Cosmos and Caroline, the trip in the paws
In this great vacation period, let me introduce you to two great travellers: Cosmos and Caroline. Caroline has long traveled alone around the world in backpacker mode. For a few months, Cosmos has joined his adventures and shares his travels. Here is their Wow Good Portrait.
Who is Cosmos?
I had a dog during my teenage years with my parents and I shared everything with him. He left us just over 5 years ago, leaving a huge hole in my heart. I was waiting to have a suitable professional situation to welcome another dog into my life.
A little over two years ago was the right time for me. I learned a lot about the different breeds, their needs and their resistance. I wanted a dog that could follow me on my 5 or 6 hour hikes in the high mountains, but small enough to be able to take him everywhere easily too. It's easier to take a French Bulldog to a restaurant than a Saint Bernard. For me, my dog is part of my life and as such, he accompanies me both on a terrace for an aperitif and with my friends.
After a good month of reflection, my choice fell on the Jack Russell Terrier. Small, tough, tireless, he was the perfect dog for what I wanted him to experience. YES, I chose my dog's breed based on what I could offer him, and not on his physical appearance (even if I find Cosmos very beautiful!). The “stubborn” aspect of his character did not scare me, having a strong head myself (we took a full year of education courses).
Musher and Sophie: “That's what we should all do…I also chose my dog based on what I wanted to share with him: water sports, hiking, tracking…I wanted a dog that could be very calm to follow me around the office and an energetic dog on the go. I wanted an intelligent and very attentive dog. It's true that a Samoyed is magnificent, but it's not a dog that suits me…”
Cosmos entered my life as a sign of fate. Once the race was chosen, I scoured the sites of Swiss and French SPAs, because it was unthinkable for me to go to a breeding when there are so many to save. And one evening, while chatting with a friend who also has a little Jack in her life, she explains to me that she has found a female and that she is going to breed hers. I waited for the puppies to be born and went to see them. Of the five little balls of hair that grew up in the enclosure of the farm, the only one who preferred to smell the flowers and chase the butterflies, rather than coming to say hello to me, was… Cosmos!
Independent, adventurous, charting his own path, this dog was made for me. So I decided to sit down and wait, to see if he, too, wanted to share his life with me. A quick glance, a first approach, a caress... and he leaves... only to come back better. He makes me understand that I must follow him, brings me to the rabbit pen, and waits.
I then take him in my arms, which allows him to see the world from above. He is happy and starts licking my face, hands, arms. Impossible to put him down, he wants to stay. I had a few names in mind before my visit. I ventured to call him by the one who seemed to me quite designated for him, since this little being has obviously decided that he is a universe all to himself:… Cosmos? The puppy turns his head, stares his big innocent eyes in the best, and melts my heart! It's him, it's Cosmos! We instantly became Caro and Cosmos!
Cosmos is a very attentive dog to everything around him. He loves exploring, discovering new places, whether in the middle of the forest or in town. What he likes is novelty, encounters. When I look at him, he always looks very proud of himself. He is a dog who does not like to give up, when he has an idea in mind, he wants to see it through to the end! He is an adventurer full of life, who likes to do a few little silly things when I don't take care of him enough for his taste. We have a very strong bond, a look is often enough to understand us. To further strengthen this bond, I even did an animal communication session to be sure to meet all his needs and expectations.
And you Caroline, tell us who you are?
For my part, I am 32 years old and I work as an executive assistant in Geneva. Before Cosmos, I traveled on all continents, alone, in backpack mode. I lived incredible adventures which allowed me to blossom and to know myself by pushing myself in my entrenchments. From Machu Picchu to the Australian Outback, via Yellowstone, the Amazon or Dakar, I think I can say that my trusty backpack has seen the country.
Introduce us to your Facebook page and your blog
Like I said, I've traveled a lot in the past, and I had no intention of quitting just because “I have a dog”. Hence my criterion “a dog capable of following me and that I can take everywhere”. With his 8kgs, Cosmos can come in the cabin with me on the plane. It's out of the question for me that he travels alone in the hold. Already, he would not understand what is happening to him, and in addition, if you knew the number of times my luggage did not take the same flight as me and ended up on another continent… No no, my dog stays with me, or else we change our destination.
Anyway, all that to say that with the arrival of Cosmos, I also got a wave of comments like “Are you sure? How are you going to do with him? Have you already found a boarding house? It's going to be a big brake on your travels, have you thought about it? Won't you miss not leaving anymore? I would keep it for you but…” etc. I fell from the clouds. I hadn't asked anyone and everyone went there with their little comment. And when travelling, it was the same thing “Are you traveling with your dog? Isn't it too difficult? I guess that stops you from really enjoying it, haven't you found anyone to keep it for you?” WTF!!! And finally, there are those, admiring, who tell me that it's great, but far too complicated in terms of logistics for them.
At some point, I thought to myself that I had to talk about it. That I explain to other owners that traveling with your dog is easy, that it doesn't cost much, and that it's just great! Whether it's on a road trip, camping or in a 5* hotel (yes, we've already done it), it's really, really not as complicated as many imagine. And then, we both have so much fun that we really find it a shame that some dogs don't have this chance yet!
So we opened the site CaroandCosmos. We put our travels, our tips, our anecdotes, our opinions. You can also follow us on our Facebook page where I post a lot of photos and where you can follow our adventures live.
You live in Switzerland, is it a dog-friendly country?
Switzerland is a very dog-friendly country. As long as your dog is a minimum educated and you respect those around you, you can take him almost anywhere. In the mountains or in the countryside, unless you are in a nature reserve where he will simply have to be kept on a leash, you can untie him if he obeys you for the return.
Otherwise, be it hotels, restaurants, bars and most of the activities (except maybe swimming pools), he will be welcome. Here, we understood that accepting dogs brings in extra people and avoids “accidents” involving dogs left in a car in direct sunlight. Everyone plays the game and it's going very well.
And I had to name three places Wouafement Bien, I would say: the Clos du Doubs in the Jura, the lake of Taney in Valais, and the region of Gruyère, in Fribourg.
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I don't know what you think about it, but in any case, I had a good time with Caroline and her adventurous doggie. I hope that their Wow Good Portrait will have made you want to travel with your dog or continue to go on vacation with him. I didn't leave them on such a good path, I asked them lots of questions about their different trips… They travel in roadtrip mode, I wanted to know more. Check out their article on Road trip with a dog and all the countries they have crossed together. Caroline shared some great stories with us. Musher and I have already spotted some cool addresses for our next vacation… like the dog bakery in Slovenia. My foodie on duty gave the place a good rating. :p
Good travels Wouafement Good to all!