When Jeff and I decided to enjoy the traveling lifestyle full-time, we began with land-travel. We bought a little pop-up camper, loaded up the necessities-including our three rescued dogs-and hit the road. We dubbed ourselves “3 Pups In A Pop-Up”, complete with tons of bumper-stickers, magnetic car signage and a website chronicling our excursions. (www.3pupsinapopup.com) (That blog has been incorporated into this one, so look waaaayyy back to find our posts, like these, and more)

So we’d travel for months on end, eventually returning home to Atlanta to re-charge, then take off again. The dogs were never an issue in the camper, because, well, camping just lends itself to dogs, right?

Then came the day that Jeff and I made the fateful decision to trade in our wheels for sails, sell everything and make our permanent home on the water. That decision was a bit more complicated, because with three dogs in a 36-foot monohull and all my favorite shoes, things were tight.

By that time, our oldest dog, Kismet, was getting up there in years (almost 15) and his health was rapidly declining.  We knew he wouldn’t be around to enjoy the new lifestyle much longer. We named our boat “Kismet”  in his honor, and when the time came, scattered his ashes in the sea as part of our boat re-naming ceremony. Kismet means “fate” or “meant to be”. And alas, it was.

Roxie and Chance were still spry and active at that time, and the transition to living aboard was fairly easy.  They both loved our frequent daily trips to shore, whether anchored out or in a marina, where they could run the beach or walk for miles. Having the dogs also forced Jeff and I to get a lot of exercise, so it was a win-win.

Several years of sailing the length of the East Coast and Bahamas was the segue into what came next. We found the boat of our dreams in San Diego. So we put Kismet on the market, loaded up a U-haul and moved first to California, then to Mexico aboard our new-to-us catamaran, El Gato. Still, the dogs were not (much) of an issue.

Fast forward three years. Roxie is almost 19 years old. Every couple of months we are pretty certain it’s her time. But this dog has an iron will and has let us know in no uncertain terms that she is in it for the long haul. Which, now, after all these years, is becoming an issue.

You see, the Pacific coast of Mexico in the summer is a BEAST! ESPECIALLY for dogs! The pavement is too hot for dogs to walk, as is the sand, unless you are in the water. Humidity is about 2000%.  Since we need our air conditioning to keep our faces from melting off, we often have to carry the dogs to land. Roxie is 28 lbs, so we have resorted to wheeling her in a dock-cart.

As in the USA, Mexico’s public transportation system is not pet-friendly (give or take a few chickens and the occasional goat) For the past two summers, we have rented a car and traveled  to the Mexican highlands. We almost always stay in Airbnb properties. The key to finding suitable digs is this: Do NOT request the “Pet-Friendly” option in your initial search. If you do, your selections will be limited. Find a few places that you like, and send the host a personal message explaining how perfect your dogs are. I have found that 8 out of 10 times the host agrees to allow them. By now, my reviews as a guest are stellar, and the dogs are often praised as being well-mannered.

Roxie, my rescued “Hybred Herder” is now over 18 years old, and she is blind and deaf. So it is important to “accident-proof” our boat and the places we rent.  By accident, I mean injury-prevention. She is still continent and waits to be taken outside to relieve herself. If there are stairs, they are blocked.  Plants or breakables are removed.  We carry an old bath-mat and yoga mat to put on slippery floors. And we always bring a large sheet to cover the bed (They both sleep with us.)

Street dogs almost always have worms, and our dogs have contracted them during our trips, requiring a trip to the vet. So it’s essential to find a good veterinarian everywhere we go, and I always ask the host or look for reviews on tripadvisor or local facebook pages.  So far we have always had good luck. Vet care in Mexico is very affordable, and in our experience, up to par (sometimes better) than in the US.

Speaking of street dogs, we haven’t had any problems with encounters during our time in Mexico. The Bahamas were a different story, unfortunately, where we often found dogs to be aggressive towards ours.

Last, I must discuss end-of-life care for dogs. With Roxie pushing 19, it’s inevitable that we will have to make “the decision” at some point. We are currently back aboard El Gato in Puerto Vallarta, where we found a vet we like who is compassionate and caring. They also offer cremation services, which is important to us. We currently travel with the ashes of three of our beloved fur-kids. If Roxie is still with us when we head South, we will seek out vets along the way.

In the meantime, we relish the time we have with our dogs, whether on a boat or on the road. I really can’t imagine our life without dogs.

If you travel by land or water with your fur-family, I’d love for you to leave a comment about your adventures.

Woof!