What to Bring for a Pet Picnic

If you and your doggie play group are taking turns setting up for the monthly pet picnic, you'll need to make sure that there is enough food, water and treats for both humans and pups. Here are some general guidelines for what you will need:

For Dogs:

- 1 pint of fresh, cool water per dog, especially on a hot day. Accomplish this by filling washed-out gallon milk jugs with water, and storing them in a cooler with ice in the shade.

- Dog treats, chews, and dog toys for the pooches to enjoy while the people are eating. Giving each dog a flavored rawhide chewing stick or pig ear during lunch time is a great way to keep them occupied and keep their noses out of people's plates.

- Two doggie cleanup bags per pooch to keep the park just as clean as when you arrived.

For Humans:

- Sandwiches, chips and fresh fruit for the people picnickers. Make sandwiches on long French baguettes, and cut the into thirds for individual serving sizes. Bring one or two large bags of gourmet chips like Kettle Chips or Vickie's, and let guests pour a small portion onto their individual plates. It's much more affordable than buying individual sized bags.

- Apples, cherries, strawberries and watermelon hold up well on hot summer days, though skip the latter if you want to avoid sticky watermelon juice everywhere. The first three options are perfect for grabbing an individual portion size from a big Ziploc bag.

- For drinks, mix up a big batch of lemonade from a mix, and squeeze in a few real Meyer lemons to create a fresh-squeezed flavor. Toss in a few mint sprigs for an extra refreshing zing.