Feed Me

This thing with dog food. What brand do you feed to your dog? Beily is currently on Royal Canin and has been for the past 5 months or so. I am perfectly aware of it being far from the best dry-food out there, but it is unfortunately the best (I think) I am able to get here. I live in quite a small town and most people I know feed commercial dog foods to their dogs - basically whatever food they find at Walmart. I've done my research and I know more or less what I would have LIKED to feed my dog, but unfortunately the options are very few. From what I have found, checking with local vets and pet stores (which quite frankly, there aren't really any good pet stores in this town), the better options if I want to avoid commercial dog food is either Royal Canin or Purina Pro-Plan. I can't find a single store or vet that sells any other brands than these, I am sure it would have been different if I lived in a bigger city, but that is unfortunately not the case. I've tried both Royal Canin and Pro-Plan, but I think I like Royal Canin better out of the two. Opinions more than welcome. The only thing that I don't like is that I feel it sort of stains her teeth a little..! Once I get to the US I am hoping to be able to switch her up to a better dry-food, but here that seems to be the best I can get my hands on. I figure it must at least be better than the Walmart options... so I am simply in a situation where I take what I can get.

It is funny because, for example, Royal Canin is so expensive here that even the vet I bought it from recommended that I'd try to have it imported from the US instead, to save some money. That hasn't been possible though, so I've had to suck it up and pay the price. Besides that though I have to admit that I like giving Beily a little something extra in her food from time to time! I usually go with plain (unsweetened) yogurt on top, or sardines. Every now and then I turn into Owner of the Year and I give her canned salmon with her food, but usually I end up eating the salmon myself. Woopsie!

Early Morning

This morning I got up at 7am to take my dog out for a walk before it got too hot, and I discovered that it was already getting hot at that time. Seriously, that does suck in so many ways, since it really limits my ability to activate my dog properly. When it's too hot she doesn't even want to go outside, which is understandable. I think soon I will have to schedule to wake up and take her out at 6am.

A little while ago I walked into my room and found her sleeping on my bed, and I realized how big she has grown! It's funny how I haven't really noticed. Well, she's not exactly tall since her back reaches me to my knee more or less, but she is very long. When she stretches out, like right now on my bed, she basically takes up my whole bed! I have no idea how I fit in there with her every night..!

I wish I had a car so that I could drive over to D.C myself this summer. That way I would have been sure that we would actually be able to get there, and I wouldn't have had to be so dependent on others. Unfortunately though, I don't have a car, and renting a car PLUS pay for gas prices would be way more expensive than I can afford. Too bad. The girl who said she'd be up for the drive seems cool, but now since I haven't heard from her in a couple of days I am starting to worry again. It seems almost too easy, and I am just waiting for her to tell me that she can't/won't do it, or that she will simply stop replying. What do I do? Should I surrender and just book a flight ticket? I still feel really hesitant about the idea of flying my dog though, especially since there would be a lay-over somewhere along the way. I would be a nervous wreck, and I would worry that she would be left outside in the sun while waiting to be loaded onto the plane and things like that. There are just so many things that could go wrong. This whole plan with finding a ride by car to D.C is risky too, however, since there is no guarantee that the person that is to take me will live up to his/her promises, or that something won't happen at the last minute which would end up cancelling the trip.

Three Individuals, One Bed.

My best friend stayed over last night after a small get-together at my house, and since I only have one bed (a SMALL bed) there was no other option than to share. No problem, obviously, since we've shared everything during the years we've known each other for. We've lived together, travelled together, hung out basically 24/7... so sharing a small bed is something we've done several times. However, my dear furry dog decided that she too wanted to share the bed. Imagine me, my 6 ft (+) best friend and my 50 pound dog all fighting for the little space that there was. I would have thought it impossible, but we were all tired and it worked out really well in the end. Turned out to be quite cozy.

I was really proud of Beily last night. She used to be a hyperactive monster that got so over-excited when people came over that I had to put a leash on her or put her in another room, and now she has gone from that and onto becoming a calm and relaxed dog. I can't believe my best friend was able to sleep next to her without her being all over him and licking him in the face. I suppose it has to do with age too, since after all she hasn't even turned 2 yet. I'm just happy and proud to see that she is growing into such an awesome dog. I've struggled some with having her stop jumping up at people, and to channel her enthusiasm when meeting people in a better way. It seems like age is sorting it out though, and it was great to see how she didn't jump on any of the guests last night, and how she settled with pressing up against their legs and wagging her tail. I was a proud doggy mama last night.

