(Travel Tips are at
the end if you want to skip ahead)
2018 is the year of the dog in Chinese astrology. For us, it’s the year of our dogs – Duke &
Adie.
In Early February when we set out on a 6-week road trip
through California, our first stop was a veterinary specialist in Portland for our German Shepherd. 2017 didn’t exactly turn out to be the easy-going,
travel year we had planned. Last May we started to notice Adie dragging her
back feet, followed by a series of bladder infections that are extra-no-fun
while living out of a camper. We knew it was time to get her some more help.
So much has changed in a year. Last March, Aaron was busting his butt to get our rig road worthy in time for event season. I quit my job to study Nutrition and Yoga Therapy. After selling our house in Eugene we moved into our halfway finished truck camper, making the most of it until the storage boxes were installed. I dreamed of the day we would no longer sleep with odds and ends that didn’t have a place - a nightmare for the organizationally obsessed like myself. At times I couldn’t handle it. With all my books and laptop, yoga mats and props, it was easier to stay with my in-laws in Bend while Aaron ran back and forth to Eugene, with setbacks around every corner, determined to complete the truck in time for SEMA. We managed to have some travelling adventure fun in between bouts of stress and chaos. At the end of the year, we bought a house, as if we didn’t have enough going on.
And now, with all our stuff in one place and roommates to
keep the house occupied, we can finally set out to do what we intended when we
first came up with this crazy plan. There were many factors that influenced our
decision to travel at this point in our lives, but our aging dogs were one of
the biggest. Our careers kept us busy
for years, away from home, feeling guilty about not spending enough time with
our fur babies. Our desire to travel with them while they were still healthy,
energetic and able was a big motivator to figure out how to ditch our 9 to 5
lifestyle for one that gave us more freedom.
Traveling with dogs can be extremely entertaining. We often have entire conversations in our dog
voices as we imagine what they are thinking. They always remind us that play is a top
priority, followed by good food. No
matter how irritated we might get with them sometimes, they never get mad at
us. Every morning we wake up to excited wags as if they haven’t seen us in
years, and every night we are left with warm soft nuzzles and cuddles that make
it hard to go to bed. Watching them run and play is almost as rewarding as
getting out there ourselves.
Dogs aren’t always awesome though. For instance, while driving down the I-5 we
pulled over at a rest stop to relieve them.
Walking along the tree line, Duke the most food driven canine I’ve ever
met, snapped something up in his mouth. Images
of deadly chicken bones and chocolate bars circled through my mind. Without
thinking, I pried open his jaw and reached my hand down his throat to retrieve
the potentially lethal blight. That’s when I found myself standing there with a
handful of feces that wasn’t my own. Tangled up in leashes with my arms outstretched,
I stumbled back to the truck screaming “Aaron, I’m covered in shit!” I can only imagine what the folks in the neighboring
RV thought about us interrupting their scenic view.
We talk about dog crap a lot. “Did they poop? When did they
poop? What did it look like?” We joke
about our dogs being easier than kids because we can tie them to a tree or lock
them in the truck when they’re being annoying.
We can also curse in front of them and call them names like “shit
breath” and “swamp face”, but the reality is that they are family. Adie belonged to Aaron and Duke to me before
we met in North Carolina. Early on, I
helped with Adie’s care after a fight with another dog. Aaron has saved Duke
from his own appetite on multiple occasions - rescuing him from 2 feet of
plastic wrap after he gobbled up a really good piece of brie, and an incident
with cat food cans that looked like they’d been shredded by a shot gun - just
to name a few. Since Aaron and I got together in 2011, they’ve been OUR dogs.
Duke was always the problem child. We call him a North
Carolina Street Dog. He’s about eleven now and doesn’t know it. People always
think he’s a puppy. We still run
together, and I can’t keep him from jumping 4 feet in and out of the truck.
Given his druthers he would wander far and wide in search of food, cats and
other small animals. He even chased a
few deer in his youth. I should have
known that he would be trouble when he showed up in 2008 and charmed me with
those big brown eyes. He was hanging out at my neighbor’s house courting their shih
tzu. After catching them in an act of passion I lured him into the house with
treats and wrestled him into the bath tub.
The next day he had an appointment to get neutered and the vet staff all
recognized him. He’d been running around town for months with no
identification. I was only going to foster him, but the rest is history. My friends thought I was crazy for taking in
a wild animal, but he is a scrappy little survivor who paws his way into
everyone’s hearts.
Adie, on the other hand, is the most loving and loyal working
dog on the planet, a truly noble Earth Dog. Aaron taught her how to say “I love you” when
she was a puppy and she likes to howl at sirens. Usually she goes with Aaron on
work trips. Her preference is to be
right by his side always, but when she has stayed home with me she would fill
the time with incessant barking at ever car door slam. If I told her to stop,
she would shoot me a dirty look and go back to barking. It felt like she was saying “you incompetent
fool.” I finally learned that she was
protecting me and all she needed was to hear “good girl” to settle down. After
all, she only wanted to be acknowledged for her dedication and good work. Who
doesn’t? When we go for hikes she wants a job, and usually she’ll find a stick to carry, but if
someone falls behind she will run back and herd them, keeping the pack together
at all times.
