Dolly Goes to Washington DC! Part Two

After our long drive from Chicago and an overnight stay in Chambersburg, the next morning my Mom and Dad drove a shorter distance to Gettysburg. It was a beautiful drive through the Allegheny Mountains, Caledonia State Park and we even crossed the Appalachian Trail. Just before entering Gettysburg we saw part of the national park so stopped and checked out some of the memorials. We were in an area known as McPherson's Ridge where the first battle took place.

My first look at the battlefield!

Mom and Dad liked what we saw so we drove into town to the National Park Service Visitor's Center to find out about taking the tour. At the Visitor's Center we had a long walk to a building that didn't allow dogs, so I had to sit outside with Mom, while Dad went inside. This is where the separation anxiety was starting to get to be a problem. I don't want to stay outside with either of them I want both of them to be with me so I really misbehave.  I whine and pull and try to follow Dad into the museum. Mom is very nice, she talks to me and pets me while trying to keep me sitting at her side.  That works until a stranger walks by or wants to say hello to the cute dog (me). I will growl or sometimes bark if I don't like the looks of someone. Plus Dad was already upset with how I behaved earlier when we got out of the car. I was wearing the short leash that attaches to my Kurgo harness so I was pulling everywhere if one or the other walked away to look at something. Since that didn't work mom put my new ComfortFlex harness on that she got at her favorite store for little dogs called Golly Gear. She didn't want me to wear the pinch collar so that people would think she was being mean to me.

Walking with mom to the National Park Service Visitor's Center 

After Mom and Dad were done in the Visitor's Center, and with the pack intact, we started the auto tour of the National Military Park. We'd drive a little bit then stop, sometimes Mom or Dad or both would get out, and not always take me them, which would lead to a lot of whining in the car. But when I did get out of the car I had a great time! There were lots of people around and dogs too. It was hard to keep Mom and Dad on each side of me but I tried by pulling around a lot, it was a real fight in my new harness. Mom figured out fast to just grab me by the harness and move me if I didn't want to come with her.

Mom and me at Eternal Light Peace Memorial
paying respects to lives lost in Civil War.

Little Round Top overlooking battlefields.

We took all day doing the tour then we drove for a long time again. We were in Maryland, I had never been there before! Before you knew it we stopped and mom said "We're here!" I was in Washington D.C.! I was so excited and couldn't wait too see the National Dog Park and all the monuments. Stay tuned for Part 3 of Dolly Goes to Washington DC to read how it all goes. For more information on Gettysburg and the auto tour at Gettysburg National Military Park visit www.nps.gov/gett. We highly recommend it as a dog-friendly trip!

Dolly Goes to Washington DC! Part One

This is the first part of a series of blogs about my vacation with Mom and Dad to our nation's capitol Washington DC.

It all began for me one day that seemed to me like any other day. First, I got to go with mom to run errands in the car and ended up being dragged into the place where they trim my toenails. Yikes! After we got home I got to go for a walk but when we came in the door mom dragged me, again, to the basement for a bath. Double yikes! Then she spent all day doing laundry and putting things in bags and boxes. The next morning Mom and Dad were up early which is normal, but mom didn't take me for a walk, I only got to go in the back yard. Both were busy putting things in more bags and boxes and going in and outside. I started to get worried until I heard those magic words "Ride in the car?"

Checking to make sure I packed everything!

I got really excited then, I started wagging my tail and running around, I was so happy because I knew I was going with mom and dad somewhere I just didn't know where! I got to the car only to be disappointed to be put in the backseat, and oh no, put in my Kurgo harness. I really wanted to be up front with mom and dad. But there were blankets and a bed it was really nice! I settled down right away for the drive.

Let's go!

Ahhh sun! I'm getting sleepy!

Oh my dog! It was a long ride! First it was like we were going to Grandma's in Indiana because we stopped at the place for me to go potty where I've been before. We drove for a really long time, Mom and Dad stopped a lot and I got to get out and meet some other dogs who were traveling too. After awhile I had slept enough and got a little restless. Mom got me this dog harness set up by Kurgo where I have a harness that hooks up to a zip line across the backseat. So I can move around all over the back but found out I had just enough length to stand shotgun between mom and dad on the center arm rest and watch where we were going. I also got lots of pets and hugs and gave kisses and nuzzells back. I also could look out all the windows and sometimes the window would open and I could smell things too. Mom gave me a Nylabone but I wasn't in the mood for that so just relaxed and waited to see what was going to happen.

Okay, I admit, I'm not perfect. When either mom or dad would leave the car I freaked out. I wanted my pack together and my separation anxiety sort of became an issue on the trip. I will confess to more of this later on.

Finally we stopped at a hotel called LaQuinta. I saw other dogs there too! I rode in an elevator for the first time and learned a new trick. We had two beds and I could jump from one to the other without jumping down and then back up. Cool! The next morning I got to go in the car again and we were off! A few hours laters we came to a town called Gettysburg where a famous Civil War battle took place. We were going to spend the day there and learn about history. It sounded like fun to me because we were going to be in the car the whole time and go for little walks inbetween. What a perfect day, car, walks, mom and dad, what more could a little Doxie mix rescue ask for?

This ends Part One of Dolly Goes to Washington DC! Stay tuned for more of my exciting adventure!