New adventure, how nice
New smells to entice
New places to see
So lucky to be me.
Who doesn’t look forward to a new adventure? Something to take you away from your normal existence. Someplace that you can free yourself from your list of must-do’s and chronic responsibilities. When I worked, I would be lucky to have a week to go on a vacation. Now that I am retired, there is more flexibility in my schedule. I know…I know, you’re saying that now I’m always on vacation, which is partly true, but there are still those responsibilities that you can’t get away from.
A few years ago, my husband and I decided to visit Florida for a month. We were not sure if we would like being away for that length of time, but we thought we’d like to give it a try. Our dogs, of course, had to be with us, so the search began for a dog friendly rental on the Florida Keys.
After visiting the Keys on several occasions, my husband and I grew to love the slow pace and eclectic people that live there. The gentle breezes and warmth radiates a tropical island feel without ever leaving the country. Plus, our friends live on the Keys. So the hunt began, trying to find a pet-friendly house on a Key that was close to our friends.
My search concentrated in the lower keys, midway between Marathon and Key West. Not only did we need a pet-friendly home, but we also needed a reasonable rent. To make matters worse, we wanted it for February, the most popular month to get away from the winter freeze. My work was cut out for me. I spent two weeks online, sending emails with not much success. Finally, we obtained a home within our budget. It boasted two canals bordering the property. And, best of all, it was completely fenced! What a plus.
My husband was charged with the job of finding dog-friendly, clean hotels on our route. On our first trip down, we stayed in one doggy hotel, and I mean not fit for a doggy. We knew our mistake as soon as we walked into the lobby, but it was too late by then. However, our accommodations on the way back were much better. Even the dogs agreed.
Packing for a month is not easy, especially if you’re me. I like to plan and make lists, but I wasn’t sure what I would need. Now, four years later, I have lists to follow so packing is much easier. I give myself plenty of time so when I remember additional items to bring, I can just add them. Of course, my husband waits to the last minute to pack. I guess that works for him because he has me.
Our dogs, Rusty and Kazi, joined us on this first adventure, and what an adventure it was. We stopped twice each way so they became quite adept at sleeping in strange places. (They had been used to going to greyhound reunions so hotels weren’t foreign to them.) They were both great travelers in the car also so they got right down to what they do best, sleep.
After arriving in our new digs for the month, we familiarized ourselves with our new home and area. The home was a stilted home so the dogs had to negotiate a set of open stairs. This was a concern at first, but I soon found that they had no difficulty climbing them. They both made themselves at home, and I loved that they could go up and down the steps and walk the yard freely.
The Florida Keys is a very pet friendly place. We took our dogs almost everywhere with us. Many restaurants with outdoor spaces will allow your pet to accompany you. It makes life much easier to have this freedom. Unfortunately for the dogs, we would have to leave them home at times. When we did, they dutifully entered their crates, but were certainly not happy about it.
We also took the dogs to a dog park on the next Key. This was an experience for both the dogs and us. We, unfortunately, do not have the benefit of a dog park near our home, so enjoying this park on a frequent basis became a habit. Rusty and Kazi were dogs with quite different personalities. Rusty was very outgoing, and Kazi was shy and kept to herself. Their experiences at the park kept us laughing. Rusty jumped right into the play of chasing the ball with a group of dogs. However, Rusty did not quite get the ball chasing part. He found it much more fun chasing the dog that was chasing the ball. He got himself so excited that I had to give him several time-outs (like a little kid) so he could get a grip.
Kazi on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with the dogs in the dog park. She would prance around the perimeter of the park and sniff. Sometimes, I couldn’t see her, and when I called her name, found her hiding behind a palm tree. Poor girl. What different approaches each of the dogs had to their fun. I do have to report that after several years of going to the same dog park, Kazi eventually came out of her shell and would sometimes run with the group. Usually, she would find a little dog to befriend and that seemed to make her happy.
I know that going to a dog park would not be high on some of your lists. We, however, have been lucky with this dog park in Florida. Our dogs have been safe and happy playing there, and we have had many hours of fun watching them.
This year, we took our grey, Kiowa, to the dog park. He approached the idea of the dog park in a way that was partially reminiscent of both of our other dogs. He is like Rusty in that he follows the lead dog running, but he doesn’t get himself so excited that I have to take him out of the fray. He does check out the perimeter of the park by sniffing it all at first, but unlike Kazi, he never hides behind a palm tree. He is the type of dog that likes to be in the mix. He doesn’t want to miss anything. It is a pleasure watching how joyous this makes him.
As I write this, we are still in Florida and enjoying the warm breezes and great weather. Kiowa is getting walks locally and in Key West where he is very popular. People on vacation without their dogs need a doggy hit by petting any dog they see, and there are many vacationers in Key West. He is with us most times when we visit Key West and is happy to join in the fun. We have even gone to a dog party. People were invited, of course, but we mainly had it so the dogs could get together. They had fun playing, and we had fun eating and drinking. What a life!
When we finally have to leave this idyllic place, we not only will have many warm memories to share with friends, but Kiowa will be able to dream of playing in what I am sure he thinks was heaven.
