Archives for 2016

Off to New Hampshire with the Pack

May 29, 2016 by janet

Coleman - Travel Trailer As we left on our first journey with our camping trailer, we were a bit nervous. There were so many things to worry about, including the height of our trailer, which was a bit above the norm, topping 11 feet 2 inches with the air conditioner on top. Rob is six foot three inches tall, so the height of this trailer was a selling point for us. It felt spacious and airy inside, although it was small as trailers go.

When you travel, notice that certain overpasses have the height printed on them, and the height can vary from left, to middle, to right of the arch. We now watched out for these with rabid attention, our hearts in our throats, that a bridge might rip off the air conditioner or worse yet, the whole top of our travel home. We had once seen a Ryder rental box truck which had unsuccessfully tried to navigate under a train bridge not far from our home – the top peeled off that truck like a sardine can lid. That would not happen to us! Of course we had done our research on our route, but it is still unnerving to contemplate what could happen if we were not vigilant or strayed onto a side road.

We began to drive towards the Garden State Parkway, our conduit to get just about anywhere. As we drove, we realized that the “tow/haul” function on our Jeep was not engaged. The darn thing would not turn on! Thinking it might be as simple as a fuse, we stopped at an auto parts store and Rob changed the fuse to a new one. Still no go. We decided to drive on anyway, but as we navigated some big hills we had misgivings while we listened to what we imagined was our SUV struggling to pull the trailer.

We called our Jeep dealership. They recommended we bring the car in but at this point we were about 45 minutes into our journey. They suggested another dealership in Paramus, NJ. We stopped by and the parking lot was so tiny that it actually had valet parking. Rob struggled to find a spot to park the Jeep and trailer, while the valet parking guy waved him this way and that. Rob ran inside to ask for assistance, but no one could look at the car without an appointment. The general consensus was that the jeep would be fine without the tow function considering the weight we were hauling. Rob navigated out of the parking lot like a pro, backing up the car and trailer around a tight corner to exit onto the busy route in Paramus where this dealership was located.

We were at last on our way, two hours behind schedule, but feeling more comfortable about our transportation. The pack was well behaved. They are great travelers. Secret was a bit hyped up to start with but she is that way even on a short drive. She settled down after the first hour….

We arrived in New Hampshire around 6:30 PM, well after the pack’s usual dinner time. They were remarkably patient. We even took a wrong turn and navigated down a dirt, dead end road before we arrived at our campground. It’s not easy to make a wrong turn, with a travel trailer in tow, and turn around on a dirt road! Luckily our doggy daddy Rob is a great driver. Once we arrived at the Meredith Woods Campground and parked and set up the trailer, the three dogs and I trooped inside around 7:30. I placed their food in the new bento bowls and they chowed down happily. It was a chilly evening in the forties, and I turned on the heat to warm the place up.

We’d passed a diner on the road to the campground and thought we’d try it out. It was too late to find a supermarket and cook in my little kitchen. We packed the pups back into the car and drove down the road to the diner. With my gluten allergy I am used to very limited options. When I walked in and asked if they had gluten free meals, I was shocked that they had an actual gluten free menu! I ordered a hamburger with bacon on a gluten free bun, with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. I was in heaven!! This town of Meredith is awesome! They also had great soda choices, with real sugar.

After a trying and longer than expected journey on the road, we ate our delicious dinner (I know it doesn’t sound like much – but to be able to order a good hamburger on a gluten free bun is actually a rare treat; restaurants in general have a lot to learn. It would be so simple to keep some gluten free buns in the freezer. Charge extra – I don’t care! I just want to eat with everybody else). We watched a little tv, walked the pups around the campground, and settled down for a much-needed sleep.

The next morning on Saturday we headed out early to the Highland Mountain Bike Park. We passed much beautiful, forested countryside and “moose crossing” signs along the way, but no moose sightings yet. If Fiona goes crazy for donkeys, I can’t imagine her reaction to a moose! It was a brisk sunny day, perfect for opening day of the park. We found a nice spot on the porch of the shop to set up camp for a while. The pack and I relaxed while Rob rode his mountain bike. The pups made lots of new friends and I got in some much welcome reading time.

