Hey! I’m Lauren, and that furry little cutie is my best friend, Lady.
We travel all over the country and have visited some of America’s most dog-friendly destinations. It’s actually a lot easier than pet owners believe to travel with their four-legged friends in tow. That’s why I’ve combined my passion for animals, writing, and traveling to bring you everything you need to know about these Doggone Destinations and inspire you to get out start exploring with your furry family members!
Our Story
Before starting Doggone Destinations, I was working a 9 to 5 office job and living in a dog-less home (those were dark days, indeed). As a free-spirit and the daughter of an entrepreneur, I quickly became restless at my desk job. I would wake up every morning at precisely 6 a.m., sit in rush hour traffic for what felt like an eternity, spend eight hours staring at the clock, and return home just to start the process all over again. I knew I wasn’t living the life I was destined to follow, but I became stuck and lost in this passionless routine.
There came a point when I was going through a very difficult period in my life. I lost the motivation to do the things I once loved and even the simplest of things, and I just wasn’t myself anymore.
To help me cope, I finally talked my husband into letting me adopt a puppy, something I had been begging to do for years. That’s when Lady came into the picture, and my life was forever changed! From the moment I first saw her, I fell in love with her abundance of energy, sweet nature, gentle eyes, and adventurous spirit. In a way, she reminded me a lot of myself.
I brought Lady home and she became the best part of my everyday routine. Not only was she spunky and smart, but she was also loving, understanding, and comforting when I needed her to be. She seemed to know when I was feeling down and would immediately rush to my side to remind me that I wasn’t alone. She was my reason to get out of bed every single day. In many ways, Lady saved me.
How Doggone Destinations Came to Be
As my bond with my dog grew, so did my need to get out and explore new places. During college, I did a study abroad trip to Europe that awoke the wanderlust within me. While I longed to continue my adventures abroad, obligations kept me from leaving U.S. soil. Therefore, I started making road trips with Lady halfway across the country to visit my hometown, making stops in various destinations along the way. Soon, Lady and I had visited several U.S. cities that had plenty of things for the both of us to enjoy together. With so many dog-friendly places to visit, I decided I would bring Lady with me everywhere I went!
After a trip to New York City with my dog, several friends and family members began asking questions as to how I do it.
“You took your dog to the city? How did you pull that off?”
“How do you find all of these places to bring Lady?”
These were just some of the questions that I began hearing on several occasions. It suddenly occurred to me that there could be thousands of dedicated dog parents that leave their fur babies behind when they go on trips under the assumption that traveling with a pet is too hard or their options of things to do become extremely limited. My experiences of traveling with Lady have proven that this is far from the case. In fact, you can visit America’s top destinations and still experience everything those cities have to offer, even with your dogs!
And so, Doggone Destinations was born!
I make it my mission to serve my fellow dog parents by equipping them with all the information they need to fulfill their dreams of travel without the guilt of leaving their fur babies behind. Plus, dogs love to see new places and experience new things just as much as we do, so who are we to deny them a life of adventure? Check out our blog right now to get travel ideas on places Lady and I have visited for ourselves, find helpful tips, and information on pet safety and health. I hope that my experiences will be able to help you and your dog create wonderful memories that you’ll always cherish. Happy travels!