Something I could really need is advice on activities to do with my dog indoors. It's not that I don't want to go out, but now once it is starting to get hot during the days we can't go out. Her walks will soon have to be reduced to early morning and late night, and I need ways to entertain her in between. It's not that she becomes difficult or anything if she doesn't get properly activated, since she usually just goes to sleep, but I hate the idea of her being bored. She hates the heat too, I can tell, and I know that as it gets hotter she will become less and less active, unless I find fun ways to entertain her inside where there is air condition. She is going to love D.C, because even though summers over there are HOT and crazy humid, it is nothing compared to the heat here. I can't even explain it.

No... I can do this. I can.

I was going to let the last post me my last one for today, but then I decided that I would try to cheer myself up a little bit first. It is Friday after all, and I didn't want to feel all stressed and down and all that. So, what did I do? I went into my picture collections and opened up the folder containing pictures from last summer. Last summer I went to D.C, but I left Beily here with a friend for 2 months. Almost 3. I missed her so much, but since that time I was planning to return to Mexico again, I made the decicion to leave her here while I was away. I didn't want to make things harder than they had to be for her, but unfortunately it turned out I made the wrong decision. I missed her to death, and by the time I got back she had lost so much weight that I barely recognized her. It was awful. My roommate was supposed to take care of her, it had been the deal since before we adopted her, but she ended up dumping her with a friend of hers. Unfortunately. That friend is a good guy, and I am sure he gave her water and food and everything, but she was also kept outside the whole summer with little or o human contact. Beily tends to get really depressed when I go away and leave her with someone, which is why she probably didn't eat as much as she usually does, which would explain the weightloss. That, or the extreme heat. My point is - leaving her last summer, now when I know how it turned out, is the one thing I will always regret. What is worse is that I know she would probably end up living a similar life if I would leave her here again, or if I would give up my struggle to bring her with me. ...Do you see why I could never do that? I won't let her down again, not this time.

Seeing those pictures from last summer reminder me of this, and even though it definitely doesn't take the stress away (it makes it worse, in fact), it also inspires me. I can do this, and I will do this. I can't take my friends with me but I am taking Beily. Another thing about looking at the pictures was that I saw some I took of three dogs I dog sat for a couple of weeks last summer, and I remember how awesome D.C is for walking around. I can't wait for Beily to get a chance to explore the streets and parks of D.C with me. There are so many different paths we could take, so many parks to go to where we could meet other dogs and dog owners. It would be amazing. Yep, I feel better now. 

Change is good. I was reminded of that through a comment, and I know it's true. Change is good. The picture posted here above is from last summer, and the dogs are two of the three dogs I was looking after for a while I hope Beily gets to meet them this summer. She would have absolutely loved that.

Fear.

I just realized that I am scared. There is so much change in my nearest future, so many decisions, so many things that can go wrong... and I am afraid now. All the best friends I have ever had in my life are people that I have met down here in Mexico, and my best friend - who is like my brother, is here too. I had hoped that we would be leaving together and that we would go off on adventures together, but due to some circumstances he will need to post-pone his trip. Sure, he can catch up later or I can go back, but it scares me to think that I will have to depart all by myself, and leave everything that I have here. Another thing that scares me is the idea of my plans to bring my dog falling through. If I have to leave everything I have here - she will be all I have, and I need her. My dog cannot replace my friends in any way, but I need her with me as a reminder of everything I have down here. I can't put a leash on my friends and make them come with me, but I can put a leash on my dog.

My planned departure for the US is only 2 months away, and perhaps it is that realization that is freaking me out now. I wish there was a way to magically transport myself and my belongings to wherever I plan to go (D.C in this case), so that I wouldn't have to worry about something going wrong. I'm not sure yet where I will get the strength to leave from, it will be so hard, but I know I have to. There are still so many things I want to do and see before I settle down somewhere. The hardest thing is that I feel I will be letting people down if I leave Mexico, and in the same time I feel I will be letting my family down if I don't visit them. How do you please everyone? How do you deal with having people you love scattered all over the planet? Yes, I am having a bit of travel hysteria (and a headache).

This morning I took a walk with Beily, and she threw up on the sidewalk. When we got home she threw up a couple of times more, but besides that she seemed pretty calm, which is why I decided to wait rather than to rush her to the vet. I figured she must have eaten something unsuitable during her run-arount at the park. I hate it when my dog is sick or feeling bad - it just makes me wish I could help her somehow. She seems a lot better now though and she finally ate her breakfast, but still. Overall I am feeling strangely sad today... without really knowing why. I guess I am just feeling a little bit overwhelmed by all this... and also it is starting to get so much more real than it was before. I just want everything to work smoothly... hopefully I'll feel happier and more relaxed about it tomorrow. I think it's getting to me, the stress, but in the same time I know what I want and what I need to do.

