distracting it must have been to work with Munchkins — Toto probably was looking for a new agent by the time the filming was over.

So it is supposed to be in the 110s next week in Phoenix. Wow –that’s hot.

Why not stay indoors and figure out how smart your dog is? You know that you have always wanted to know. It’s free and it doesn’t involve going outside. Give it a try.

One of the best tests are those developed by Stanley Coren,  well-known dog behaviorist. Here’s some oldies but goodies to figure out your dog’s intelligence. Interestingly enough, the test has some grammatical errors – perhaps it functions as a human intelligence test as well.

Knowing the test results could come in handy this time of year. I don’t know about you but I just sent a lot of cash to recent grads, some were kids I hadn’t seen since they were trying to master the intracicies of potty training – hope they have figured that out. Anyway, as the parents of these recent grads are bragging about how smart their kids have turned out, you can just look them straight in the eye and say “You know, my dog knows the difference between her name and the word “refrigerator’’.’’

Just look them straight in the eye when you say that.  Straight in the eye.

Thinking of having a get-together in the backyard or patio soon? The dog is invited, of course, but here are some terrifically cool plates that can make your party even more dog friendly. They are at West Elm in Scottsdale.

Let’s think about this. It’s going to be 105 on Saturday in Phoenix but in two hours you could be in Sedona, one of the world’s most beautiful places and where it will be 15 degrees cooler. And you can bring your pal, the dog, since Sedona prides itself on being dog friendly.

In researching Happy Dog Phoenix, I trolled a lot of metro Phoenix websites looking for dog friendly hotels and resorts and sometimes they were not too forthcoming with the info. Not the case in Sedona. Places like El Portal, the Lodge at Sedona and King’s Ransom Hotel really pride themselves on welcoming pooches:  dog parks on the property, treat bags, “Dog Guest in Residence’’signs for the doors and a lot of helpful info on local vets and dog-sitting services.

The hospitality doesn’t stop at the hotels. Because Sedona is so laid back and friendly, there are plenty of casual restaurants with patios that welcome your pooch:

• Chocolatree
• Cucina Rustica
• Dahl and DiLuca
• Ken’s Creekside Creekside Plaza
• Red Planet Diner
• René at Tlaquepaque
• The Secret Garden Cafe in Tlaquepaque
• Troia’s Pizza Pasta Amore 1885 W H 89A  Sedona 928-282-0123

After all of that food, feel free to move around Sedona. Many of the store owners are cool if you bring your well-mannered, leashed dog into their shops.

There’s also a dog park  at the northwest corner of  Carruth and Soldiers Pass roads.  Dogs, however, aren’t allowed in the pool area at the always busy Slide Rock State Park  in Oak Creek Canyon.

Feeling whimsical? Get a photo of your dog with the Snoopy Rock formation in the background. The rocks outside of Sedona line up to create a profile of Snoopy snoozing on top of his doghouse. One of the better viewing points for this someplace along Highway 179 between the Schnebly Hill Road turnoff and the highway 89 junction.

See you in Sedona!

It’s getting hot and Happy Dog Phoenix is hitting the road to look for cool things to do with your dog. Next stop: Prescott. Know of anything to do in Sedona or Prescott? Tell us.

Turns out your dog loves running as much as you do. A recent study by University of Arizona shows that dogs get happy when they run just like certain crazy people I know.

Here’s the study.

Just remember that it’s hot in Phoenix now and running should be done early in the morning or late in the evening.

Vamos!

Like the rest of the world, I went to see ‘The Avengers’’ and being the geek I am, I loved it.

But it left me wondering: why don’t superheroes ever have dogs? Given their dysfunctional personalities and troubled backstories, it seems all the Avengers could use some unconditional dog love

In real life, dogs perform heroics all the time: bomb-sniffing dogs, police dogs, therapy and service dogs.

In the comic-book world, dogs are represented in a pretty lame way: there’s Krypto of Superman fame; and Ace the Bat Hound and a really insipid group named Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers.

And if you think about it, who needs a dog more than a superhero? Superheroes usually have to keep quiet about their crime fighting exploits; a dog can keep a secret. Superheroes like the X-men are often misunderstood; a dog can give them a friendly lick on the nose to make things right. Supervillians often come after superheroes’ loved ones; dogs can take care of themselves.

Turns out I am not the only one who has pondered this: Check out this really great site: Law and the Multiverse, which ponders all sorts of legal implications for superheroes. For example, who owns Wolverine’s bones or who pays for the damage in midtown Manhattan wrought by the Avengers during their latest skirmish? The Law and Multiverse weighs in on the legal implications for superheroes as dog companions: leash laws and vaccinations. Does Krypto need a rabies shot? Would his coat break the needle?

As usual, the lawyers bring up a lot of good points but I still think every superhero needs a dog . Think how fast The Flash could walk the dog or pick up  poop. His powers could be used for the good of all humankind. Or dogkind

Your dog wants to get out on the town as much as you do. She’d love to go to the movies with you but most movie chains don’t want canines in their Las Vegas-like multiplexes. Don’t fear — it’s time to go to Urban Beans coffee house in central Phoenix for their dog-friendly movie showing.

Monday night’s feature: “Little Miss Sunshine.” Just seeing the trailer again made me smile.

As always, the uber-yummy Short Leash Hot Dogs is on hand to dish out delicious dogs of the eating variety.

See you in the cheap seats!

The city of Phoenix parks Board is going to be looking at putting in a temporary dog park at Margaret T. Hance Park on June 28.

Being discussed is an area between Third and Fifth avenues near Culver Street. Many central Phoenix residents are excited about the project; while, others aren’t so sure.

On April 25, 2012 Councilman Michael Nowakowski held a neighborhood meeting to discuss the issue of a possible dog park location.

Nowakowski indicated that it may be some time before the site might be a dog park because this park is undergoing a re-master plan of the entire park. It has not been determined if the 3rd Avenue to 5th Avenue site is going to be a dog park or some other use

The meeting is at 5 p.m. at City Council chambers. If you have a strong opinion about this, please contact Nowakowski at (602) 262-7492 or councildistrict.7@phoenix.gov.

Special thanks to city of Phoenix parks board who responded to our request for information in a really timely manner!