With spring having sprung, the opportunities for BYOD (D standing for dog) outings have blossomed.

Take this weekend, for instance. There's Saturday's first annual “Bark in the Park” at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is just a short walk from the dog beach.

On Sunday, the first of two "Bark in the Park" days hosted by the Bowie Baysox at Prince George's Stadium kicks off at 2:05 p.m. Tickets are from $9 to $14, and your dog gets in free.

Also Sunday, the Maryland Department of National Resources and the Maryland Park Service are sponsoring at two-hour hike and informative tour of some of the pet-friendly areas in the southern portion of Patapsco Valley State Park.

Registration is required (by Friday) for "Pets in Patapsco" and the tour size is limited to 15 people (with a maximum of two dogs per person). There's a $2 fee, and you should bring a leash and bags for dog waste. For more information, call 410-461-5005.

Also Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., artists Rosemary Williams and Patsy Helmetag will be making "Paw Posies" at Paws Pet Boutique, 64 State Circle, in Annapolis. The artists turn your dog's pawprints into floral art, at $25 a pop, $4 of which will be going to the Washington Humane Society.

And don't forget -- two weekends after this coming one -- the Maryland SPCA's March for the Animals, on April 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.

For other events that either center around dogs, or that are dog-friendly, vist our category "Doggie Doings," in the rail on the right hand side of this page.