Dog Camp

My husband and I took a 3-week trip through the southern California deserts. We'd been there before and love them at this time of year, but wanted the chance to do more leisurely exploring. At the end of the trip, I would fly home and he'd continue on through Baja for a trip of his own—the benefits of recently retiring.



The big question was whether to bring Bella or not. I personally don't like flying, so the thought of flying my puppy was even less inviting. None-the-less, I called airlines, did on-line research and asked everyone I knew with a dog, "Have you flown your dog? How did it go?" The verdict was positive, but it seems nearly everyone went in with some trepidation and came out relived, but not necessarily eager to do it again. And, if nothing else, it's another $100 on top of an already expensive ticket.


In the end, I left Bella with my sister-in-law, which caused some anxiety as well. They have lost their last three dogs to cars. Their yard is now—and here's the critical factor—almost completely fenced. They also have a dog (Bella's half sister, Molly) to whom they are devoted. I knew Molly wouldn't leave the yard and that Bella wouldn't leave Molly, so I was as comfortable as I could ever be leaving my dog. When I dropped Bella off, she took one look at Molly and the two of them took off on a chase. It proved the perfect time to leave to avoid causing any kind of scene.


During our trip, we realized the desert just isn't dog-friendly. Although it was cooler than we anticipated, it was no less spiky. In phone calls back home, the dog stories we heard were wonderful. Bella was a good house guest and between Molly and their 14-year old son, she was in heaven. She got on furniture, had human treats and licked the dishes as they went into the dishwasher. What pup could ask for more? In fact, as our weeks progressed, I became concerned Bella would refuse to return home. She was having way too much fun!

Luckily, she was not only excited to see me, but eagerly got into the car when it was time to go. They were wonderful to take in a puppy, they took beautiful care of her and I can now rest easy that she'll be eager to go back. Not a bad vacation, eh?