How to Travel with Dogs

I only considered traveling with one dog. A yappy dog. A dog who on occasion tears around the house in a tirade of twists and turns, kicking up dust and scattering rugs in her wake. Kennelling our dog has become highway robbery between $42-47 per night. But that wasn’t the reason I relented and brought her along to Aspen. (There’s an extra hotel fee for dogs.) It was a last minute trip over Memorial Day. Everyone was booked.

Danny found a hotel that catered to dogs. Aspen Mountain Lodge.

Would I like staying in a dog hotel? Would I lay sleepless while listening to the whimper of whippets? The howls of bloodhounds? The growls of protective Pomeranians?

What about our own four-legged alarm system?

One time when our daughter, Courtney, moved into a new apartment, I left Roxy inside while I made a trip to the car to unload. She lost it. By the time we got back, her piercing yelps could be heard in the lobby. Whoa.

Not only did I worry about upsetting the neighbors in the hotel, concerns about cleanliness arose. Would I want to stay in a dog hotel? Would it smell?

What were we getting ourselves into?

I brought her bed, dog dishes, treats, and a short leash. I had read where Aspen frowns on retractables. Then I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

When we arrived, I was pleased to see a bright, clean, and quiet lobby. There was a special concierge to welcome Roxy too!

She was moving too fast to get a good shot.

Our room was located on the top floor. More exercise for us since we would have to let her out a few times a day. At least we wouldn’t hear any prancing feet above us. The top floor rooms were bigger than the rest. Bonus.

Decked out in oak decor, it was super clean and smelled as fresh as the air that poured in from the porch. They made the bed with a top sheet which was washed every day along with the linens. No need to freak out when Roxy jumped on top to check out the softness of the bed. Good thing, since she left tracks.

We took her for a walk to wear her out before dinner. We would leave her for the first time. Gulp.

Aspen is a super dog-friendly town. Water dishes sat in front of many shops. They allowed dogs inside. We leashed her next to us on the fence of an outside patio while we had a bite to eat. Restaurants won’t allow dogs inside.

When we returned to the room, we cleaned up and dressed for dinner. I showed Roxy her bed, gave her a biscuit, and told her to stay. Then I crossed my fingers.

As we walked down the stairs, I heard a whimper but she stopped whining once we got to the front desk. Maybe we were too far away to hear her. *insert shrug here*

After dinner and a stroll through town, we walked back to the hotel. Roxy heard us talking in the hall. She whined and then yipped at the door. I looked around at the closed doors in the hall and hoped now one would complain. Danny stabbed his card into the slot, but it wouldn’t turn green. Mine didn’t work either. I tried to calm her down by talking to her. Danny raced to the front desk to get different cards. They worked. Whew.

Once inside, she settled down in her bed. We all slept soundly.

We took her hiking with us the next afternoon. The Hunter Creek Trail allows dogs on leash until you get the top. Then you can let them go free to roam or in Roxy’s case, stay close by and pant.

Later, we shopped in town. Danny bought skis on super sale and carried them while holding the leash. I popped in and out of stores.

Cute dogs are conversation magnets. Compounded with skis, he received invitations and business cards. No lie!

Taking Roxy along worked out pretty darn well. I would do it again, for a weekend. Even though she slept between walking in town and hiking, she crashed out for two days straight when we got home. She had a great time!

Dirty and dang dog tired.

Have you ever brought your dog on vacation? Would you consider it? Have you been to Aspen?

 

Related posts:

A Hike to Hanging Lake Waterfalls

Dogs Have Bad Hair Days Too!

What was she thinking?