Having a Dog = Changes

Lots of things have changed in my life since I got a dog. To be honest I had always wanted a dog of my own, and in one way or the other I had always planned for getting one sooner or later, but I think I never realized how many changes that would come with having a dog. I'm going to dedicate this post to some of the changes Beily has made in my life, and trust me, there has been quite a few.

• Planning ahead has never been my thing, and I have always been more of a spontaneous person. I did what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. And if. Being spontaneous is great to a certain point, but it is also good sometimes to stop and really think things through. Since Beily moved in with me I can't be as spontaneous as I used to be anymore, not when it comes to trips and staying out of the house all day long. If I want to do that now, it means I need to find someone who can take care of my dog for me. That usually isn't a problem, but it still forces me to stop and think twice, and also to slow down a little in my daily life. I am a restless person, and having a dog has helped me to overcome some of my restlessness and to enjoy the moment and the present more than before.
• Get out and moving. I am unfortunately a lazy person by nature, and I have never enjoyed any kind of physical activity besides walking. Walking is something I have always loved, but having a dog has forced me to do it frequently, rather than to just sit on my behind all day pretending to be doing something important. I take about 3 good walks with Beily every day, plus a few walks around the block or trips to the park next to my house, and if I don't - I feel awful. This has helped me to create a routine which has actually led me onto wanting to do more exercise..! It's funny how when you start doing one thing, it leads to you wanting to do more things. I now do Yoga every morning, which is a huge step for me.
• Read product labels. This might sound silly, but having a dog has made me more aware of what is in the products that I buy, both for her and for myself. Now, for example, I only buy plain yogurt with no added sugar OR sweeteners (before I would always choose the Light products) so that I can share some with my dog with a clear conscience, I buy natural peanut butter with no strange additives to use for her Kong and I eat more fish and veggies since I usually buy that for her anyway (for treats and such). Over all my food habits have improved from having a dog, and even though I started out reading mostly dog food labels (when searching for the right choice) - I now read the labels on almost everything that I buy, and I try to go for the cleaner/healthier options. I have become more aware.
• Becoming more independent. I guess you could see that two ways though, but let me explain my point here. I have always been the kind of person who thinks of others before myself, and who are pretty dependent on other people. Whatever they wanted to do worked for me. Having a dog has made me more relaxed in that aspect, and I no longer feel lost and forgotten if I don't go out with my friends one day, or if they would happen to go for coffee without me. I am now pretty happy to be at home too, quite honestly. My dog has helped me find balance where I take the will of others into consideration, but without losing track of what I myself might want. It is a pretty liberating feeling, quite frankly.

Those are some of the things that having a dog has changed for me, and I think they are all good things. At least for me. I knew there would be changes the day I decided to get a dog, but the changes that it has brought with it isn't necessarily the ones that I had predicted. It is funny to me how almost all my friends think of her as a burden, since I have to organize someone to look after her when I go out of town, since I sometimes have to go home from a social gathering just to feed her and other things like that, but what if those things aren't burdening to me? I am totally fine with all those small sacrifices or adjustments to my daily life, and I think it has done me lots of good. What are the changes you feel your dogs have brought into your lives? I am sure you have a ton of examples.

So Many Thoughts

I still find it quite peculiar that there are people out there who do things for others just in order to be nice. Incredible, isn't it? It shows that there really is hope for this world after all. So far so good with my summer plans, and the person I am talking to regarding driving from AZ and over to D.C seems pretty serious about it, but of course I still worry that it could be too good to be true. I'm having the most amazing time down here in Mexico too, as if universe is testing my decision to leave. It's funny though, because the more of a great time I have, the more sure I get that it is time for me to leave. It is going to be awful to leave everything that I have here, but time really flies and I need to live out some other dreams as well, before potentially settling down somewhere. I don't really think of it as leaving either, but more like I am going away for a while. I need to visit my family, since I haven't seen them in what will soon be 3 years..! It makes me feel bad. Not so much because I miss them (even though I do, obviously), but more because I'm afraid they will think that I don't think about them, or that they're not important to me. For that reason I really need to go see them soon.

Beily is one happy dog. I love when she has this look on her face, and it's mostly reserved for when she gets to play Fetch. My family has never met her, but I hope that they will. Soon. First step is for my second family (I'm not related to them, but I feel like they're my family too) in D.C to meet her. The kids will love her, I know they will, and she will love them back. Beily has always been very gentle around kids, even though she used to be a hyperactive monster (as in I-love-you-so-much-please-let-me-be-all-over-you) with the rest of the world in her younger days. Now she has cooled down with everybody and you can tell she has matured a lot during the past 6 months, but with kids she has always been very sweet and calm. There are 3 little kids waiting for us in D.C, and something tells me it's going to be an awesome summer if all of this works out. I can't wait to get there now. So close.

