The Dog Dilemma

There are logical times to get a puppy: When you live on a large, fenced property. When you work from home. When you have responsible children old enough to help walk, feed and care for a dog.

Then there are completely illogical times to get a puppy: When your kids are about to leave for college or are too little to help. When you live in a tiny walk-up apartment. Or when you’re planning an extended cross-country family road trip in a 350 square-foot RV.

The latter might be the most illogical time of all.

After all…

• You’re living in a tiny space with four humans, all their belongings, and super-limited storage. Where are you going to put the dog food, water bowl, toys, and bed? Not to mention the dog?

• Muddy paws and shedding are hard enough to deal with in a large house where you have ready access to a mop and vacuum. What’s it going to be like in a tiny space where it’s not as easy to clean or do laundry?

• Your goal is to be flexible and spontaneous. Many of the places you want to visit don’t allow dogs. What are you going to do with Fido when the weather is freezing cold—or scorching hot?

• Your budget is already stretched to the max. Dog food, boarding, and vet bills add up fast.

• There’s the potential for destructive chewing on your expensive RV seat cushions. Or incessant howling in RV parks when you’re out exploring. Or midnight potty needs in the snow.

The dog dilemma…

At the urging of our two-legged children, Gary and I had started musing on the idea of bringing a dog into our family a year and a half ago. And for every logical reason we came up with for NOT having a dog as we embarked on our big adventure, there was another reason why it was the very thing we had to do.

#1. We love dogs. They are the best. Dogs add so much joy and love to life—and after enjoying a year or so of fur-free floors, we started feeling the emptiness since our two Siberian Huskies, with whom we’d shared 14 years of adventures, had passed away. We wanted our kids to be able to bond with another dog before they grew up—and they are growing up fast.

#2. We love our daughter. And Madelyn hadn’t exactly warmed to the idea of a year-long RV road trip yet. A fifth-grader when we first hatched the idea, she couldn’t imagine leaving behind her school, friends, and whole life. And we got it—the entire concept was intimidating to us too, so factor in volatile tween emotions and her reticence was totally understandable. But the prospect of having a dog on the trip seemed to brighten Madelyn’s spirits about it. Besides, if we waited to get a puppy until we were back, she’d be in high school—a little too old and too busy for proper puppy-bonding.

#3. I love a challenge. Give me a 10k obstacle course in the pouring rain, a steep mountain trail in the blazing heat, a new business to start or financial conundrum to figure out. What are some muddy footprints and dog hair? No sweat!

#4. We never do anything the normal way. Why start now?

Sometimes Emotion Wins Over Logic

Gary and I decided to go for it.  While we clearly recognized the challenges, we ultimately believed that the joys and adventures we want to experience on this trip would only be amplified with a fur baby in tow.

And we also decided not to tell the kids. Not quite yet, at least.

We did a lot of research and found the perfect Brittany pup in a litter born the day before Thanksgiving, but kept up a charade—pretending we were still mulling over the decision.

We even apologized to the kids:

“It’s really not feasible… Bringing a dog on the trip would be way too complicated… I’m so sorry, it’s just not going to work…”

Meanwhile, Gary and I pored over all the totally adorable pictures the breeder kept emailing—it was so hard not to show them to the kids.

The Last Gift Under the Tree

What could be better than a great big Christmas surprise? Lilly Belle was still too small to come home, so we stuffed a giant gift bag with a big fluffy dog bed, food bowl, leash and collar, chew toys, and other doggie paraphernalia. We displayed the bag among the pile of presents under the tree on Christmas Eve.

August and Madelyn opened this final gift together the next morning, with exclamations of, “No way!” and, “We are getting a dog!?!”

More than one of us shed some tears that day. And it was even more exciting when we went to visit the litter of puppies a few days after Christmas. Finally, we brought Lilly Belle home early in February.

Lilly Belle’s now a year old.  She’s done great on some rugged hikes and been a trooper on a few mini road trips. We all agree that she’s going to be the perfect companion on our renegade adventure.

Perhaps no one’s more excited than Madelyn.