• About Us
  • US Maps
  • US Camping
    • CAMPING MAP
    • MT
    • AL
    • NC
    • AZ
    • ND
    • CA
    • NE
    • CO
    • NJ
    • FL
    • NM
    • GA
    • NV
    • IA
    • NY
    • ID
    • OR
    • IL
    • PA
    • KY
    • SC
    • LA
    • SD
    • MA
    • TN
    • MD
    • TX
    • ME
    • UT
    • MI
    • VA
    • MN
    • WA
    • MO
    • WY
  • US Travel Tales
    • Travel Map
    • MO
    • AL
    • NC
    • AZ
    • ND
    • CA
    • NE
    • CO
    • NM
    • FL
    • NV
    • GA
    • NY
    • IA
    • OR
    • ID
    • PA
    • IL
    • SC
    • KY
    • SD
    • LA
    • TN
    • MA
    • TX
    • MD
    • UT
    • ME
    • VA
    • MI
    • WA
    • MN
    • WY
  • Boondocking
    • Boondocking How To
    • Boondocking Sites
  • US RVing Tips
    • Overview (All Topics)
    • RVing With Pets
    • RV Lifestyle Tips
    • Volunteering & Hosting
    • Solar Power
    • Health Care
    • RV Mods & Upgrades
    • US Blog Links & Resources

Wheeling It: Tales From a Nomadic Life

On the Road Since 2010, Traveling Across USA & Europe With Pets

  • Europe Tips
  • Europe Travel Maps
  • Europe Travel Tales
    • Denmark
    • Spain
    • France
    • Sweden
    • Germany
    • UK
    • Portugal
  • Europe Blog Links & Resources
  • Privacy Policy

And Along Came Polly

May 6, 2010 by libertatemamo 6 Comments

I’d always joked with my friends that I’d more than likely end up with a mangy Mutt. Life has a curious way of reflecting the mind and, as it turned out, that’s almost exactly what happened although not at all in the way I expected. And so we introduce the last character in our little RV family…our dog, Polly.

You’re see I’m very much a dog person, grew up with dogs, volunteered in dog rescue for years (Hong Kong Dog Rescue), but never found “the one”. We came close several times…a couple of gorgeous mutts in HK and 3 foster puppies (who all died of Parvo, sadly), but never quite closed the deal.

When we moved to San Diego I naturally joined another rescue (Rancho Coastal Humane Society), took up some dog training classes and re-immersed myself into the glory of fur-balls and doggie licks. One fine morning an e-mail came out saying that two 4-week old puppies had been dumped in front of the rescue and would anyone like to foster? Almost instantaneously all rational thought went out of my head. I asked Paul (in passing since he was on a conference call for work) what he thought about fostering some puppies. He may have answered something along the lines of “sure, sounds great” because within 30 seconds I was out the door, driving in a happy puppy daze to pick up the little terrors.  Paul, having not even noticed I left, called ~20 minutes later to find out where I was…”bringing back the puppies, dear”…and so it started.

Well, mangy pups they were. In fact, they had worms, mange and just about every other ailment the first month of so. We were completely enthralled and totally overwhelmed. Our life went from one of relative leisure to constant puppy-pee watch, socialization, sulphur baths (for the mange) and basically all things dog-related. But we were, truly and completely, in love.

Things we learnt in our puppy time:

  1. Puppies are cute, lovable peeing & pooping machines. When not peeing, they are likely pooing, or looking to pee…or thinking about pooping. That is, of course, if they are not gnawing or otherwise making trouble. Potty train early and give your pup plenty of praise for going outside
  2. Whatever you teach your puppy will carry-on into adulthood. It’s a good lesson this one and worth remembering. If your little fur-ball is encouraged to gnaw your antique wood table at 5 weeks and 5 lbs, she’ll be doing it at 40 or 50 lbs too. Likewise little puppy licks become massive, wet doggie face-washings in time.
  3. Training will save you years of aging. You can start clicker-training at 4 weeks and look to join a puppy class as soon as you can. Training is fun for both of you, will give you a gorgeous, balanced dog and strenthen that owner-doggie bond. We went with a fabulous class from Whole Dog Training in San Diego (the owner of which, Nan adopted our other pup, so what a great match!)
  4. Socialization will provide balance . When puppies are young they need socialization to new environments, people and things so they recognize these things when older. So, get your puppy out there, join a class and always, always keep it short and keep it fun.

