Darwin and I have made the decision to retire our pup Bowie. Bowie is actually no longer a pup but a 9-year old lab-mix. I had wanted her before I even met her. Growing up with a dog pal as a kid, when Darwin and I got married and bought a house, I wanted to fill our space not with children but with dog fur, slobbers, barks, cuddles, and love. It took much convincing but finally, a little black fuzzball came into our lives, the runt of her litter.

Since that moment I first smelled her puppy breath, I have been cleaning up after her. Cleaning up poop and pee during the early years, picking up ripped toys and pleading for her to be forgiven when she chewed up everything in the yard including wires to our air conditioning. This fulltime outside dog wallered in the dirt and mud and refused to even enter her eighty-dollar doghouse let alone sleep in it. Slowly she worked her way into our house. As she matured she realized the weaknesses of the fools that claimed to own her, and used her big brown eyes to get what she wanted; she owned us.

When our lifestyle started to change it also changed for Bowie. Her backyard became the National Parks and the view from her home became the road and a continuous slew of changing landscapes.

Our first time apart was in 2015 when Darwin and I left for our hike on the Appalachian Trail. Leaving her looking confused as she watched from my mother’s front porch as we drove off without her. This memory still strikes pain in my heart even writing this. From then on she has always been suspicious of us any time we leave her alone to run even the smallest errand.

During the four months, Darwin was hiking the PCT,  Bowie and I traveled together. She was my co-pilot, protector, and close friend. We shared a van, a bed, food, hikes, and numerous adventures together but before we left for this venture, Darwin and I could not ignore the tired look in her eyes. What was once a solid coat of black fur was now tainted with white. Our hikes had become shorter and took longer, naps are were more frequent and Bowie was plain grouchy at times.

Our trip down the coast was wonderful but Bowie noticeably relieved her pack was back together, seemed exhausted. She does not have words of her own and so depends on her actions to speak for her and for us her pack, to understand and take care of her. And so a pack decision was made.

When we pulled up to my mom’s house this week we opened the Clydesdale’s door one final time for Bowie. She immediately jumped out and ran into the house with not a moment’s hesitation or look back at Darwin or me.

That yard will stay her’s to explore unrestrained by a leash. She will now fill my mom’s house with ripped up toys, dog slobbers, black and white fur, barks, and love. She will spend the rest of her days playing with her dog-uncle, napping in air conditioning in the summer, and snuggling with my mom in the winter. She is undeniably happy and though it will be hard to take on the rest of our life adventures without her, I know she’s happier.

(A Collage Of Cute Bowie Pictures) 

Things To Expect In Up Coming Blog Posts & Other Stuffs:

Hiking Skirt Review – Coming Later This Week! 

Cool Thingys That I Also Do:

Our Etsy Store: TravelandTrail

Instagram: The_snuggle_diaries

Bowie Related Posts Of The Past:

In Defense Of Bowie: A Leashed Dog

Traveling Alongside the PCT…

Bowie Poops and Bolted Floors