Secret sleeps in traditional husky style

We arrived back at the camper around dinner time and it had started to rain. No cooking outside for me. So I decided to cook up some hamburgers on the tiny stove in the trailer. This was great in theory, but I soon filled up the place with smoke and set off the smoke alarm! I was trying out a new cast iron grill pan and it was not yet seasoned. The dogs weren’t that phased by the smoke and alarm, and we pulled out the battery to stop the alarm and opened a few windows. We ate undercooked burgers with a chill breeze blowing through our little travel home. All five of us collapsed onto the small bed and slept deeply.

All three dogs crowded on the camper bed with us

The next morning held more rain. It looked like our hiking plans would have to wait until the next trip to New Hampshire. Unless we wanted to stay in the trailer all day or get completely soaked, we needed an alternative plan. We found an indoor bike and skate park in Rye near the shore and decided to head that way. I’d never been to Rye so why not? Luckily the park allowed the dogs inside so we took our place in the balcony and watched the action down below. It is a beautiful place to ride, with many interesting features to navigate.

After riding we found a wonderful local Mexican restaurant called Tacqueria. Very gluten-free friendly and amazing food. We drove happily back to our camp site, the K9 Camper awaiting us with a warm welcome on this rainy, chilly day. We weren’t surprised at the weather. This is New England, after all. We had been here tent camping last year in August, traditionally a very warm month at home in New Jersey. It dropped to the forties at night and we were shivering in our tent, huddled up with the dogs!! We would have fun no matter the weather.

Our first trip posed its challenges, both mechanical and meteorological. We also discovered that New Hampshire is top in the nation for cases of Lymes disease and deer ticks. We found at least a dozen ticks on each dog, luckily none embedded. Next trip we’ll try a natural tick repellent spray in addition to the traditional topical vet-prescribed tick preventatives. Despite the challenges, we learned that this pack loves to travel together and that our new travel camper was a great success for the family.

Does Classical Music Really Soothe the Savage Breast in Your Dog? Our Lobo Put the Theory to the Test

May 8, 2016 by janet

Dog Playing The Piano. Classical music has always been a part of my life. My father listened all day long on the radio, played Beethoven sonatas on the piano from memory, and brought the family to Carnegie Hall for concerts as much as we kids would tolerate it. As an adult, I am now an avid listener. Would playing classical music in the house help our foster boy Lobo to relax?

When we first met Lobo, we were told he had anxiety and would benefit from doggie daycare while we were at work. We were told he was very destructive, an escape artist, didn’t get along with all dogs, had bitten one or two people, and might be anxious or fearful if left at home without people. His past record had proven this to be true; in a stabile home environment, with two loving sister dogs, and two doting pet parents, we felt that this could change. If we were to adopt Lobo, he needed to get along with Fiona and Secret. We needed to feel confident that he would not hurt them or the house and that he wasn’t fearful for himself while we were not at home. We were a bit taken aback at the laundry list of challenges, but we felt we saw the inner dog.

Imagine three pups left alone in a completely silent house. For eight hours. A little noise might be most welcome! Quiet strains of violins and cellos fill the air. Classical music can of course be very soothing. I recall as a kid I would sometimes become so relaxed that I would nod off during a performance. I was deathly afraid of falling asleep and tumbling over the balcony rail onto the people below in the orchestra seats… That of course never happened! However, what I came to understand is that a well-played symphony or sonata can induce a deep, almost meditative state which is very calming and restorative. I now look forward to concerts as time for reflection as well as appreciation of fine music – and I do still nod off sometimes!

Knowing Lobo suffered from anxiety, we thought classical music might hold the key to helping him relax in his new environment. If music soothes the savage breast, would it prevent our Lobo from having a freak out when we were not home? For a resource, I turned to what I’d known from childhood: WQXR, the classical music radio station of New York. My father built a crystal set to listen to this station when he was a kid – it’s been around for over 70 years. Lobo, Fiona and Secret could chill all day listening to Beethoven, Brahms and Bach and skilled announcers with soothing voices. I crossed my fingers and hoped Beethoven and his brethren would work their magic on our big fella Lobo.

