As dog owners, we are all grateful for the happiness and cheer that our beloved furry friends bring into our lives. We all know that feeling when we finally get home after a long and tiring day at work to be greeted by that ecstatic bark and furiously wagging tail; it feels like our problems just don’t matter anymore. However, a traveling trip is where most dog owners draw the line. We’re happy to spend time with our canine companion and all, but taking Rover on our trips just seems like too much of a hassle. We’ll need to pack Rover’s dog food, bowls, toys, and perhaps even his toilet. No, it’s much easier to just leave Rover at home to guard the house while we’re away, isn’t that so?
While it’s true that taking Rover on your trips would undoubtedly give you some extra work to do, the positives actually outweigh the negatives—and it’s not all about fun and games either. If you take a look at it from another point of view, you’ll realize that there are plenty other benefits to traveling with a dog which are not related to playing catch on the campground.
It’s Easier to Build Connections
If you are a solo traveler, one of the aspects of traveling that you look forward to the most should be the part where you get to make new friends. It’s great to meet and greet people from all around the world, but have you ever experienced that awkward moment when there’s someone you want to talk to right beside you and yet the two of you are sitting in silence because you have no idea how to start a conversation? At times like this, if Rover’s with you, he’ll come to your rescue. Dogs are the best ice-breaker! All it takes is one funny antic and before you know it, you and your new friend will be throwing comments back and forth, chatting like you’re old friends.
Big dogs will have an easier time attracting the attention of your travel mates, but don’t think that smaller dogs can’t do the same. Their cuteness is the best conversation-starter, especially when you’re carrying them in one of those lovely dog travel bags.
Even if the place you’re traveling to is so far removed from civilization that there’s no one but you who’s crazy enough to challenge the trail, Rover will always be there for you. Once the two of you have prevailed over life-threatening situations together, your connection will be that much more profound.
You Won’t Have Time to Be Lazy
You don’t get many opportunities to travel these days. Oftentimes, you depart with the intention to spend each and every second having fun, without wasting a single precious moment. However, that intention can quickly turn into a mumbled five more minutes (or five hours) under the covers and lazy afternoons during which you take a nap in the hotel. Only after you’ve had your fill will you regret all that time you spent sleeping when you should really be out there enjoying yourself.
If you have Rover with you, he’ll never let you oversleep, or waste even a single minute being lazy. He’ll attack your face with wet kisses in the morning and request to be taken on a walk during the afternoon. Your dog will help you make the most of your vacation and save you from yourself when the call of the bed is too much for you to fight off alone.
There are Health Benefits
We often travel with the goal of a culinary adventure in mind. We splurge ourselves on exotic cuisine, eating until our stomach is ready to burst. After that, we go back to our hotel and sleep, only to repeat the same routine the next day. We forget about our own health. The thought about exercise becomes a mere wallflower in the far corners of our mind. We might promise ourselves that we would get right back in shape once our vacation’s over, but this is really not good for you. Once again, it’s Rover to the rescue.
Taking your dog for a walk is not only good for him—it’s good for you, too. You’ll get the chance to walk off all of those calories in the way you wouldn’t have if your dog hadn’t been there with you. The health benefits of traveling with a dog don’t stop there. A dog’s ability to make you crack a smile won’t cease to be just because the two of you are far away from home. You know what they say: A smile a day keeps the doctor away.
It’s a Chance to Challenge Yourself
The whole point of traveling is to get out of your comfort zone and see the world in order to discover a new you, isn’t that so? Traveling on your own might be the easier and more practical option, but you wouldn’t be able to grow as much as if you had taken the challenge of traveling with Rover. You’ll need to go the extra mile to find hotels that would accept your canine companion, handle all the paperwork for border-crossing if you’re going abroad, and make sure that your dog is up to date with his shots to avoid contracting a foreign illness. There’s no denying it: It’s a lot more complicated than traveling on your own, but it’s worth it.
When you have successfully completed a trip with your dog, you’ll redefine what a “challenge” really means to you. It seemed impossible or overly complicated before, but you’ve gone and done it anyway. Now you know you can. So what’s stopping you from conquering the next impossible thing on your list?
To top it off, your dog will keep you on your toes while you’re traveling together. There’s a primal part of our brain that keeps us from venturing into unfamiliar territories. It is an inherent instinct to keep ourselves safe, and that’s good and all, but not while you’re traveling. Think about all the wonders of the world that you could be missing out on just because you cannot bring yourself to take that first step.
You need your dog there during those times because he’ll help push you forward. You’ll climb seemingly insurmountable walls and reach new heights with your dog by your side. And when things really get risky or uncomfortable, you know you’re safe because your best friend is there with you, and he’ll never let anything happen to you.
About Jammie Morey
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