The Big Dogs

Can't Stop the Rain

How do you improve on perfection?? You can't, so you just have to get more of it. After years of debating the challenges of traveling with TWO ginormous dogs in our little short bus, we took the plunge. On July 2, 2022 we welcomed Raney Leila Edington (AKC: Tundra R3 Can't Stop the Rain) into our happy family. She started out as a true road warrior, spending her first month with us in the RV.  You can read more about her adventures starting with this post: Riley has a Baby Sister!

Raney comes home!

Tucked into her crate under the dining table in the RV. 

We have no words to say how thrilled we are with our perfect angel baby girl. She is a world-class snuggler and sweetheart with just enough spice to keep us all on our toes. After five years as a spoiled only child, Riley had to make some serious adjustments. He is coming along well, tolerating her puppy antics and we look forward to the day when his playful nature will make them best buddies. 

Raney at 9 weeks, puppy perfection!

Rog, Riley and Raney at Diamond Lake, OR.
💖 Home is where you park it. 💖

The Life of Riley

For those new to the blog, we started our year-long adventure (July 2016-July 2017) with our sweet Mastiff girl, Callie. We were heartbroken when she passed away shortly after leaving home (see below for more about Callie). We spent a wonderful year exploring the country and visiting as many National Parks as we could. It was a fabulous trip, but it was also the longest time we've spent in 34 years without a Mastiff in the family. As we got closer to home we started hunting for the perfect puppy... and we found him!! Please welcome Riley Logan Edington (AKC: Mountainviews Life of Riley).

Proud papa.  Rog and Riley at 6 weeks.

In July, our last stop before returning home included a quick visit to Mountainview Mastiffs in Bellingham, WA to meet Riley. (Blog post HERE) Our year on the road ended and we were excited to return a few weeks later to claim our perfect puppy. :)

So happy to bring our Riley home!

Riley embarked (no pun intended) on his first RV adventure at nine weeks old. He had a fun time in Oregon while Mom and Dad were thrilled to see the total solar eclipse on 8/21/18. (Blog post HERE) Since then we've spent a few weeks in the RV visiting family but no grand adventures. Until now....

Riley on the road!

Our next adventure (and hopefully the first of many) will commence March 15, 2018. This will be Riley's first real taste of RV living and we're looking forward (mostly) to sharing our space with our not-so-tiny puppy. Yes, something strange has happened in the months since we brought our 19 pound bundle of joy home on August 6th... He GREW and GREW and GREW and then GREW some more... and he's not done yet!

All sweetness and then out comes the "bat-eared wolverdemon."  Lol.

At 6 weeks and 6 months. 

At not quite nine months, Riley is over 155 pounds and stands taller than Daddy's 30" inseam. When it comes to play time, he is insatiable. Outside, he loves to play keep-away with the ball (fetch is too much work), tug, and chase and go for walkies. He has weekly play dates with his Great Dane buddy, Mina too. Indoors, it looks like a toy store exploded in the living room. He absolutely loves to play with cat toys, chase the red laser light, and snuggle his pookies, but his all time favorite plaything is Daddy!! :)

Winter walkies on the Soos Creek Trail. (Riley 8 months)

Riley at two years old.

Riley at 4 1/2 years old. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Callie  2008-2016

Got Drool?

Callie is the puppy princess, an English Mastiff rescue who joined our family in April 2010. In spite of a tough start in life, she has certainly found her place. While her exact age is unknown, she is probably pushing eight now. So the walkies are shorter and the couch time is longer, but she absolutely loves to go wherever we go - hiking, kayaking or just along for a ride.  Her special talent is setting belly traps to snag unsuspecting prey for belly rubs . That and providing a degree of love that borders on the worship usually reserved for major deities. It is a mutual admiration society.  

Some folks are curious about sharing a 33' living space with a 140+ pound drooling hair bomb. Yes, everything we own has been slobbered and shed on, but at least it all matches!  As for space, it really doesn't matter how large your house or property is, a mastiff is going to be within touching distance anyway. Although maybe it would be nice if she'd hog the couch a little less. 

The belly trap is set.

Riding shotgun.

Kayaking at Diamond Lake, OR.

Enjoying Grayland Beach State Park, WA.

Snuggling the puppy sister.

It's Hard to Say Good-Bye.

Shortly after we began our trip, tragedy struck. Callie became ill. We took her to the 24-hour emergency vet in Bend, OR. Her bloodwork showed that her platelet count was dangerously low. We kept her on antibiotics and IV fluids and did repeated tests to monitor her blood chemistry. In spite of treatment, her platelet count continued to plummet and she went into kidney failure.

We were not ready to let her go, but it came down to what was best for her. With little/no hope of recovery, we made the decision to make her end as easy as possible. We held her and loved her and she went gently on without us.

I know that many people won't understand, that she was "just" a dog. But she was an important part of our family. She was the puppy sister and now there is a Callie-sized hole in our hearts and lives.

Losing her so early in the trip was devastating. She loved to travel with us, so my only consolation is that she made it onto the bus and was happy doing what she loved right up to the end.

Here is the post with more details: It was the best of times and the worst of times...

Callie
Best Puppy Sister Ever
2008 - July 30, 2016