The first week we experimented with four hours of day care for Lobo and four hours home alone with Fiona and Secret and classical music radio. I arrived home full of trepidation and found… nothing wrong. All three dogs happy to see me, but no bleeding, limping, piles of poop or puddles of pee, no couches torn asunder or molding chewed to shreds. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

What we discovered under Lobo’s big dog exterior, is a sweet boy who can play a little rough and likes to bark loudly at times, but whose heart is pure gold. He is obedient, coming inside whenever we call, and loves to stay near his humans in the house, even when the other dogs are outside. He is very troubled whenever I sneeze – he rushes to me, looks at me with a clearly worried expression, and wags his tail nervously, even jumps in my lap sometimes. I have to sneeze now with caution! This dog was so worthy of love and attention – what dog is not? – and his loving nature spoke to us louder than words. We worried about the effect of adding him to the pack; would our two girls be happy with this new addition?

The second week we went full force with our hopeful experiment. We left the dogs alone together all day, 8 1/2 hours, while we were at work. I prayed that it would be okay. That no dog would come to harm. And that Lobo was not anxious or afraid. And that our living room and kitchen furniture would be intact. When I arrived home, a bit early because I was nervous, all three dogs were thankfully fine. What did this mean? It meant that we could officially adopt Lobo, who is now a happy member of the pack.

Looking back a year later, I see a pack of three dogs who love each other and get along very well. Like all siblings they have their differences, but at the end of the night they always cuddle up together very sweetly. We have begun traveling with them and they have adopted the camping trailer easily as a second home away from home. They are a united force, adaptable and happy in their shared bond of family.

Is it the classical music they listen to all day which has led to harmony in the pack? I am sure it is a contributing factor. Once a routine is established, dogs fit into it quite comfortably. The classical music playing in the house has become part of the familiar routine for Lobo and the girls, along with giving them cookies before we leave the house, and letting them out into the yard as soon as we get home. Thank you, Beethoven, for bringing the inner dog out to shine in our sweet Lobo! I can safely safe the girls are happy that Lobo is part of the pack.

Go Pet Bento – Pet Travel Bowls: A Woofus Product Review

April 26, 2016 by janet

Our journeying begins in just a few short days. Feeding three woofuses on the road will have its unique challenges. I have been looking for food bowls and a water bowl that are sturdy and easy to pack in the K9 Camper. The Bento bowls by Go Pet are a revelation to me, stylish, convenient and well made in the USA, North Carolina to be exact.

Made of human-rated, food grade stainless steel (yes, this can be different from pet-grade, believe it or not) and BPA free plastic, these sleek bowls link together neatly and securely for travel. They come in your choice of two bowl, three bowl or four bowl configurations. We opted for the four bowl of course, to feed and water our pack of three dogs.

The bowls unlocked and loaded with kibble

Each bowl holds up to 20 ounces of dry kibble. The top bowl holds 16 ounces of water, has a vacuum seal on top and a handle for carrying the whole kit. Bowls can also be used to carry all sorts of pet accessories – leashes, poop bags, treats, toys, medicines and more – almost like a small suitcase for your dog.

The only suggestion I would make for this nifty feeding gear, is to offer the multi bowl kits in different colors for each bowl or to in some way differentiate them. I lose track of which bowl is for which dog. As I do feed them slightly different amounts each, having color coded bowls would be a big help.

I am quite pleased with the compact nature of the whole kit. In a travel trailer, there’s not a lot of storage room. The four bowl set is only 8 1/2″ tall and 6″ in diameter, when all clipped together.

You can of course pack the food and water in the bowls themselves if you are just taking a short journey. Heading to grandma’s house for the day – easy peasy – send the Bento bowls along with your pup’s dinner!

The bowls may seem a bit small for large dogs like huskies, but they fit our food nicely with some room to spare. Lobo is an eighty pound dog and the bowl suited him just fine!

Where to buy: Check out these unique pet travel bowls by Go Pet online at Healthy Human Life.
Price: $18.99 – $26.99
Colors: Liquid Blue, Kiwi Green or Hawaiian Pink.
Sizes: 2 Bowl, 3 Bowl, 4 Bowl (Please note that the sizes refer merely to the number of bowls in your set – the bowls are all exactly the same size.)

