This was a week like many others for us…super busy. As we made preparations to head back on the road Monday, and tried to finish work assignments, TV appearances, and tied up loose ends, I seemed to really lose focus.  I lost track of time.  Sunday became Tuesday which became Thursday, Friday.  I was losing a day here or there.  I felt myself being caught up in a life that I used to have…no time, no sense of what was important.  I was headed down that road again, and it wasn’t the open road.  It was the road of putting my thoughts and heart on things that were less important than my dogs.  And if you know me by now…there is nothing more important than my family.  And yet, I started to remember and to sympathize with where many of our fans and friends are.  In the cycle of life that makes us believe we don’t have time to enjoy it.  Because yeah…maybe we don’t.  And that’s a dern shame.

I am not one to judge, or to say that one person loves their dog more than another by how much time they spend with them.  The fact is, we all have different circumstances and obligations.  But being immersed in “everything dog”, I often see the posts and the videos of dog parents giving their dogs “last days” when they become seriously ill. You may have watched them too.  The videos of dogs being taken to the dog park, or the beach, or given one last favorite meal.  And although this is heartwarming, I began to wonder.  Why were so many waiting? Waiting to treat their dogs how they wanted to all along? Waiting until it was time to say goodbye to give them their favorite foods.  And so I had an idea I asked a question on our Fan Group Page.  What is your dog’s favorite meal?  The responses were great.  Pizza, bbq, eggs, carrots, rice, chicken, lasagna…and we loved the “whatever I’m having”.  It was apparent that our fans really knew their dogs.

My next question was “would you wait until your dog’s last day to give them this meal that they love…or can you give it to them TODAY? So many times, we know people wait to give their dogs real food and their favorite meal until time is short. We shouldn’t wait!”.

My point of this was to make our fans think.  If their dogs were important to them, truly important, we aren’t saying to give them foods they shouldn’t eat.  But can we make their day just a little, well, special?  If we do that, how will it improve the relationship that we have with our dogs?  If we take the time to make their food, give them an extra long walk or to treat them the way they deserve to be treated, it will take some extra time, extra effort and extra thought.  But in the process, can we improve our own outlook on life, our priorities and our life’s direction?  Oh, our dogs can do so much for us.  Making us refocus, regroup and see the path we are on is just one of the ways dogs change our lives.  Life is not made up of one last good day for us…and it shouldn’t be for our dogs.  How can you get back on the path to your family who loves you unconditionally?  Put them first.  As one famous lady said…and we should add…”our dogs”.

The dog beach, the dog park, and that hike that you were waiting to take with your dog when you had the time is now.  The time to put away your phone is now.  Don’t wait until a last day.  Because you may never have that opportunity.

-Rachael Johnson, Owner and Girl Person of 2 Traveling Dogs

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