Aug. 26 is National Dog Day. Does Rex deserve a special treat? (Yes, yes, he does. Whatagoodboy.) From doggy ice cream to pup-friendly luxe hotels to K9 cruises, these Boston-area activities and treats offer a few ways to pamper your four-legged friend.
Bark if you love ice cream
If you’ve ever licked ice cream in front of your dog, you know that beggar’s face — and can already hear that whine. Serve Shaggy his own dog-safe scoop during these dogs days of summer.
Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s now sells two flavors of “Doggie Desserts” — Pontch’s Mix, a frozen treat with peanut butter and pretzel swirls, and Rosie’s Batch, with pumpkin and mini cookies. Call ahead to a Boston-area Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop to make sure they’re in stock. You can also find mini-cups in grocery stores. benjerry.com
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JP Licks, with various locations in the Boston area, has long served their own frozen doggo delights, Cow Paws. If Coco’s already a fan, treat her to a new flavor released for National Dog Day: Smokey Maple Bacon is dairy-free sorbet with vegetarian bacon bits and a kosher dog bone — their first new flavor in 15 years (or 105 dog years). jplicks.com
Pooch Creamery makes lactose-free powdered doggy ice creams (add water and freeze) in flavors like Peanut Butter, Birthday Cake, and Carob (a dog-friendly chocolate alternative) plus cake mixes, should you want to bake a Dog Day cake for a very good girl. Buy at select Petco locations or on chewy.com. poochcake.com
Droolworthy goodies
Boston Barkery serves up locally made treats with human-grade ingredients. Trixie might enjoy lobster-shaped or Fenway-themed biscuits, peanut butter-dipped Squirrel snacks, a Woofie Pie made of crunchy gingerbread biscuits, a Go Sox Biscuit Box, or the Good Girl Biscuit Box— loaded with Barkery Bites, Pup Cups, a Woofie Pie, and lots of peanut butter and gingerbread snacks. Oh and they sell Puppy Scoops, their canine version of ice cream, too. Order online or visit three current locations: Copley Place, 100 Huntington Ave., Boston; Route 1 Rowley; and Northshore Mall in Peabody. www.bostonbarkery.com
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Voyage of the beagles
Sail away with Scout out on Boston Harbor. Tickets are available now for Massachusetts Bay Lines’ Dog Days of Summer Cruise Sept. 12. One pup per adult human allowed on this 90-minute afternoon cruise. (Adults $25; dogs free.) Cash bar and light snacks available for humans.
You can also mark your calendar for the Howl-o-Ween Doggie Costume Party at sea — a two-hour Boston cruise with treats and prizes for the best costumes for dogs and humans. 60 Rowes Wharf, Boston. 617-542-8000. www.massbaylines.com
Supreme staycations
Boston’s pet-friendly Fairmont Copley Plaza — which “employs” black lab Cori Copley as resident Canine Ambassador — is partnering with Boston Barkery to launch a new Fairmont Furiend room package. The package includes doggie bandana, curated dog-friendly guide to Boston; doggie bed, water bowl, mat, waste bags in-room; Boston Barkery biscuit box; 20 percent in-store discount to Boston Barkery; photo feature of your dog on @CoriCopley’s Instagram story; meet-and-greet with Cori (if she’s working) and a $10 donation to the Guide Dog Foundation per night of your stay.
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As a National Dog Day Promotion, if you book that package by Aug. 29 for a stay now through March, they’ll waive the $50 per pet fee; promo code “POOCH.” And package or not, every dog who stays at the hotel receives a 20 percent in-store Boston Barkery discount, snacks, and printed dog-friendly guide to Boston. 138 St. James Ave, Boston. 617-267-5300. www.fairmont-copley-plaza.com
Meanwhile, The Whitney Hotel partners with area makers to offer pups a plush experience ($125 per dog) through its Whitney Wags program. Examples: doggy beds from Somerville’s Lion + Wolf; and complimentary treats from My Zone Blue, a Boston-area pet-food line from a husband-and-wife team of scientists from MIT and Harvard, according to their website. 170 Charles St., Boston. 888-673-3650. www.whitneyhotelboston.com
Toasts of the town
Got a case of the Mondays? Imbibe at the pet-friendly Liberty Hotel in Boston — a 19th-century jailhouse turned luxury hotel — which hosts Yappier Hours starting at 5:30 p.m. Guests and locals can bring pups and sip cocktails outdoors. Next Yappier Hour is Sept. 6, according to the hotel’s website. Check libertyhotel.com for details. 215 Charles St., Boston. 617-224-4000.
Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. She tweets @laurendaley1.
Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurendaley1.