Two weeks ago, the news was about Maryland’s Dining Out Growth Act of 2011, which would let Maryland restaurants welcome patrons accompanied by dogs to outdoor dining areas. It looks very much as though the Maryland General Assembly has approved the measure, clearing the way for Maryland restaurant owners to join their Florida, California and Minnesota colleagues. This week’s news, per krqe.com, is that New Mexico may add itself to the list. Which state will be next?

Here’s a dog-friendly restaurant with a twist — at Milo’s Café, in Orange County, CA’s Lake Forest, your dog can either sit with you at a patio table or play with other dogs in “fenced or walled-in play areas.” Although I love the spirit behind the playpens, I’d find it distracting to eat and, at the same time, watch over Chloe the way I do when she’s interacting with other dogs. Even if I can’t love that part of the idea, however, I’m happy to hear about another restaurant welcoming dog-owning diners to its patio.

Our friends Amy and Rod Burkert wrote a fun guest post for Will My Dog Hate Me? about the logistics of traveling with their two big dogs in an RV, now their full-time home. Speaking of dogs on wheels, check out this inspiring post from HillcrestPatch about the author’s part (“leg seven”) of a team effort to transport two rescue dogs, Molly and Bella, across several states.

On the vacation front, take a look at Westword‘s post about seven of the best dog-friendly Colorado hotels, “from the rustic to ultra-fancy,” and at the Burkerts’ post about what sounds like a glorious day in Santa Fe, NM. And here’s a handy round-up, for visitors to Portland, OR, of the area’s fenced dog parks.

I’ll leave you with a post from New York Magazine that warms my heart: The Yale Law School will let stressed-out law students borrow Monty, a border terrier mix, for 30-minute periods, during a three-day pilot period starting March 28, 2011. As you know from past Chloe’s Clicks, some colleges are now allowing students to bring their pets to school with them, on the grounds that pets are a stabilizing, calming influence. I love the idea, and I hope the pilot period is a smash success.