5 Reasons to Book a Dog Gone #workcation
* Warning: Graphic image featuring a walrus below, read at your own discernment.
As I was packing up for a three day work-cation recently, a time to focus on workshop planning without the normal distractions of life, I thought, “why not bring my puppers?”
I mean, he’s a good road dog, a companion to keep me company, he'll be sad if I leave him behind.....so sure, I should bring him! I mean, what could go wrong?

So, away we went! Our first stop-over on the drive was in Eugene for a respite and a walk. All good there, onward to the ocean!
In total our drive from Bend to Nye Beach, Oregon was a mild 3 hour and 45 minutes, not too bad. We checked in just after 2:30pm on a Monday and our room was ready to go. In the lobby, after regular check in procedures, a nice lady handed me a black bag sealed with a white dog bone sticker. How sweet!
Not only did the Inn at Nye Beach allow pets, they honored them with a check-in doggy bag, complete with a few dog treats + a rag chew toy. Boom! We love this place.
Reason #1 to book a dog gone work-cation:
You get to take your four-legged friend along to keep you company!

As you can imagine, my puppers, Dean the Doggie, was eager to get to the waterfront....so was I! We hustled down the long set of stairs to the sand, I let him off his leash and he bolted to the ocean, free as can be and loving it. We took his chew toy, ran up and down the shore, and just explored the area with no immediate agenda.
Total bliss.
Except when.......we get down the way a little bit and there's a storm drain coming out of the sea wall, just beyond and from below the town, ya know....it dumps drain water out to the ocean (squirmy face).
I'm not usually freaked out about these kinds of things, but I really didn't want Dean to frolic in potentially toxic runoff.
But, he did.
He frolicked in it like a bathing gazelle, he swam back and forth in it, he bit the surface bubbles and basically drank the runoff, he drank a lot of it. Uffdah!

Afterward, Dean didn't feel so good. I will spare you the details, but let's just say he had a certain runoff of his own that we had to walk off for another hour or so. There was no going back, until we did. Then his runoff water-swallowing experience messed with his belly (sad face), I will liken it to caring for a very young sick child. Lots of clean up!
Reason #2 to book a dog gone work-cation:
Once you've made it through the worst part with your dog, the rest is a breeze!
As the doggie drama passed, and we settled into our new temporary digs, I began to feel the ease and space that this getaway provided. I began to feel clear-minded and was able to get down on paper what had been rattling around in my head for weeks. I was accomplishing what I came for: A little work, a little vacation.
As I volleyed between the hot tub, the fire pits, the balcony of my room, and the beach, Dean was there....every step of the way (I even bounced a few ideas off of him in the process).
Each day we'd walk to town, just down the hill from where we stayed, to grab lunch and a pint.
The town was pretty dog friendly, which was cool.
What I didn't anticipate was the incessant begging from puppers!
He had me cornered at every turn, with those eyes, and he
wouldn't take "NO" for an answer!
*Good Grub at Nan's in Nye Beach
Reason #3 to book a dog gone work-cation:
You don't have to eat all the fries yourself!
Now, before you judge me for totally caving to my dog and feeding him people food from the restaurant table, I implore you to try and take your dog on a solo trip with no-one else around to answer to. Seriously, you tell me you wouldn't slip the guy a fry or......five (ok, fifteen!).
Oh, and then this leads to not being able to leave your room for one minute without your sidekick.
Theory: Feed your doggo table scarps for a few days and watch him/her become absolutely allegiant to you. It's scary.
Then....there are the endless amount of walks you will take, that you MUST take because this dog's life depends on smelling the smells, running into the ocean, swimming in drainage water, peeing on every bush, getting attention from every visitor, and the .....list....goes....on.

Reason #4 to book a dog gone work-cation:
An endless amount of walks.
There's no better motivator to clear the mind and move the body than the obligation of a dog that needs a walk. Without Dean I easily could have taken my selfish time to lounge by the spa or the fire, sit at the cafe a little longer, sleep all through the night without an early morning, brisk oceanside walk. I could have done all of these things, but....not with a dog by my side.
A dog is like a child to care for. A dog is a best pal and a constant source of inspiration to live in the moment, even if it's their moment, but hey - I chose to take my dog on my work-cation.
And, I am so glad that I did.

Reason #5 to book a dog gone work-cation:
The memories.
I'm not sure what it would have been like on this #workcation without Dean along.
I'm sensing that it might have been a little more work focused and a little less "cation" focused. Without his furry little presence, I think I would have chosen more computer , planning or writing times indeed....and that's no fun!
In the end I got the perfect amount of inspiration to push through a little work that I needed to do AND I got an abundance of running on the beach, playing in the waves + basking in the sunshiney fun!!
As a women in business, a solopreneur, a #bossbabe with a mile high to do list, this was just the thing I needed. You can bet that I'll be planning many more #workcations to come, and 90% of the time, I'll be sure to bring my dog!
Signing off, full of gratitude,
Holly JustHolly