A Campus Walk

One day last fall the principal of a local university invited me to come take a walk with Beily and his dogs. I know him through a friend and he is a very friendly older gentleman, who has a great love and fascination for Belgian Shepherds (Malinois). He has about 8 of them on the University campus, where they help out as guard dogs at night. They live a pretty good life, since the university is full of trees and grass, and quite honestly, it's huge! I was really excited to be invited with my dog, both because I knew Beily would love a walk around campus, but also because I find it so fascinating to see dogs interact with each other. I was also excited about the opportunity to TALK about dogs.

I won't lie, I was a little nervous at first. The university dogs are pretty impressive looking, and when we walked up to the fence they barked at us as if they wanted to swallow us (or at least Beily) whole. Luckily, Beily is a clever dog, and she knows when to show her submissive side. She said nothing when they barked at her, I could tell she was a little scared, but she kept her cool and threw herself down on her back to let the other dogs check her out. She was clearly telling them that she wasn't going to be of any trouble, and that she wasn't a threat to them. After that they were all friends, and me and the principal could begin our walk. The university is completely surrounded by a tall fence, so I could relax and let Beily run around as freely as she wanted to. ...She wasn't as good at being off-leash back then as she is now, I kind of have to admit. =) She's great at it now though.

We walked around for a little over an hour, and the dogs ran up and down and here and there. I think sometimes when you have just one dog, they adapt so much to your lifestyle as a human, that you tend to forget they are actually dogs. And then, when you see them run and play with other dogs, it becomes obvious that they automatically fall into this kind of a pack behavior. I find it pretty incredible. Beily loved that walk, and they probably ran more than she had ever run in her life.

For me; that afternoon walk really high-lighted the importance of letting your dog interact with other dogs. It was a very full-filling experience to see how these guard dogs went from hostile and to very accepting, and how they welcomed my dog to come run with them. It was definitely something of a transition, and I am glad it went well. I hope we'll be invited for a walk again someday, it was great.

Back in Town

Last Thursday night I packed my bags, left my dog at a kennel and took of to Guadalajara for a couple of days. I hate that aspect of traveling; the moment where I have to say goodbye to my dog, since it makes me feel like the worst doggy momy in the universe. So far I have always left her at home with someone dropping by to check on her, or I've left her at a friend's house, but this one time I really couldn't find anyone I trusted to take care of her. I decided to leave her at her regular Vet who offers pension for dogs. It was definitely not the ideal solution, far from it, but I felt it would be the place where she would be the safest. This time I chose safe rather than 100% happy, since I knew she would be locked in a large kennel for most of the time. I am not sure I made the right choice, but at least she was with people I trusted (it's an amazing vet). She got fed every day and a couple of walks, and she got to be inside with aircondition. Sometimes you have to take what you get.

To give you yet another update; just like I expected, the person who had offered to give us a ride from AZ to D.C pulled back her offer. Trouble with her boyfriend, she told me. Funny as it is I think it was for the best, since I never had a good gut feeling about it. It never felt like the right option. I found this out before I went to Guadalajara (which by the way is an amazing city), and I just got back now this morning. The first thing I did was to check my email since I posted an ad last week, and I had one reply from a woman who sounds really cool and who would be up for driving over to D.C in June. Again, perhaps it's too good to be true, but who knows..! This person I feel really good about, which I never did about the other, so I genuinely wish that it'll work. I need to double check that the guy who promised to drive us from here and to AZ on the 17th is still up for it, I've found an awesome couple to stay with in Tucson that night, and if things works out we would begin our road trip on the 18th.

If this worked out it could be so cool..! I love adventures! Last summer I chose to take a bus from AZ to D.C rather than to fly, it took me 55 hours to get there with all the stops, but I loved it. I did it simply because it was different. This trip that I'm planning for this summer could be amazing if t works out, and I would love to make a photo diary of a road trip with my dog. I'm dying for this to work out.

Now back to my return today. I got back at 3am actually, due to a delayed bus, and I went to pick up Beily at 11 this morning. If it had been up to me I would have been there the second they opened, but I was asked to come pick her up at 11 so that they would have time to give her the bath I had asked for. It was so great to see her again, even though I was only away for about three days. It sounds stupid, but I miss her when I'm away from her. It is so heart-warming to see how happy she is to see me whenever I have been away. Such a simple thing makes the extra "trouble" with my summer plans far more than worth it. Having such a sweet and happy dog really is a blessing. I'm lucky.

