Big dogs

If you ever feel like traveling on a budget there are a few things to be aware of; some of these are fairly obvious (such as only eat at a cheap restaurant if other locals are there) while others can be a little more surprising.  One of these surprises is the numerous animals you'll find living in the hostels you stay in.  It is not uncommon for there to be at least two dogs in a given hostel and often a cat as well.  If you are allergic or scared of dogs this can obviously be a problem; especially when some of the dogs are absolutely enormous.

Hector and his ever present drool.

 At our hostel in San Juan del Sur we met a wonderful dog named Hector who, at just a year old, still has some growing to do to catch up with his giant head.  Heacts like an enormous baby and we had a great time playing in the back courtyard with him (even though Lene could never get him to fetch).   However, Hector was dwarfed by the next dog we met, Lugs.

I wanted to compare my head with Lugs'.

After San Juan del Sur we went to an incredibly beautiful beach called Playa del Coco.  Lugs, brought from Canada by his owners, is one of the largest dogs I've ever come across.  He used to top out at just over 150lbs but I guess the Nicaraguan diet has given him some trouble so he's fallen to a slimmer 130lbs.  Also a big sweetheart, Lugs wasn't quite as interested in playing as Hector was but he did like to cuddle up on the couch even though his skull is the size of most lap dogs. 

 

Lugs cuddling on the couch with Lene

I love staying in hostels with dogs and cats as it usually gives them a more comfortable, homey feeling.  If you are traveling by hostel though, be prepared to run into gentle giants like these, as they aren't the first I've seen while traveling, just the first I've taken pictures of.