Those little furry babies who somehow become a big part of your lives. Our usual arrangements in the past have been for our family to care for them. But at Christmas time…I just didn’t feel right asking if they would watch them. Too late to check out boarding kennels. Those sad brown eyes, the drooping tail, and the hunkered down body tugs at your heartstrings. We decided to take them with us!
I started searching for hotels which allowed pets. I was surprised at how many hotels allow pets. Some have size or breed restrictions and some charge a deposit. We wanted to be as close to the beach as possible and not break the bank. The Red Roof Inn fit the bill; the beach was across the road and pets stay for free!
We have a Toy Fox Terrier named Oliver and a miniature Dachshund named Bella. Both have their own little personality. We’ve never traveled with our dogs and we hadn’t taken a road trip in years! It was going to be an adventure all the way around. Oliver started getting nervous when I pulled out the suitcase to pack; Bella just burrowed under her blanket and ignored us both. He whined and paced through the house and I thought “oh if this a sample of what’s to come…I don’t know about this”.
The time arrived for us to head out. Both dogs were excited to get to ride in the car but quickly changed their minds when they realized they would have to ride in their crates. A car ride with crates for them usually means one of two things: being dropped off with family or going to the vet. They whined and cried, we tried to calm them with soothing tones. Finally, after about 20 minutes, they settled down.
We make our first pit stop and the dogs are so excited to have arrived! (I wish!) We hook leashes on them and they bailed out. Oh the smells must have been glorious because they were sniffing overtime. We walked them around telling them to do their business. Bella took care of business in no time but Oliver wouldn’t. We walked and walked and walked. He would approach a tree, sniff and back off. Finally, the cold night air won and he marked a tree. We all hustled back to the warm car. They settled back in their crates and snuggled under the blankets. This process is repeated several times throughout the night.
We reach that point where we just can’t drive any further. We stopped at a road side rest area to catch a few hours of sleep. I figured once we stopped moving the dogs would expect to get out. But they were content to sleep as well. We were up before the sun and back on the road.
We arrived in Texas and the temperature was in the upper 70’s! After checking into our room, we go check out the beach which is directly across from our hotel. The dogs loved it! Bella would dig in the sand and chase the seagulls. They were curious about the water until a rushing wave caught them off guard. From then on they kept an eye out for the waves. We spent Christmas day relaxing on a beach that we had to ourselves. After a couple hours of running and playing, the dogs curled up on a beach towel and took a nap.
Galveston at Christmas time was just perfect. It wasn’t too crowded but restaurants and shops were open. We rode the ferry boat and watched the dolphins. We explored Fort Travis on the Bolivar Peninsula. But mostly we walked the beaches, smelled the salty air, watched the waves crash into the shore and relaxed.
Traveling with our dogs was easier than I had anticipated. The dogs adapted quickly and seemed to enjoy being on vacation as much as we did. We know we can hit the road on the spur of the moment with our furry babies in tow.
There will be times we’ll travel without the dogs. We plan to board them for the first time this summer. They will be staying at All Creatures Kennel in Stover, MO. We toured the business and feel comfortable leaving our furry babies in their care. Be sure and check out their FB page!
Traveling with pets takes a little extra effort and a little more planning. If you’ve ever wondered how your pet would do on a trip, I recommend trying it. You might be surprised!