Potentially Reconsidering

I have to admit I have started to think a little bit more about the potential option of flying from Arizona and to Washington D.C, mostly because it feels like more of a sure thing. I mean I would have taken driving over flying anytime (not for me, I love flying, but for the dog), I thought, but at least if you book a flight ticket you know that you will be able to get to where you plan to go. IF I find someone who could drive us... what if they pull out in the last minute and I find myself stranded in Tucson, Arizona? That wouldn't be cool. Still, I haven't given up on the idea of getting from AZ and to DC by car yet.

Does anybody have an opinion on this? Would it be a better idea for me to fly myself and my dog over to DC? Has anyone ever flown with their dog here? I could really use some advice. I'm not sure why I find it so scary to fly with my dog, and especially since I am planning to fly her with me to Sweden someday. I guess it's just that I don't have any experience with things like that, and it feels almost like this completely impossible mission! What if something happens to her? It's silly, I know, but... you know. I guess I should be looking into it though. Perhaps it might be our best (or only?) option.

Why the Name?

There is a funny story to why Beily is named Beily. When I first got her we were trying to come up with a name, my roommate and I, and we happened to spot bottle of Bailey's on the kitchen counter. Bailey... I liked it, and so did my roommate. We decided to name her Bailey. For a little while that is how we spelled it,  but some friends started making fun of it, saying that we'd chosen such an American name for her, and that in Mexico it should be spelled "Beily". ...Exactly the way it would be pronounced here. It was nothing but a joke, and everybody laughed at it, but after a while I decided to change the spelling of her name. Bailey went on to becoming Beily - same pronounciation, different spelling. Why? One of the biggest reasons was that the new spelling would always remind me of my friends, and the inside joke that lead to the change in spelling. Everytime I see her name in writing now, I have to smile, just because of all the memories it is connected to. I call it a Mexicanized version of the name Bailey, which is funny to me. However, yes, her name used to be Bailey and she is originally named after a bottle of Bailey's. ...An empty bottle of Bailey's, I have to admit.

It is hard to name a dog! I have to say. I mean whatever you choose to name your dog is something you'll have to put up with for the next 10-15 years. When I first named my dog Bailey I have to admit that there was something that didn't feel quite right, and I had just felt the pressure to name her SOMETHING after my roommate gave her to me, since all the people that were there were looking at me, waiting for me to give her a name. I never felt that Bailey was the right thing for her, and it didn't feel original enough. Once we decided to change the spelling it felt right though, because I felt her name reflected a sense of humor that my Mexican friends (and Mexicans in general) have, which would forever be that reminder of my time here. That is the simple story of how Beily got her name.

Bad Luck Beily

This is just so ridiculous, but I had an accident yesterday and I've ended up with a screwed-up foot and ankle! I've been told it's most likely not broken, but I'm in a cast either way - "just in case". This prevents me from doing absolutely anything, which is a huge problem when having a dog! Thank higher powers that I have a fenced-in front yard so that Beily can go out and pee whenever she wants at least, but I'm suffering so badly by not being able to walk her..! It feels horrible, and I feel like the worst dog owner in the universe. A friend has promised me to come help me later this afternoon, but when I usually walk her 3 to 4 times per day, this cannot be a fun situation for her. It just feels so unfair that she should have to suffer too just because of my bad luck! All I want is to take her out.

An interesting thing though is that she sleeps on my hurt foot whenever she can..! Last night I woke up and she was in my bed, resting her head on my ankle. Today she goes to sleep next to me wherever I am, and rests her head on my foot. Perhaps she finds the cast funny, but it's really sweet.

This is just a really bad timing. I am planning to go away for the weekend so I'll be leaving her at a kennel for a couple of days, which was why I really wanted to spoil her with walks and play now before I go. Such bad luck. I've tried to find someone who would be up for walking her so that she would get several walks a day as usual, but so far I haven't had any luck with that. Bummer. As for our summer plans it looks like there is a small glimpse of hope again..! Like I said before I have found someone who can take us to Arizona, and now I have also found a place to stay there for a night. The person who claimed she'd be driving from Arizona and to the East Coast seem to be back in the game, so we'll see if she sticks to the plan this time. I am definitely concerned, and I will be looking for more reliable options. I wish I knew someone (like really knew them) who would be planning to do that drive somewhere around June 18th. This is definitely one of the biggest challenges I've faced.

Progress..!

