Boonie Tails

By Grace Keilbach

Make the most of your summer

Living on Saipan, one of the most consistent climates in the world averaging 84 degrees year round, it’s easy to forget just how magical these warm summer months can be. Now after living stateside braving the winter, the sun feels just a little bit sweeter and we couldn’t be more excited to soak it all in. Adventure is out there! Here are some fun ideas for how you and your furry friends can find some and make the most out of your summer.

Go camping or “glamping”

I want to preface this the fact that I am not much of a camper. However, I cannot recommend camping or glamping with your dogs enough! We recently discovered one of our new favorite apps, HipCamp. Perfect for campers and glampers alike, this app is similar to AirBNB and allows you to find campsites both primitive and luxurious. They have everything from just a beautiful private spot for you to pitch your tent, to a beautiful yurt setup, or even cabins! The vast majority of locations are extremely pet friendly. Not only were we able to take our three dogs for no extra charge, but we also specifically picked spots where off-leash pets were welcome and would be safe. Our dogs LOVED running around fields and exploring with total freedom just like they used to do on Saipan and we had just as much fun watching them. For our recent trip, we pitched our tent along a lake on the outskirts of a farmer’s field in Kentucky, slept in a yurt with free roaming rescued pigs, goats, horses, donkeys, and ducks, and enjoyed the stars in Kansas before exploring a decommissioned missile silo we slept above the night before.

Explore local events

Grab your pups and check out whatever local outdoor events your town has to offer! In D.C. we have loved exploring farmers markets, in Colorado we made it to a drive in screening, and back in Sapain the Boonies recently participated in a Pride walk! No matter where you are, there’s always some summer fun to be had so don’t be afraid to try new things!

Walk somewhere new

Whether I’m on Saipan, in D.C., or visiting my small home town, I always enjoy looking for new places to walk or hike with the dogs. It’s so much fun exploring new areas that you otherwise would never go. Explore a new neighborhood a few blocks away, checkout nature trails or parks within city limits, or pack a picnic and go for a hike in a state park! Any time outside spent with your dog is time they will enjoy, just make sure you’re staying safe with the heat by going out in the morning or evenings and packing lots of water for all!

Summer safety

In addition to ensuring that your dogs are staying safe in the heat by always having lots of water, remember to check the heat of the sidewalk, monitor the temperature, and make sure they are up to date on all their vaccines, heart-worm medication, and tick and flea preventative. Ticks, fleas, and heart-worms are not just a Saipan issue, they are in the grass near you! After camping, we noticed ticks on all of our dogs. Because they are on preventative care (we use Bravecto or Simparica), the ticks were all killed by the medication and our dogs were safe. We love home remedies but when it comes to tick and fleas, there is no safer alternative to protect them from the deadly diseases carried by these pests. Prevention is key, so take this as your sign to double check your dogs health records to keep them happy and healthy this summer!

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Boonie of the Week: Meet Rocky

Story By James Belleque

Rocky is not a Saipan Boonie, in fact, he’s at the opposite end of the climate spectrum from Saipan’s. Rocky is a North Dakota Boonie, found dumped in a snowbank in subzero temperatures. The frostbite didn’t keep this little (at the time) pup down, as he expanded and lengthened into the tall and stocky boy you see here. His version of Boonie stomping involves chasing deer through hay fields, his version of water fun is the wetland right outside of town instead of the beach. Rocky also hasn’t let his initial cold weather trauma hold him back, as he also partook in romps through subzero conditions. These generally included worried humans strapping on snowshoes to go investigate where he had headed to call him back. Since then he has moved to Colorado with his pawrents and now enjoys taking in the mountain sights and walks to make up for the smaller backyard, all in a much warmer environment. Sweet and loving, he’s brought much joy and entertainment to the people and dogs who meet him, including his three Boonie nieces!

Have a rescued animal deserving of “Boonie of the Week”? Submit their story and picture to [email protected] 

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