A foggy day in Percé

My backyard for this week

The last four days have been very windy and foggy but i'm still enjoying this road trip!

I'm still a little dizzy because of the antibiotics but now, i can walk a little bit longer.  My parents and i took walkies on the beach and i must say i was a bit disappointed because i couldn't see the famous Rock here in Percé, too much fog!

I asked mum to post some pics so you can all see what i've seen so far. So, here is a recap of my first days on the road!

A small lighthouse, smaller than a doghouse!

Dad and i having a little cuddle

Scary!!

Forillon National Park

Mum and i smiling for the camera!

In case you're wondering where i am exactly...

View Larger Map

Next stop, Anse-à-Beaufils and the Yak Farm!  Cannot wait to see and smell those exotic animals!

Recovering on the road

Hi guys!

My recovery is going great.  I'm still on meds - antibiotics and pain killers - and still have stitches but other than that, i'm feeling better and better.

Did you see my new belly? Hahaha!!

Recovering from a surgery on the road has a few advantages!  First, my parents are taking good care of me and they are spoiling me! They give me potatoes and ground beef (like, i don't know they're putting my meds in it... hello!) and they cuddle with me A LOT!!

I got the chance to take short walkies too and i saw dinosaurs and a real submarine!  That was really cool!  The weather is bad - rain, wind and really cold temperature - but the views are so beautiful that i don't mind a little cold!

I'll talk to you soon!  Love you all! And thanks for your support, it really meant a lot to me and my parents! 

xoxo

Emergency!

My first week on the road and, instead of sleeping at the lighthouse as planned, i ended up at the hospital for 24 hours.

Me and Dr Plasse, the vet, 24 hours after surgery

It all started during the night, when i started breathing very loudly.  I woke my parents up and they were in total shock!  I was bleeding and the smell was really awful - a sign of infection.  But, what can you do at 2 in the morning??? So they took care of me, giving me water because i was very thirsty!

At 6 am, we packed everything and went to the hospital.

The vet saw me right away and the diagnosis was... pyometra.  A bad infection of the uterus.  I needed an emergency surgery!!

An hour later, i was in the op room and Dr Raymond Plasse did an hysterectomy.  My parents were very worried, they cried, but the vet said that i was going to be ok, because they brought me here as soon as they noticed the symptoms.

Let me tell you one thing, Dr Plasse is my new hero! He really saved my life! I will be forever grateful to him and his staff at the Hôpital Vétérinaire Lasalle.  He even took a few pics during the intervention! (No, i'm not showing the ugly ones!!)

Right before the surgery...

Update...
I've been out for 36 hours now and recovery is going good.

Symptoms of pyometria
- lethargy
- heavy drinking
- with or without bleeding
- happens to females aged between 5 and 7, that never had a litter before, usually 5-8 weeks after last ovulation
- if no bleeding, hard to detect and infection may spread to kidneys, which might be cause of death within a few days

I was so lucky!!!

My new life on the road!

I've been living in my new dog house on wheels for a few days now and adjusting to this new life is easier than i thought.

I've got my own sofa bed now, which is kind of cool, but i can't sleep in the big bed with my parents anymore.  Too high for me to jump in.  So the other night, dad came to sleep with me on the sofa.  He didn't want me to feel lonely...  My dad is really the best in the world!

My backyard changes everyday.  After spending a couple of days at my granny's home, we stayed at this lady's house where i met a new friend, a doggie named Bella.  She had quite a loud bark for such a tiny dog!

My parents said that we would spend the week-end around here to celebrate our National Day (June 24th) and see the fireworks.  Hope we won't be too close to them because it scares me a little...

To be honest with you, i do have my moments when i think of my old house, but i know that this life on the road will be such a great experience for me!

Next time i'll talk to you guys, i'll probably be near the town of Rimouski and guess what?  I'll sleep near the light house!  Coolest thing ever!!  I'll also stay at a yak farm! Yes, yaks, you read that right!  You know, the animal that lives in Tibet?!  Isn't it great??!!

See you soon!  Love you!

p.s. i gave my new home a nickname... Bob the Camper! BOL!

The adventure begins!

I cannot believe it!  I'm finally leaving for my road trip!

Today is a big day.  My parents and i are leaving our house and giving the keys to the new owner, hoping she's gonna take care of it and love it as much as we did.  We had a lot of fun there and the memories we built and shared will stay in our hearts forever.

But now, time to move on...