I'm back! It's been an intense weekend with little or no time for blogging, and that is the reason to why I disappeared off the radar for a few days. There has been some potential progress regarding moving with Beily out of Mexico and over to Washington D.C. It seems like I have found a guy who is willing to take us with him when he leaves from a town close to here to drive up to Tucson in late June. I've found him through a forum, and it seems pretty legit, so I'm hoping he sticks to his word. He's given me a date when he's planning to do the drive and everything, and he told me he has no problem with giving my dog a ride as well. He also told me he has driven with his own dog several times, and that he has never had any trouble crossing the border with the dog. ...That took some concern off my shoulders. I mean I didn't think there would be trouble since I will be going prepared, but it's still nice to hear it from someone who have done it, that there shouldn't be a problem to get a perfectly healthy dog across the border. I have to say I love nice people who offer to do others a favor for no reason.

Secondly, I have found a woman who seems to be planning to drive from Arizona and to Pennsylvania around those dates. She told me she'd be happy to give me and the dog a ride, but I guess it's hard to know if she'll follow through or not since June is still pretty far away, and I don't know her. She doesn't owe me anything. In a perfect world it would work out though... I would come up from Mexico one day, stay a night in Tucson, head to meet this woman the next day and head out on a roadtrip over to the East Coast. ...Sounds too good to be true though, doesn't it? Something tells me she'll change her mind pretty soon, because quite honestly she seems a little odd. Anyone planning to drive from Arizona and over to the East Coast in late June? Anytime after June 18th. If you are or if you know someone who is - please let me know. ... Because funny as it is she is telling me right now that she's not getting any replies from the person she was planning to go meet, which seems a little like she's about to blow the whole thing off. ...That sucks. Well at least I know how to get up to Arizona, right? One step in the right direction. One way or the other we will get there...

Meeting My Dog

I remember when I first met Beily. She moved in with us on a hot September day and she was such a happy little creature..! Funny, considering her rough start in life and all those flees and ticks that taunted her and sucked her blood. I know she had at least one sister, because when her rescuers (a wonderful rescue organization that we have here) found her in that box she was together with another puppy from her litter. Sometimes I think about that puppy, and I wonder what happened to her. I know for sure she was adopted by a "nice man", but I wonder if she became one of those outdoor dogs that spend most of their life outside in the backyard. Probably. After all, that's the life most bigger dogs I know here live, and it's simply the way people here are used to keeping dogs. It's not because they're bad people - not at all, and lots of people adore their dogs! It is just that they've grown up with the idea of bigger dogs being meant to live outside. To many, I am weird for having my dog inside.

This is Beily and her sister. The second one is the photo that was published on the rescue organization's Facebook page, and also the photo my roommate saw when she was deciding which dog to give me for my birthday. It is so weird for me, the idea of giving away puppies for presents. My family back home have two dogs, but we had to save money for years before we could get them, since they were both quite expensive! Gave us a lot of time to think about the decision to get a dog. It's not like that here. My whole life I had pictured getting a pure-breed dog whenever I was ready for a dog; not because I preferred them, but because I never really knew any mix-breeds while growing up. I come from a small town (as in VERY small), so the possibility never really occurred to me..!

A lot has changed since then. The rescue organization here they do an amazing job with rescuing dogs off the street, promoting neutering/spaying, going out and talking to primary schools and High Schools etc. etc... and living here in Mexico has made me realize how many dogs that are suffering due to irresponsible dog owners, and how bias people are when it comes to pure/mix breeds. I have no preference when it comes to pure-breeds or mix-breeds, I love all dogs the same, but I've really loved this whole thing with adopting a dog, rather than buying one from a breeder. It's pretty amazing. I dare say that any dogs I decide to get in the future will be adopted dogs, that is for sure.

I have no idea what Beily might be a mix of, and I don't really care. Of course there will always be curiousity there, but since there is no way of ever finding out, I don't think too much about it. The only thing that matters to me is that she is happy and healthy, and it's sad that so many people are hung up on breeds. I'm getting really nervous, I really just want to get her out of here, or to know that I will be able to get her out of here in the end of June. If I knew that for sure, and if I knew how to do it, I would feel so much better. She is such a good-spirited little (or not so little, anymore) furry fluff ball.

Miss Pug

Right now we have this hilarious little black Pug staying with us. Her owners went away for vacation and we were asked to look after her for a couple of weeks, no problem we said, and now those two weeks are almost over. First of all; I've never seen such a hyperactive dog in my life. ...Or at least she was hyperactive, but I think we've done something to her. Haha! When her owner dropped her off she was literally bouncing off the walls! Running, jumping, making sounds, rolling around.. there were times when I thought she would explode out of excitement! I would have thought it was just because she was in a new place, with new people and a new doggy friend (Beily), but her owner told me that she was always like that. How funny. She calmed down after a couple of days though, and I think living together with another dog has done her some good. It's so funny to watch the two of them play.

