Dogs

One of our primary concerns in the move to Nicaragua is if, and how, we are going to get our two favorite mangy mutts from the most isolated islands in the world, to the middle of Central America. Let it be known that we LOVE these dogs and want with all of our hearts, for them to be with us. Maybe I should start with a couple of character sketches to let you understand the personality traits that we have working for us in this situation and the ones that are ultimately, working against us.

PUNA : Age 5 and 1/2 Birthday: June 7th 2004 Born: Puna, Hawaii on the island of Hawaii. Puna's greatest attributes: listens very well, is not easily distracted, can "spoon" on command, and has the experience of travel. Puna's greatest loves: tennis balls, tennis balls, tennis balls, going to the beach, and catching flies mid-flight. Puna's greatest dysfunctions: She leaks .... aka, she's incontinent. She has terrible audible gas. She is also very independent and has run away from home a bunch of times. As a result of this behavior, I've had a handful of meltdowns thus spawning a dedicated North Shore search and rescue team consisting mainly of myself, who has mastered the art of hanging cardboard missing dog signs to telephone poles in Haleiwa, my sister, who usually alerts all the lifeguards in the area to be on the lookout for a brown dog with pointy ears and no tail, and Chip and Ian, who comb the neighborhoods by car or bike, yelling her name for as long as it takes. Let me take this moment to thank the other volunteers on this committee : Anna at Keiki Beach, Toby at Fresh Aires, and Sarah H at Alligators. Puna and I love you.

LEA: Age 2 and 1/2 Birthday: exact date unknown but around May 2007 Born: Kaneohe, Hawaii on the island of Oahu. Lea's greatest attributes: best guard dog ever. So good that she wouldn't let our friend past the front door while we were gone one day. Lea also loves to be in the car. This is particularly nice when we surf and don't have to worry about someone breaking into it. Lea's greatest loves: Hunting anything that moves, particularly cats, but not limited to cockroaches, mice, chickens, geckos, mongoose, pigeons and dogs that are smaller than cats. Lea's other great loves include sticks, drinking ocean water, playing with her cousin Ruby and eating watermelon rinds. Lea's greatest dysfunctions : going bat shit crazy. Literally. Hunting might be her greatest love, but it's also her greatest dysfunction. There is no stopping this dog once she has a cat in her vision.

That is, until two days ago. We've finally invested in an e-collar. More on the Dogtra 280NCP Platinum series later.

So, as I've said, we are weighing out our options for transporting people and pets to Central America. Getting the dogs down there will not only be expensive, we worry about their well-being once they have arrived. Obviously. Between holler monkeys for Lea to chase and an extensive coastline for Puna to lose herself on, we have our trepidations. But both of us can't imagine life there without them though.