Our little, mangy peeing machine has grown up into a gorgeous 40-lb beauty and is truly a part of the family now. She loves RV’ing, mostly because we’re all together, has become firm friends with the cat (indeed it’s hard to find one without the other), and has a ball exploring new environments. So, if you’re looking for your own mangy mutt, I definitely recommend a trip to the rescue. Who knows, with a little luck maybe your rational mind will take leave of you and deliver the dog of your dreams.

Polly at ~10 weeks
Polly on her dog bed in the RV
Playing tug-of-war in Desert Hot Springs

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

« We move to the Forest (Munds Park, AZ)
Vortex’s and Aliens (Sedona, AZ) »

We LOooVE Comments, So Please Do

  1. Samantha Butler says

    May 6, 2010 at 4:09 am

    What a beautiful dog! And she’s very lucky!

    Reply
  2. Nan Arthur says

    May 6, 2010 at 3:47 am

    Wow,
    Polly’s colors really changed in her face. You should see Willow now, almost grown up! She is still short, but now has very long fur on her short little tail and a big skirt on her bum.
    If I could figure out how to send photos, I would.

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      May 6, 2010 at 3:58 am

      How cute! We still think of Willow everytime we look at our old shots. And Polly still has a thing for smaller dogs…she just loves them. I’d love to get some shots via e-mail. I’ll send you my address.

      Reply
  3. Hitekhomeless (jenn) says

    May 29, 2011 at 1:52 pm

    What an absolutely beautiful girl you have there. I bet she’s a lot of fun.

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      May 30, 2011 at 10:00 am

      She’s a total gem….one of the best things that ever happened to us!
      Nina

      Reply
  4. Sharon Edelson-Eubanks says

    June 1, 2016 at 10:51 am

    Hi! Just discovered your blog. Loving it! I do have a question though, when moving the RV, how do you secure your pets so that they don’t become cannonballs in the unfortunate event of an accident? Our dear Niles “Puppy Boy” Barkley crossed the Rainbow Bridge before we purchase our Motorhome. We now feel that we are ready to adopt one or 2 small dogs and I am concerned about how to secure them.

    Reply

A Comment For Your Thoughts? Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Where Are We Today?

Home Base, SW France

About Us

Europe Travel Maps

Top Blog Posts

  • Moving To Europe V - Pet Transport Options (By Sea, By Air, Pet Carriers & More)
  • The Splendor Of Scenic Highway 395
  • 8 Tips For Visiting & Photographing Niagara Falls
  • Moving To Europe VII - Shipping Your RV From USA to Europe
  • SP Campground Review - Bahia Honda State Park, Bahia Honda, FL

Archives

Subscribe Via Email

Disclosure Notice: WheelingIt is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Wheelingit US Camping Map

Reviews of every place we camped 2010-2018. Click to explore and enjoy!

Connect With Us

Want more Wheelingit? Connect with us by subscribing to one of our feeds!
 
Twitter Instagram
RSS YouTube

Tip The Beer Fund

Feeling the love? Share it with a contribution towards the Wheelingit beer fund (or rum fund, depending on weather & other random factors). We'll be sure to raise a glass to your health!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
COPYRIGHT INFO © 2024 Wheeling It. Share and enjoy, but please don't swipe it. All material, text and pictures in this blog are copyrighted. Should you be interested in using them please feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to talk about it!

© 2025 · Wheelingit · Built on the Genesis Framework

This website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience Got It!
To find out more, or learn how to change your cookie settings, click here Read more
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d