I'm pretty sure Beily will miss her when she gets picked up tomorrow, and I hope they will come back to visit us soon. Beily really loves playing with other dogs, and it really doesn't matter what size they are. I have noticed how she adapts her way of playing depending on what dog she plays with, which is really interesting to watch. If the dogs are small she usually lets them climb all over her, and she runs away for them to chase her. However, if the dog is closer to her own size, that usually calls for a bit of rougher play. She throws herself at them, rolls around on the ground and runs here and there. What I love about her though is that she is very sweet, and she has never shown any signs of aggression towards anything or anyone. She even loves cats. And birds. ...I've seriously caught her several times drinking water outside with birds sitting on the side of her water bowl. It's adorible.

Organization is Key

Does anybody know a good website where one can look for rideshares and such? I really need to start figuring out how to get Beily from Arizona and over to the East Coast (and preferably to Washington D.C) now since quite honestly time is slipping away from me! I have this constant stomach ache for the simple reason that I don't know how to do this yet, I have done as much research as I've been able to do, but so far I haven't found anything. I am hoping that I'll be able to figure out how to get from the town in Mexico where I live and up to the border, but how to get from Arizona and to D.C remains a mystery. I don't expect to find a ride all the way, but I am hoping to perhaps be able to puzzle it together so that I can find someone who is planning to drive in that direction, then look for another ride from wherever he or she can take me and so on. Sounds incredibly risky and complicated, I get that, but I am really trying to avoid flying. Why? Because I don't want to put her under all that stress unless I have to, and especially not if someday I'll end up wanting to take her to Sweden. I would have loved to be able to go from Arizona and to D.C by car in the end of June, so let's see if I can make it work somehow. If anyone knows a good rideshare website I would very much appreciate the help. I am not sure I've been looking in the right places.

Leaving Mexico is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever done, and I am going to miss it more than I can possibly put words on. However, it is time for me to move on now and to seek new challenges and new adventures, and since I can't take all my friends and my life here with me - at least I want to be able to bring my dog. She is a reminder of all the amazing things I have done down here, and all the incredible people that I have met. She is also the proof of me having done something right, and that I have achieved something. Raising a kind, well-behaved, healthy and happy dog has always been my dream. It's such a great feeling to look at her and know that we did it, and that there is something I can bring with me out of Mexico when I leave, more than just my incredible memories. I've had a life here for the past 3 years, and Beily has played a very significant part in that life. =)

A Day with B

Not too bore you, whoever you are that may (or may not) be reading, I will take a quick pause from my travel concerns in order to tell you what I do with my dog on a regular day. I live in a small town here in Mexico, in a neighborhood where quite frankly - there aren't that many good places to walk. I am and I have been doing my best though, for the time that I've had her. It's been quite a journey.

On a normal day I wake up as early as I possibly can. I study online, so I don't have an exact time that I need to drag myself out of bed, which is why Beily has been a great reason for me not to waste too much time sleeping. I usually wake up somewhere around 7 or 8 depending on what time I went to sleep the night before (I must admit; I have a pretty busy social life down here), and then the first thing is to get Beily out for a decent walk. We walk back and forth here in the neighborhood, since like I said, there aren't that many great places for walking close to where I live. The rest of the morning she spends lying around at the house. I usually try to study with the front door open so that she can walk in and out as much as she wants. I have this small fenced-in "front yard" where there is no risk of her escaping, which is pretty great. She loves to just hang around out there.

In the early afternoon I try to take her out for a walk again, but since it's usually a little bit too hot to actually enjoy a walk at that time I mostly end up taking her to a nearby park (a tiny one) to play Fetch for a few minutes. She has lots of dog friends around here too, since lots of people let their dogs roam the streets on their own or "walk themselves". Not so good for the dogs considering all the risks they are exposed to on their unsupervised "walks", but it works greatly for us since those dogs accompany us to the park almost every day. I have to say I have a bit of a weak spot for dogs playing, and I could probably sit down and just watch for hours. It fascinates me! I love seeing the happiness in their every move, and for us it's a great substitute for a walk when the weather is simply too hot for it. The heat down here is unlike anything I have ever experienced... during summer it occasionally goes up to about 125 F (52 C)! It's riddiculous, and I wonder how I've survived almost 3 years down here. That kind of heat simply isn't a temperature you want to live in, and especially not if you are a dog! Lots of dogs here live outside all year around in some backyard so just imagine.

