The Story of Two Wanderers and Their Pack
Ava, Ginger & Otto — where it all began
The 2016 move wasn't actually our first cross-country relocation. A few years earlier, we'd moved from Atlanta to Oregon — flying separately, shipping Ava and Ginger via UShip, handing the whole operation off to movers. It worked. But something was lost in the logistics. So when it came time to leave the Pacific Northwest, we decided to do it differently. We'd drive it ourselves, dogs in the backseat, and see the country on the way.
That decision — to be present for the move rather than just arrive at the other end of it — turned out to be the one that changed everything. What followed were three documented road trips over seven years, five dogs, and eventually a one-way flight to Spain. In December 2016, we loaded three dogs into a truck in Tacoma, Washington, and drove 3,753 miles to Melbourne, Florida. We had no idea that move would be the first of three.
This is the story of all of it. The ice storms and the thunderstorms, the border patrol checkpoints and the blizzard passes, the hotels that exceeded expectations and the ones we'd rather forget. The dogs who were there from the beginning, the ones who joined along the way, and the ones we said goodbye to too soon.
If you're planning a move with pets — across the country or across the world — we hope this gives you a real picture of what it looks like when you actually do it.
"We had no idea the first move would be the first of three — or that seven years later we'd be unpacking boxes in Málaga."
The Journey
Three Moves, Seven Years
The Pack
Five Dogs, Every One of Them Essential
Every move changed the pack. Some dogs were with us for all of it. Some joined partway through. Some we had to say goodbye to before the next chapter began. Each one shaped how we traveled, where we stayed, and why we kept doing this at all.
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Sally
Border Collie mix · Spain
We weren't looking for a fourth dog. But Finn and Ellie spotted him running loose on our Finca in September 2025, forgotten in the trees. A few days later, we made it official. Because apparently three dogs wasn't quite enough.
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The Posts
Read the Full Series
December 2016 · 7 days · 3,753 miles
Tacoma, WA to Melbourne, FL in the dead of winter. Ice storms in Oregon, desert highways in Texas, and six hotels that ranged from surprisingly great to genuinely grim. The move that started it all — and taught us everything.
Read the series →
June 2021 · 4 days · 1,902 miles
Melbourne, FL to Colorado Springs, CO — this time with a trailer, a brand new puppy, and the only bar between Dallas and Shreveport. A near-collision on a two-lane Texas highway and a blizzard on Raton Pass rounded out the adventure.
Read the series →
December 2023 · International · 3 dogs
The biggest move yet — crossing the Atlantic with Ginger, Ellie, and Finn. Health certificates, breed restrictions, cargo vs cabin decisions, and what it actually costs to move three large dogs to Europe.
Read the series →What We Learned
Seven Years of Moving with Dogs
After three moves and five dogs, a few things have become non-negotiable for us. Drive rested — always. Never push past your daily limit with animals in the car, because tired decisions on the road have consequences that pet-friendly hotel upgrades can't fix. Book hotels in advance and always call to confirm the weight limits, because websites lie and front desk staff don't always know the policy. And accept that the third day of any road trip is the hardest — not because anything goes wrong, but because the novelty has worn off and the destination still feels far away.
For international moves, start earlier than you think you need to. The paperwork for moving pets to Europe — health certificates, microchipping timelines, breed regulations — has more moving parts than any road trip, and the deadlines are unforgiving.
"The paperwork for moving pets to Europe has more moving parts than any road trip — and the deadlines are unforgiving."
Planning a move with pets? Our Pet Relocation Resources page collects everything we've found useful — from airline policies to health certificate timelines to breed restriction databases. It's free and updated as rules change.
130 pages covering everything we learned moving three dogs from the US to Europe — health certificates, airline policies, breed restrictions, costs, and the timeline that keeps it all from falling apart.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!