We were fortunate to vacation in Hawaii recently. This trip put us away from our two dogs for a whole nine days. Planning this experience prompted a few interesting questions:
- What arrangements should be made at home so the dogs have a good life while we’re away?
- What if we fall in love and decide we want to live in Hawaii?
- Would our dogs like Hawaii?
Nalu with his Dad
Without Our Dogs
We have a great routine for leaving the dogs with a clear conscience. We have built up a small network of family and friends that know our dogs well enough to care for them… and even enjoy it. We usually choose another “dog family” simply because we take turns helping each other. (Also, the dogs kind of take care of each other!) Here are the ingredients for this recipe:
- Start ahead of time. Our dogs have about 10 close dog friends (from 6 families) that they can comfortably live with. I’d say 50% of the relationships had a tense start. I think this is important to mention – perseverance absolutely pays off! Don’t give up just because your dogs don’t fall in love with each other at first sight.
- Maintain the relationship. We see our regular dog friends anywhere from once a year to once a week. We share dog walks, visits to each others’ houses, whatever. Keep the contacts ongoing.
- Have several options, in case one family is not available when you need them.
Some people may be comfortable incorporating one dog into their daily routine, but not multiple. That’s cool… we do split ours up sometimes. They can each get spoiled for a little while being the “only dog” and then they are thrilled to reunite.
If you’ve not yet had time to meet and establish doggy family friendships, locate a good dog daycare or a kennel. Make sure you follow the important suggestion above, i.e. start ahead of time. Let your “forever friend” try out the accommodations at least once before your vacation so that she/he fully understands that you WILL come back.
Also… get them a gift while you’re away. As I read “The Language of Miracles” (Amelia Kinkade) on the plane ride home, I thanked my lucky stars we had picked up new Hawaiian collars for our two. Amelia explained that dogs figure we go away to hunt, so it makes sense to bring them something from out trip. I definitely felt we got the “paws up” sign when we presented the gifts 🙂
With the Dogs in Hawaii
I laughed to myself in Hawaii as we enjoyed world-class views, tropical surroundings, beautiful colors, yet I still found that my eyes were constantly drawn to each dog we passed. We saw all different kinds. They included purebreds and beautiful mixes. The culture in Hawaii certainly incorporates dogs – it is not hard to spot them walking with their guardians, frolicking on the beach, and even to see some celebrated in colorful murals seen by thousands of people every day.
Dog and Turtle Mural, North Shore, Oahu
Our first interesting lesson about dogs in Hawaii was they love coconuts, and their people love their loving of coconuts too. Dogs play with them for hours, pushing and watching them wobble irregularly, gnawing at them to get to the good stuff inside, all the while brushing their gums and teeth. What a gift from Mother Nature!
We also met some amazingly social dogs who must meet hundreds of people like us every day. Some people who live near the beach let their dogs freely play host/hostess to the many tourists who buzz through famous spots. As I watched new people come and go, and walk around the beach dogs trustingly, I felt more sure than ever that all types of people tolerate “good” dogs just fine. This strengthened my desire to help people help their dogs to learn (human) social skills. We even got the treat of seeing two Hawaiian beach dogs meet happily.
Tourist With Canine Hostess
Aloha, Dog
As some of us hit the local fishing tackle stores, my special request was to visit a local shelter. We had a wonderful conversation with a bright, intelligent volunteer, who (like so many) had vacationed in Hawaii and then just “had to move” there. She explained she learned a lot about quarantine rules as she moved her dog from California to Hawaii. The rules have gotten easier, now enabling immediate release upon arrival at the Honolulu airport, as long as planning is done to acquire documentation throughout 120 days prior to the trip. This works fine for older dogs, such as hers, for whom she could show proof of two separate rabies vaccinations.
I also asked her where Hawaiian dogs come from – rescues or breeders? The Kona shelter regularly has 50-60 dogs with a 91% adoption rate, so clearly a lot of people find their dogs at the Humane Society. The islands are pretty well covered – on the Big Island alone, there are three Humane Society shelters like Kona’s. There are some other small sanctuaries and a few breeders on the islands. For those who are dead-set on a specific breed, most purebred puppies can be imported from Australia. Both Australia and Hawaii are officially “rabies-free”, so the import between these two locations is one of the few in the world without confinement requirements.
Kona: Hawaiian Island Humane Society
The shelter was clean, full of nice people and nice dogs. Many dogs shared space happily which I loved to see. I spent the best $50 of the whole trip (in the form of a donation), and now I am sporting a Hawaiian-style “Adopt a Pet” magnet on my car – a fun novelty back on the mainland!
In conclusion, we would do well in Hawaii with or without our dogs. Sage would do quite well acting as a Hawaiian hostess, as she loves meeting new people. Logan would definitely enjoy the coconuts and long runs on the beach. However, they were also quite happy to “vacation” at their doggy friends’ homes while we were away. We would be perfectly comfortable saying “Aloha” and leaving them in these conditions again. I guess it’s kind of like they always say about grandkids – fun to babysit and spoil on occasion! All were happy during their vacations… and also happy to get back to their normal routines afterwards.