For the rest of the day we usually chill, play with Kongs and toys, and in the late afternoon I try to get her out on the longest walk of the day. I really do miss having better walking opportunities though, and that is why it would seriously be incredible to get her to Washington D.C in the end of June. D.C is such a nice city for walking. I will do whatever I possibly can to make that happen, you'll see.

Preparations & Thoughts

Beily has everything she needs to travel across the border; she has her shots, I have all her records saved from that she was 2 months old... and I will of course have her checked by a vet so that they can give me a health certificate before I leave... all that. Trust me, I have done my homework. My first problem will be to get from the San Carlos area in Sonora, Mexico, and up to the United States. I doubt any of my friends will want to drive us, especially since few of them understands my decision to bring the dog with me, and I know for sure that there is no bus that will allow me to travel with a dog. My hope is that I'll be able to find someone (perhaps American) who travels regularly to San Carlos, or perhaps someone who lives down here, who is planning to travel up to the States in late June, and who would be up for giving me and my dog a ride. If I can find that, then at least I will be able to get across the border and to Tucson or Phoenix, depending on where the driver is headed. That's step #1.

My next step will be to get from Arizona and over to Washington D.C, which will perhaps be my biggest concern. It just sounds too good to be true that I would be able to do all this by myself, especially when money isn't exactly something I have a lot of. Winning the lottery would have been awesome right now, I'm not going to lie. Unfortunately, though, I am far from rich, so we'll have to see how I go about to figure this out. That is why I call it the Beily Project. Can I do it? I have to. There isn't much of an option. What scares me is the idea of me failing, and what will happen if I do.

I can read it on people's faces when I tell them that I intend to bring my dog - they think I won't be able to do it. They don't believe that I'll follow through. Ever since Beily was given to me I've known that some of those I surround myself with have been waiting for me to give up on her, get tired of her, or in any other way reach a point where I wouldn't want to have her anymore. ...That's sad. What they don't understand is that I have wanted my own dog my whole life, and when I finally got one (even though it wasn't by choice) I was not going to give up on her. It breaks my heart to see people get dogs, be excited about them for a while and then realize they weren't ready for one, and just dump it at a shelter or worse - on the street. It is not uncommon here, unfortunately, and it is just awful.

It Started with a Woof

Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I'm Jannie. I was born and raised in Sweden, but I have been living abroad for the past 5½ years or so. First I lived in the US, then in the UK, then Mexico, then back to the US again, Sweden for a few months in between and then finally I landed in Mexico. Again. I've been in Mexico for a total of 3 years now. It is true what they say; time really does fly, doesn't it?

There are lots of things that I could talk about here, but I am going to talk about my dog; Beily. In September 2011 my roommate at the time gave me a puppy for my birthday. It is very common here to give away dogs for presents, I don't agree with it, but there she was. I have loved dogs my whole life, but if it had been up to me I would not have chosen that moment to get a dog, because I knew that sooner or later I would end up leaving Mexico. However, I loved Beily from the moment she entered into my life, and she has been my rock down here. I have the most amazing friends, but it doesn't change the fact when you live abroad you are away from your family, and it's just nice to have someone to come home to and who gets excited when you walk through the door. It has been a struggle for me; trying to be the kind of dog owner that I want to be, in a country where not everybody thinks that a 50 pound dog should get to live and sleep indoors. I've fought, I've cried... so many times... but I've made it work for the past 2 years. She is just a dog, but when I look at her I feel so proud - not only of her, but of the fact that I've managed to raise a well-behaved and sweet dog all by myself. It's a great confidence boost, and having my own dog is a dream come true.

Now here is the thing. I have come to that point that I always knew I would get to, which is having my departure from Mexico within a near future. I am planning to leave Mexico in late June. Now; many people have asked me why I don't just get a new dog when I get to where I plan to go, but they obviously don't know what it's like to share your life with a furry friend. I am bringing Beily with me, in one way or the other. This blog is about getting her up to the US, and over to Washington D.C where I am planning to spend the summer. The ideal way would have been by car, but if that turns out to be as impossible as it feels right now, I might have to try and see if I can do it by plane.

I don't know exactly how yet, but I know I can do it somehow. I also know it will be dificult, perhaps one of the more dificult things I have done, but there is no doubt in my mind that it will be worth it. She deserves it. She was adopted as a puppy (by my roommate, who then gave her to me) after having been found in a box on the street, thrown out with the trash, and so full of flees and ticks that you could barely tell there was a dog underneath. It was horrible. ... I am proud to say she has been flee- and tick free since then. She is the happiest and healthiest dog you could possibly imagine, and I could never live with myself if I left her behind. She's coming with me, one way or the other.