Traveling with Unusual Pets

I wrote an article recently about my friend and his "truck puppy" Pete. Pete is growing fast and driving my friend crazy from time to time. But he's glad to have the company and it's really working out pretty well. As it happens, I've had occasion to meet several people lately who travel with their pets. Some are very strange, indeed.

It's not uncommon to see trucks with a dog looking out the passenger window. Truck puppies come in all sizes and descriptions. I've seen Doberman's, Shepherds, most of the larger breeds (no St. Bernards or Irish Wolf Hounds yet). The bigger dogs have some advantages. Nobody wants to open the truck door with inch long fangs gleaming at them. Bigger dogs can get in and out of the truck by themselves, usually, which makes it a little easier for the driver to let them out when necessary. And you don't get teased much when the dog is a large breed. Smaller dogs have some advantages, too. Toy poodles, Yorkies, Chihuahuas, etc. don't eat much, and if they leave a puddle or pile, it's a small one. You can find a tiny patch of grass for the "pet potty" pretty much anywhere. On the other hand, some of the drivers get teased about their little pooches.

Dogs aren't the only traveling companions, of course. I met a couple named Mack and Mary who have their canaries along for the ride! The birds are named "Waylon" and "Willie" and sing up a storm. The cage is small and they have a hook for it between the cab and the sleeper. "The feathers and birdseed have to be cleaned up pretty often," Mary told me. "But we just love their warbling," she laughed.

A trucker called "Road Rash" has a strange pet, too. His two foot long iguana rides on the dashboard. The lizard seems quite happy with his home. Iguanas are supposed to have heat lamps to keep them warm, but according to Road Rash, "Beauregard is the healthiest iguana in the world. He gets plenty of sunshine during the day and engine heat most of the night. I have to change the carpet every week or two, though," he chuckled.

Another trucker with an unusual pet is Billy. He has a marmoset (monkey). The little critter loves Billy but isn't very friendly with anyone else. He tried to take my finger off when I reached out to pet him. "He's great for conversation, but lousy for my social life," Billy told me with a grin. "That's probably why my wife got him for me."

Whatever sort of pet you have, if you make the little adjustments necessary for their comfort and safety, they can make great traveling companions. It is easier if your company doesn't have a "no pet" policy, of course.