Our first week as nomads will be spend at my granny's house.  We still have a lot to do on our new house on wheels and mum has to buy a few things so, we'll stay there until June the 26th.  Then, we'll go see family in Gaspésie and tour the province of New-Brunswick.  After that, back "home" for the wedding of mum's godson on July the 20th and then, we'll be leaving for the US.

I don't know yet which state we'll visit first but it looks like we'll be going to Michigan and after that, the Keys! Oh Yeah! Can't wait to take long walks on the beach!!!

I told mum that we must go to Ohio to visit my friend Porter at Drake University and before going to Florida to see my friend Cyanna, we have to make a stop in Boston for Abby.  But don't worry guys, i'll make sure we stop in every state/province to visit all of you!  That means going to Chicago, Toronto, Los Angeles, ...

As i said on Twitter, i won't be able to post on my blog or chat with you guys as often as i did but i'll make sure that mum finds free wifi to give updates at least once a week!

Now, before i forget, a big thanks to my sponsor, Oven Baked Tradition, who is feeding me while on the road.  They are just awsome and i love them a lot!

So be safe my friends, i'll see you soon! Until then, a big hug to you all, nose kisses and licks!

xoxo

The countdown begins!

We only have 10 days left in the house, so i asked mum if she could map our itinerary, so i could share it with you, my friends.

She did and here is where we'll be during our first month on the road!

Agrandir le plan

This "little" trip is about 2 500 km long... It will give me plenty of time to adjust to my new life on the road and to my new house on wheels.

During this trip, i plan on visiting family, play in the ocean, watch dad catch a salmon and take lots of pictures with the people and the four legged friends i'll meet there!

Dad's family live in Percé (C on the map), a town famous for its giant rock sitting in the ocean. At low tide, you can walk there!

The Rock in Percé

In New Brunswick, we'll certainly stop by Shédiac (E on the map), a town famous for its wonderful sea shore.

The boardwalk in Bouctouche/Shédiac

I really can't wait to tell you all about it!

But before we leave, we still have to clean the house and load the RV...  Those 10 days to come will be the longest days of my doggie life!!

See you soon!

Happy to be homeless

My dear friend Cyanna, who lives in sunny Florida, said that i was probably the only dog she knows who is happy to be homeless...  And she is right!  

In 12 days, my family and I will be leaving this house we lived in for the past 6 years - a house that my parents built themselves - and go on a road trip.  This journey will take us around North America and, if i'm lucky enough to be still alive in a couple of years, around Europe too, and maybe parts of South America and, who knows, Asia.  Anyway, the point is, i'll be homeless for the years to come.

Am i sad?  No.  See, as a dog, i don't leave many things behind me.  I won't miss my neighbor's cat, i'll have my tennis ball with me, i'll get to see lots of new places, smell new things and meet new people.  What could be better?  And i'll be with my parents, all the time.  What more a dog could ask for?

I know that, sometimes, life will be a little difficult for me.  I won't be able to walk along with mum and dad if they decide to hike in the wilderness, but i'll be able to see most of the beauties our planet as to offer.  I know that, in some parts of the south, i will have to take good care of myself, as weather conditions can be dangerous for me.  A heat wave can be fatal for a dog like me.  I'll have to watch out for ticks, snakes, wolves, bears, porcupines, ... and humans too, as some of them might want to harm me or worst, try to steal me.  But me parents are well aware of this and they won't let anything happen to me.

For those of you interested by the details...

- microchip is not mandatory to travel in North America but my parents decided that i should wear one.

- the only shot i need is for rabies, plus protection against ticks (Lyme disease).  Remember that rabies shot has to be done 1 month prior to travel.

- the leash i'll use for walks has to be 6 feet long or less, because in many cities, dogs like me - a.k.a. dangerous breeds - have to be on short leash.

- insurance, insurance, insurance! Better be safe than sorry...

- yes, i will wear a harness in the RV.  Because of my weight, i could become a flying bomb and crush the windshield... we don't want that to happen, right?

What else?  Oh, my parents said that i will have to work on the road.  I'll be their official alarm system and personnal bodyguard.  I'll also work as a "spokesdog", which is kind of cool!  

Our first stop will be Gaspésie and New Brunswick, to visit dad's family and participate in the Annual Lobster Festival in Shediac.  We'll come back here because mum's godson is getting married in July and then, the great adventure will officially begin!!

But before that, we have to finish packing our stuff.  Well, actually, i have to help mum... What would she do without me?  Hey, don't forget my Kong!!

I really hope you will all follow my adventures on the road.  I promise you, it will be pawsome! 

See you soon!