Traveling With Caesar
Weekend Getaway – Noida to Jaipur
Hello friends, I hope you all are doing good. Today, I will write about Caesar’s first road trip with us, a weekend getaway from Noida to Jaipur. Though it was his first travel experience, we didn’t expect him to go wild & us going mad. We had our moments of panic, doubt, shock & embarrassment. Simply because we were not prepared for the unexpected, you can easily avoid all of that just by preparing well in advance. We had no idea what traveling with caesar would feel like.
I admit it was not a perfect trip, but it is still our most memorable trip with Caesar.
You may read the other parts of this Blog Series –
- In memory of our fur baby, Caesar!
- How we met our fur baby, Caesar?
- Caesar’s First Month & Health Issues!
- Caesar’s First from the First Year!
- How to Prepare for a Road Trip with your Dog?
Traveling with Caesar – Road Trip
October 2015 – We had all the reasons to celebrate. It was my hubby’s birthday month. Caesar had completed 6 months with us. And I was in my second trimester, which was going well.
And, for me, a perfect celebration is the one which involves travel and family.
So, we planned a weekend getaway to Jaipur. I wanted this trip to be memorable for all of us, including Caesar. I was thinking all I have to take care of was booking the right cab and perfect accommodation. Well, I was wrong!
I didn’t consider the other potential issues Caesar might face during the long-distance travel by car.
Book the right cab. Make sure your pet gets a comfortable seat at the back but not the boot space.
Caesar was quite used to traveling by car. But he preferred the front seat & we didn’t mind that. No, not the driver’s seat, though.
However, this became an issue when we had to make Caesar sit in the back seat.
He was uncomfortable & unhappy!
The safe place for a dog in the car is at the back seat. Better to crate train your pet.
We somehow managed to keep him cool for the first couple of hours on the road. But soon, he started showing signs of anxiety. And we were not sure if he was just feeling anxious sitting at the back, or was he feeling unwell.
We took several breaks; we gave him his favorite treats, we kept talking to him; basically, we tried everything to calm him down. This worked but only for a while.
Don’t get irritated with your dog’s behavior. Try to understand what’s bothering him.
By the time we had covered the half distance, I was already thinking of going back home. And then, Sumit came up with an idea. He decided to sit at the back with Caesar. Surprisingly, it worked!
Make the seat cozy & comfortable by putting sheets & blankets. Keep your pet’s favorite toy near him. And, if nothing works, try sitting with him.
I have shared some tips to prepare for the first road trip with a dog!
Traveling with Caesar – Pet-friendly Resort
We had booked Lohagarh Fort Resort & Spa, which is located near the Jaipur-Delhi highway. The best thing about this resort was the spacious rooms and big open lawns. That’s what we needed for our weekend stay.
Book a dog-friendly hotel/resort, confirm that they allow the pet inside the room.
Some hotels and resorts mention ‘pet-friendly’ on their websites, but if you go through their policy or rules & regulations page, you may notice several restrictions on having a pet.
It is always better to research a bit before finalizing the hotel. You would not like to stay away from your fur baby while on vacation!
Caesar at Lohagarh Fort Resort
It was a big relief for us when we reached the resort after a challenging time on the road. The moment we entered the resort, we were greeted by some smiling faces who were quite happy to see Caesar. I loved the way they were giving attention to him.
After a quick check-in, we took a look around the resort. Their property is impressive with big beautiful green gardens and beach style pool area. Caesar’s continuously wagging tail was proof that he approved it.
Our cottage with a private garden & outdoor tub was splendid!
Pet-proof the room to be sure there is nothing that can hurt your pet.
As soon as we entered the room, Caesar started running from one corner to the other to express his joy. Our first task was to pet-proof the area, so we checked the room for anything that could be dangerous for Caesar.
Now, it was time to relax!
We went to the resort pool area, ordered some food, and spent the afternoon chilling around. Caesar took a long nap under the tree.
Fast forward to that embarrassing yet funny moment. It was time for Caesar’s evening walk, and he needed a bathroom break. But we forgot to ask the hotel staff about that part. Now, Caesar was getting desperate & could not wait any longer. And, he relieved himself right in the middle of the lawn.
Not just that, now his body movements were tensed; he needed to poop.
First thing, ask the hotel management where to take your dog to pee & poo.
Some hotels need you to take your dog outside the property & others just want you to clean up the mess. But you should know!
Clearly, we forgot to ask, and it was already too late to do anything. Well, what could we do?
We were quite skilled at scooping the poop!!!
I have shared some tips for booking a pet-friendly resort!
That moment of shock – Traveling with Caesar.
It was the DJ night, and the music was loud, so we thought of leaving Caesar in the room with his favorite chew toy. But we got the shock of our life when Sumit got a call from the resort staff on his phone.
“Sir, your dog is unattended & roaming on the lawn outside your cottage.”
We were confused because Caesar was inside the room. How could he be there?
Well, we had left the back door open for him to walk in the garden. But there was no way he could come outside.
Don’t leave your dog unattended inside the room. It’s good to crate train your dog before the trip.
A team of 3 staff members checked every part of the room & garden to figure out how a dog could make his way out.
“Ma’am, this has never happened before. We are really sorry about this.” I have no idea why they were apologizing to us.
After a while, they all left still clueless.
“What if there’s a secret passage that Caesar might have found?” All kinds of thought were running in my mind.
There was only one way to find out what happened. We again left Caesar inside the room and waited outside.
After a few minutes, we saw him jumping out from the sidewall of the garden.
