There are moments when life shifts just enough to open a new chapter. For me, that shift began the morning I packed up my Audi Q5, clipped on Bolton’s leash, and started the long drive toward Pennsylvania. The plan was straightforward, seven days and three thousand miles, with dog parks, highway rest stops, lodging already arranged, and a five year old Old English Sheepdog in the back seat who sensed something was changing but wasn’t fully prepared for what the week would bring.
This trip also meant stepping away from our life in Los Angeles. Bolton has only known one home and one routine, and I have spent most of my life there. Taking a break, even briefly, carried its own weight. Driving to Pennsylvania became a way to reset, focus on new ideas, and see what might come next.
Before we left, I checked websites and maps, made lists, and tried to prepare Bolton as much as possible with a haircut, a bath, his medications, and anything else that might help him on the road. I brought blankets from home and his unwashed bedding so the familiar smells would stay with him in each place we stayed. I also packed a small plug in refrigerator for his fresh dog food so his routine would remain consistent. Even with all that planning, the first stop showed how sensitive he is to sudden change. He trembled, almost panicked, and needed a few minutes to take in the noise and movement around him. As the week went on with our hotels and Airbnbs already booked, his preferences became clear. He didn’t settle in the Airbnbs and always wanted to get back in the car. Hotels suited him much better. He relaxed once he had time to walk around the room, stretch out, and get his bearings. His whole body softened over time. The nicer the hotel, the more at ease he was, almost as if upgraded amenities made sense to him.
We kept the trip easy. It was more important to me that Bolton was comfortable than arriving quickly at our destination. Since it was the beginning of winter, I planned a very southern route to avoid snow and icy roads, moving through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia before reaching Pennsylvania. Each day meant seven to eight hours on the road with a halfway stop at a dog friendly park or hiking trail so he could walk and reset. I mapped out those halfway points before we left. We stopped at a rest area after the first two hours, another a couple of hours before we arrived for the night, and then let the day unfold as calmly as possible. Bolton settled into this routine better than I expected. He zoned out in the back and gave me quiet signals when he needed something. When he sat up and looked at me, I knew it was time for a break. I fed him in the mornings at the hotel, gave him a good walk before we started driving, and then fed him again once we checked into our lodging for the night, followed by a final walk before bed.
Not every dog handles a trip like Bolton. Some get anxious the moment the car starts moving and need shorter stretches with more frequent breaks. Others become restless in the back seat and do better with extra walks or calming reassurance. Some dogs prefer crates for the sense of security, while others need open space to stretch and shift positions. The most important thing is paying attention to your dog’s personality and adjusting the pace of the trip around their comfort level. What worked for Bolton may not work for every dog, and that’s completely normal.
As the final stretch of the drive approached, I realized this trip would always stand out as a major moment that bonded us even more. After five years of the same routine, I had worried about disrupting Bolton’s sense of stability and how he would handle such a big change. Instead, the opposite happened. The trip made him more willing to accept new situations and more adaptable overall. He picked up on the pattern of each day, understood the rhythm, and handled the shifts far better than I expected. Seeing him adjust in real time eased my own concerns and showed me he was capable of much more than I had given him credit for.
Arriving in Pennsylvania brought snow and an entirely new kind of energy for both of us. Bolton stepped into the cold without hesitation, burying his face in the fresh powder and running freely through the open space as if he had been waiting for this all week. New people, new surroundings, and new friends appeared almost instantly, and he took to it all with the same calm acceptance he found on the road. Watching him play in the snow and settle into a place so different from home made me appreciate how adaptable he had become. Now that he has handled this transition so well, it feels like my turn to work on my own.
Bolton’s Travel Tips
Bring familiar smells like unwashed bedding to help your dog settle in new spaces.
Keep meals, water, and walking times consistent with home.
Plan a real halfway stop each day at a dog-friendly park or trail.
Pay attention to your dog’s behavior. Changes often signal that a break is needed.
Choose lodging that keeps your dog calm. Hotels worked far better for Bolton.
Give your dog space to stretch in the car and start and end each day with a walk.