A blog post by Josiah, the road-trip-prepping Yorkie puppy
I was chilling on my couch blanket when Miss Janet picked me up and carried me out to the car. She said we had some errands. I had to get ready for a road trip. What’s a road trip? Is it longer than a ride to the groomer?
We drove to the pet shop. I hadn’t been there since I outgrew my puppy harnesses. The last time we went to the pet shop, I was in my backpack carrier. This time, I was on my harness and leash. Miss Janet wanted me to walk myself inside the shop.
I was sitting on the sidewalk, feeling very weird with all the noise and people. I didn’t want to move. Miss Janet carried me inside as the doors swooshed open. I can’t even tell you how many animal smells surrounded me. Big dogs walked by.
Miss Janet put me on the floor, and I just froze. She tried to nudge me forward, but I just slid along the floor. I couldn’t make my legs work. I was overwhelmed.
Miss Janet picked me up and carried me to where I saw hundreds of collars and harnesses. She said I needed a travel collar and a sturdier harness. I still had no idea what this road trip would be. But she was going to get me ready for it.
She got me a comfy blue harness and a collar to match. I hadn’t worn a collar since I was a baby. But she said I couldn’t travel without it.
Then she picked out a purple ID tag. We went to a machine that wrote my name and phone number on the tag. I don’t have a phone, so I wasn’t sure how that would work.
Miss Janet said it was her phone number, and if I got lost, whoever found me would call her. I don’t want to get lost! I better keep a close eye on Miss Janet. It seems more likely she would get lost. Maybe she should wear an ID tag. I better make sure I know where she is at all times.
Miss Janet also picked up a carrier for me. It didn’t look anything like my backpack carrier. She wore it in front, not in back. It looked like a blanket that hung from her shoulder. She picked me up, clipped my harness to the carrier, and said I could sit inside.
When I tried to settle, the carrier folded up around me, just like a blanket. It was weird, but it was also nice to think I could snooze while being carried along. I could also stick my head out the top to see what was going on around us.
After we left the pet shop, we went to visit Beauregard, my giant doodle friend who lives on a nearby farm. I had fun playing with Beauregard. It gave Miss Janet a chance to test out my new harness. She said if I could chase after Beauregard through the fields without my harness getting loose, I would be safe on my road trip.
When we left Beauregard’s farm, we drove to town. I had been to town once when I was a baby puppy. I recognized the smells: lots of food everywhere. My Yorkie nose was working very hard to sort out all those smells. I wondered why my food at home always has the same smell when town is full of so many wonderful food smells.
We went to a park in town, and Miss Janet let me run on my new harness and leash. I chased a rodent-squirrel and ran up to a family I wanted to meet. I ran all over the park and smelled a big tree where many animals had stopped by. So many sounds, smells, people, birds. I was sleepy when we left.
When we got home, Miss Janet said I should chill for the evening. The next morning would be our road trip. I couldn’t imagine where we would go or what it would be like. I was a little nervous. I decided the best thing I could do was take a nap. A good nap can help you prepare for anything.
Next time, I’ll tell you all about my first exciting road trip. You’ll never believe where I went!
Slurps and squiggles,
Josiah
The Inquisitive Yorkie 