At Woofus, we love to see dogs on the go – the Go Pet Bento makes packing for your dogs’ travels effortless!

An Ocean of Violets in Bloom

April 23, 2016 by janet

fiona-with-violets — Fiona with freshly picked bouquet of violets

I never realized before that the achingly beautiful phrase “an ocean of violets in bloom” from Princes’s song “When Doves Cry” is the dream landscape of my childhood. Nothing made me happier than a field of brilliantly purple wild violets. My father would mow over the field, much to my dismay, and they would resolutely grow back in short order, flouting his disregard like the delicate rebels they are. I would pick a bouquet for my mother and they would last perhaps an hour before they shrank to nothing, but they were a blaze of glorious purple while they lasted.

Prince’s music was an integral part of the soundtrack to my teen years. “Purple Rain” was the first rated R movie I ever saw, sneaking in with my older sister posing as my guardian. My friend and I would wash the family car while blasting the soundtrack to shock the neighbors (so we thought). I had a well-loved and often played copy of the song “Purple Rain” on a purple-colored vinyl single record. His song “1999” created a happy excitement for the approach of the second millennium for a whole generation of people.

Prince’s field of violets is a scene of seduction of course. Yet you can’t deny the innocence of violets, like Prince who didn’t swear or drink despite his sexy music and style of dress. I am saddened at the news of his passing. Like the violets he was gone too quickly and like them he will thrive and live on in a blaze of royal purple – his music.

Earth Day Dreaming: A Season of Adventure with the Pack

April 22, 2016 by janet

Fiona and Secret in woods A week from today we begin a long-awaited season of adventure, traveling with our three woofuses and staying in our home away from home, the K9 Camper. Our first destination? New Hampshire. I think it is a fitting topic for Earth Day today, exploring our big blue-green marble. What do I think I know of New Hampshire? Pine forests, rocky beaches and maple syrup. I know once there, we will discover much, much more!

For far too long my husband Rob and I have traveled with a purpose, usually business, and this left us no time to explore and enjoy the places we visited. Now we are like the crew on Star Trek, planning a voyage simply to explore and make the “unknown” known to us. Travel beckons, lifting the spirits and inspiring day dreams of unexplored fields, mountains, streams and tiny towns.

I have so many places in mind to visit. I don’t call it a bucket list, because that to me says that I won’t visit that place again. I enjoy going back to places I love. Let’s call it a dream list. I have yet to visit Saratoga Springs, Niagara Falls or the shores of Maine. All of these populate the dream list. Then there’s Chincoteague Island (I was a fan of the Misty books as a child), the Florida Keys and The Great Smoky Mountains of the Carolinas. All of this is just staying on the east coast.

To travel west, we need time. It takes time to get there and we want time to explore once we arrive. This requires more than a long weekend. Journeys further afield like this may need to wait a year or two until we organize our lives to accommodate it. However the dream list knows no boundaries of space or time. So let’s add the Redwood Forests, The Grand Canyon, and Glacier National Park to the itinerary of our dreamscape. And I must see the Dakotas. My father told me once of staying at a motel in North Dakota, and each parking spot had a heating device to warm your engine. Weather that cold – our snow dogs would be in heaven! We would probably visit in the warmer summer months; the K9 Camper has a heater but I wouldn’t want to test it on sub zero degree weather.

Fiona and Lobo in woods Dogs need to travel as much as we do. I know a lot of dogs, like people, are home bodies. Yet dogs’ senses are so finely attuned, that they smell and hear intensely, at a far greater level than humans. Imagine the joy they feel in an entirely new environment, with foreign smells and sounds to investigate! Ecstatic sensory overload. Knowing that a change in routine – new places, new faces – is not just acceptable, but loads of fun, will make both you and your dogs more confident and happy.

We’ve picked up some light up dog collars for night time exploring. I’ve packed a new tiny tea kettle to make tea every day, to jumpstart each day’s adventures. We’ll be sleeping in the camper this weekend (in our driveway) to further acclimate the dogs to our new holiday home. We are ready to explore!

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