Day 51: Reflecting on Van Traveling With a Dog
5/2 Update After trying two times to work, travel, and live from the van with Chester it’s not working unfortunately. I got the bugger with my mom so he will return to living with her until I have a steadier living situation. I’ve been forcing van dog life with Chester. Time to let it go.
I’ve been van traveling for a month now with Chester and this is where I’m at with the situation: I like his company but the frustration I feel during the times I do not is exacerbated by the limited space in the van. However, these feelings of frustration have subsided over time. It took a few weeks to acclimate to living in a van with Chester, but keep in mind: Chester is naturally good-mannered and does not run away off-leash. Not all dogs are like this.
I like the company of Chester and other dogs when they are running free outside and I’m doing my own thing like working from the computer or preparing a meal with the sliding door open. This is what the situation is like this week. I also like Chester’s company when he passes out after a long morning walk and I am working or writing from the computer with a cup of coffee as the sun shines through the windows.
Then there are the times I don’t like the company of Chester. I continue loving him like I love all beings, but his presence causes frustration. Like now when I am writing this under the bed covers after a limited amount of sleep and can hear him slurping his balls and whining to come up from his bed to mine. He is also pacing and tapping and burping. I laughed at the burp but now I’m either going to succumb to his whining or tell him to go to his bed once again.
I succumbed. But now I keep saying no because he is trying to lick his balls more. Let’s see if he licks again. Wait for it. Nope. Not yet. He wants to and is looking at me all cute as I write this. I stroke his ears and massage his neck and know I am lucky to have him with me. But he wants to chase birds and run through the swamp and I want to finish this post and roll around under the covers, and maybe fall into a half sleep while listening to an audiobook.
I can hear his intestines working. He’ll probably have to poop soon. I’ll probably have to get up soon. And then the day will start. A tiredness will linger in my body but I’ll transcend it and sleep well tonight.
Sleeping in a van with a dog: Forget about sleeping in. The dog will wake with the sun, even if most of the rising sun is blocked by window covers. At least Chester does. He gets a lot of exercise and goes to bed much earlier than me and sleeps much sounder than me. This early rising is fine on weekdays but quite annoying on weekends, especially during mornings that follow late nights. I can’t just let him out to run in the backyard or let him play with his toys in another room while I enjoy the peace of a bedroom.
In summary, I would not want to travel with a dog that is a flight risk. Worrying about whether a dog will run away off-leash triggers a lot of stress within me. However, the friend I am traveling with now has a dog that is a flight risk and they are both peachy. It all depends on what irritates you and how willing you are to let go of that irritation. I would also want it no other way than it is now with Chester. He helps me be less selfish, love more unconditionally, and get my ass out of bed.
When I return to Pittsburgh in April, I will consider letting my mom take care of him for a while. Not because I am frustrated with him, but because she would want to and I am curious about comparing van life with and without a dog. As for now, I’m about to big spoon Chester and scratch his chest until he passes out or blows a toxic fart bomb, in which case there will be no other option than to rise and meet the day.