Well, he was being Caesar!
We are not leaving you, Caesar!
The next morning was beautiful. We thought Caesar would enjoy some time outside the room soaking up the sun. So, we tied him to the chair and went to call my Mil & Bil from their room. But then we decided to go for breakfast first, so Sumit went back to bring Caesar along.
And then he got another shock when he saw a guard pulling his gun towards Caesar while Caesar was barking & trying to jump on a lady standing nearby.
Invest time in training your pet. This will go a long way.
Well, he was not attacking her. This was his wild way of making friends. But I know this was wrong.
And, it was my fault that I could not train him well. He had no idea how to behave around other humans in the absence of his family members.
Sumit shouted from behind at the guard to put his gun down. And, Caesar came running to him.
That lady was terrified by this incidence. Sumit apologized to her, but she was threatening to call the police. Soon, the resort management joined the scenario and calmed the lady.
If your pet is not well trained & gets hyperactive, it’s sensible to keep him on a leash when in public.
They didn’t say anything to us, just requested us to keep Caesar on a leash.
Well, he was on a leash, but this time he managed to remove his collar & break free. More than anyone else, it was me who was feeling terrible & shameful for what Caesar did.
I am his mother, and he was my responsibility!
This realization struck me only later that it was not Caesar’s fault, nor was he misbehaving. He was afraid that we might leave him once again.
I am doing a blog series this month in memory of our fur baby, #My_Son_Caesar.
You may read the other parts of the series here, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 & Part 5.
Since this is the month of #MyFriendAlexa by Blogchatter, I will be linking all my posts to their website. Do check out the new reloaded Blogchatter website to discover some amazing blogs, bloggers, and campaigns.
Click on the below link to read the next part
My Husband Became a Pet Parent! – Blog Series (Part – 7)
Caesar is super cute! And your posts about him are so honest and express your emotions.
Thank you, Sona.
I miss my travel days even more now.
Thats a very emotional post i must say .Your feelings for Ceaser can be felt through this .. I never had pets so i cant really understand the core issues but overall amazing blog .
You have explained everything so well Neha. The last part about Caesar feeling insecure that you will leave him was very touchy. As a mother, we can feel that emotions right?
Yes, we do, actually, we have to, Alpana. Animals can’t express their feelings through words, they show that through their behavior and as a pet parent we have to understand them. Thank you for stopping by!
I agree.. Training your pet can make things easier for you especially when you are traveling and meeting new people. I am loving your series and now I know how Caesar was your family.
Training your dog is the same as training your kid to be good outside the house. We never took our dogs for a getaway but I surely would have loved to.
That such a beautiful heart melting story. Most people who dont own a pet are unable to relate to the way a pet mom feels and hence they react a certain way. I now, can be more responsible after reading your story
oh my god.. you are strong.. honestly I fear pets so I can understand what the lady felt.. but now I have high regards for people who own pet.. thanks for sharing this story
I have a German Shepherd but we have never taken him to a resort or anywhere else apart from our own properties coz he is a very aggressive dog n barks at the sight of a new person. So we avoid taking him out.
The end of the post made me emotional Neha! I am amazed to see you both how calmly you both had handled the situation finding yourselves at fault. This is such an honest confession!
Despite not having any experience of being a pet parent I so thoroughly enjoyed reading this post, right from the anxious travel time, to the fun resort time and to the embarrassing moment;)
This is such an emotional and fun post! I loved the great lengths you went through to make sure that Caesar was comfortable. You sure had a great time with him. He’s so handsome!
It is such a nice experience to read about your doggie tales- almost like a glimpse into a diary! Yet the post is so informative!
Our first trip with our dog was to the bank of Ganges in UP. It was the same day to and fro road trip from Delhi. This post reminded me all the interesting experiences we had with him
Reading this brought a smile to my face, how beautiful must have been your experience. Reading about caesar through your posts feels like I have known this furball persoanlly:)
Now that my daughter has a pet, I share your blog with her. I am no pet lover but after reading your posts I realised how important they are.It is more difficult than travelling with a baby I would say.
Neha, if I were the woman I would have shouted on the top of my voice as I am not accustomed to the dogs. Glad you pointed that pets needs to be trained to react while interacting with new faces.
You both have handled the situation so smartly . Managing a doggo while travelling is difficult if the dog is not trained properly.
OH! this is such a lovely read, I was reading and visualizing my dog’s face instead of Caesar (sorry for that). They are as unpredictable as babies, I can feel you when you mentioned the insecurity. At mom’s place we have two dogs and if you play with the younger ones, the other gets insecure and starts acting goofy.
Wow what a tale! I think I went through all the emotions you must have while this was happening! But do glad that you have learnt from this experience and are spreading the word to other pet parents.
Dogs need to be trained and reassured. we started with small trips in the car around the block and then would come home so that the dogs would know that sitting in the car did not mean bad things.
Leash is equally important for the dog’s own safety!
Once my dog’s leash slipped and he ran out onto the road, unfortunately he got hit by a car and we could not save him. since then, we are doubly careful about locking doors, gates and making sure they are wearing a leash when they go out, and a collar at all times.
I am so sorry to hear about your dog. That’s why pet parents should be extra careful even when their dog is on the leash.
That was quite an interesting read. The urgent occasion of caesar was certainly hilarious but you guys couldn’t do much that time. big learning lesson for you I guess. Yes people taking pets should first ask the property people about these things. There are so many precious of you guys with caesar.
Your incident are really funny,scary and informative. These are really help me to know my pet better.