Adie and Duke act like siblings. Mostly they tolerate each other and play
rough, but if another dog messes with either one, watch out, the other is
coming to the rescue. We lived across
the street from a dog park in Eugene but only took them there a few times
because they were misunderstood. Duke
has a big growl and one move - a hip check that means “chase me”, and Adie
likes to “bite” other dogs’ heads. However, all dog owners don’t seem to
understand the nuances of play versus fight, so it was easier to take them to
the solitude of the woods where we preferred to be anyway.
Watching them get older is one of the hardest things I’ve
ever done. Dog owners will understand when I say this. It is SO unfair that
their lives are so short. Without
sharing too many details about Adie’s condition (because I know it would
embarrass her) I’ll just say we don’t know how much time we have left with
either of them. But we’re going to make the most of every second. We’re back at
home in Bend for a month and Adie is doing great. Our dogs are reunited with their buddies
Oso and Kayla, our roommates’ Golden Doodle and Pitbull. With 2.5 acres to run
and play, chasing squirrels and hunting rock chucks, they seem happy.
Tips for traveling
with dogs:
- · Safety – It’s best to crate your dog while driving to prevent injury to you and your pet. We have a divider behind the front seat that essential turns the back seat into a large crate for both dogs where they each have a bed and water bowl.
- · Anxiety – Not all dogs like to travel. If your dog gets anxious in the car, try getting them used to it while it’s parked in the driveway. Make it a happy place with a bed, toys and treats. A friend told me once she would take her dog on short trips to get ice cream as a reward for getting in the car. If that doesn’t work, talk to your vet about other options such as herbs or medications. We carry a Thunder Shirt for Duke in case of storms or people lighting off fireworks.
- · Motion sickness – Many dogs can get car sick. Avoid feeding them right before you go to drive, especially on winding roads.
- · Warmth – It’s important to be prepared for cold temperatures all year. In the mountains and desert, nighttime temperatures can really drop. A good warm bed, towels and other bedding are essential, especially if they sleep in the cab like our dogs. For short hair dogs, like Duke, a vest can really help. We also love our Ruffwear Highlands Sleeping Bag for him on cold nights (don’ worry, if the temperatures drop too low, they come inside the camper with us). Here is a chart to help you determine your dog’s cold tolerance, but every dog is different so if they’re shivering it’s probably time to get them warm.
- · Hydration – Sometimes it’s hard to tell if dogs are drinking enough water. Try to keep track especially in hot / dry climates and when they have more activity. One ounce of water per pound of body weight is about what they need. We have a no spill Buddy Bowl in the cab so they always have access to fresh water. We also give them The Honest Kitchen Bone Broth on most days as a snack between meals for extra hydration. Be careful of your dog drinking out of lakes and streams. You never know what could be in them. In Oregon, many of our lakes become infested in the summer with toxic blue green algae that is potentially deadly to dogs. Be safe and carry extra drinking water for them too.
- · Staying Cool – Never ever leave your pet in a hot car. You may just be making a quick pit stop and maybe it feels cool out, but when it’s 72 degrees outside temperatures inside the car can reach well over 100 degrees in an hour. Overheating can quickly cause heat stroke and even death. In warm weather, always make sure there is plenty of shade and water for your dog. Wet towels can help to cool them down too.
- · National Parks – Dogs are not allowed on trails in our National Parks, but they are allowed in campgrounds and on roads if they are on a leash. There are a lot of sites to see in parks that you can drive to with your furry friend. Don’t plan to leave your dog in your vehicle while you explore the trails. It isn’t safe for them and it can result in a fine. National Forests, State Forests, State Parks and Recreation Areas have great trails for hiking with your dog and many times far less traffic than National Parks.
- · Preventative Care – Make sure you talk to your vet about the places you plan to travel to. Different areas and climates have diseases that pets can be susceptible to. It’s important they have the right shots and meds before you travel. If you are traveling outside of the USA check with the country to see what paperwork you will need to show. In Canada, we just needed rabies certificates, however we brought a certificate of health from our vet as well. If your dog takes medication, make sure to bring enough to cover the length of the trip, but if you do get in a bind, most pharmacies can fill a prescription called in by your vet.
- · Exercise – Long days of travel can limit activity for you and your dog. Make sure they get exercise before you head out and stop every few hours to take them for a short walk. Your own legs and back will also appreciate it.
- · Accidents – Don’t kid yourself. Poop, pee and vomit most definitely will happen. Bring plenty of cleaning supplies and extra towels. We carry Nature’s Miracle enzyme cleaners, but we have also found that regular Tide does a really good job of getting out odors that the natural detergent we usually use can't touch after two washes.
- · Research – Bring Fido has a website and app to help you navigate pet-friendly hotels, restaurants, beaches, dog parks and top pet businesses worldwide.
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