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Rachel M & Hugs | Dogs & Rescue | SD Dog Walker

@reinasadventures

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Hugs 🐶 + Reina forever🌈
Just a girl who loves dogs
Founder @cheerstothedogs
Rescue dogs, travel & chasing joy
📍East Coast roots → California coast

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Family dog's final act of love before passing

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4 months ago

To my beautiful soul dog, Reina 👑
January 22, 2015 – January 7, 2025

You are my moon. You are my stars. You are my sun. You are my soul. You are everything in between. You are the little tip tappy girl by my side, my shadow at my feet. You gave me the reason for who I am today, and now I feel a gaping hole where you always were. I’m confusing my tenses and everything feels so foggy.

Reina, the queen of my heart, was sassy, independent, and full of love. She faced terminal kidney disease for 5+ years, living longer than anyone thought possible, showing me with love and making the most of my every day.

She was the reason I found so many incredible friends, both near and far, and why I fell in love with rescuing dogs through TAP. Her Instagram connected me with people all over the world, and the friendships I’ve made because of her have become some of the most important in my life. One of my most important friendships from instagram led us across the country.

When we moved to California, she was the only one I brought with me, and together we made memories I’ll cherish forever. From road trips to national parks, hiking, exploring everywhere, beach days, and so much more—she made every moment special.

Reina is my constant, my heart, and my soul. She passed peacefully in my arms on January 7, 2025, no longer in pain and free to roll in as much dirt as she wants without needing to take a bath.

Run free into the sunset, my beautiful sweet girl. You are my everything. Until we meet again. 💔🐾🪽

#reinapfoxterrier by @reinasadventures

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2 years ago

My sweet strong survivor. I am in awe of this boy.

I don’t think I’ve ever shared Hugs’ full story here. He has brought me so much joy and inspiration, his story deserves to be told. He survived unimaginable conditions at ESLR. He fought through three tick borne illnesses, malnourishment, and neglect before the Mexican government and The Animal Pad stepped in. After months of waiting, he finally got his freedom ride across the border.

When he arrived at HQ, volunteers were told about a dog who gave real hugs. I signed up for shift just to meet him. During our first yard time he lifted himself onto his hind legs, leaned into my chest, and hugged me. I knew he was special.

All of the ESLR dogs have been through so much. I have so many favorites that I have met in my three years of volunteering. They are the ones who have taught me the most. They have survived so much and still choose the sun.

A few weeks later, Hugs went to foster. I assumed he’d be adopted quickly. But on his first night, he had other plans… He jumped from the second story balcony and came back to HQ with three broken legs, a broken rib, lost teeth, & internal bleeding.

He needed care several times a day. There were many special people around hq who spent time helping him get better. I stayed after shifts to take care of him. Our bond grew quietly and deeply. When he was ready for foster again, I said yes without hesitation.

When he met Reina, they connected instantly. She taught him how to dog. The two were best friends. They snuggled at night. And when I lost her, he was there. He grieved her too. We held each other through that heartbreak.

Hugs didn’t receive a single app in a year of fostering him. He grew so much as a dog, overcame his SA & a lot of his reactivity… I didn’t understand it. Overtime, it became clear that he had already been home. With me. We have both grown so much together and I forever owe it to this special boy for helping me see the light again🐻.

Hugs is so lucky to be loved and loved so many

A special thank you to everyone at @1510foundation & @theanimalpad who played such big parts!

#hugsthedog #rescues #adoptionstory #happydoglife
#forevermine #rescuedog taken in San Diego, California by @reinasadventures

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a year ago

I’m convinced there’s no better medicine than a dog who loves you. 🥹🐻💗

I was down for the count since Thursday with what felt like the flu, spending most of the last five days in bed, sleeping and trying to feel human again.

And through it all, Hugs has been right by my side. No complaints about our missed adventures, shorter walks, or the fact that we’ve barely left the house. Just endless cuddles, companionship, and a happy boy who only cares about being wherever I am.

I finally made it back to work today, and we even managed to sneak in a little sunshine and beach time together.

I spend so much time trying to give Hugs the happiest life possible, but I swear he gives me so much more in return. He’s the best dang sidekick.

📍 San Diego, California.

#hugsthedog #rescuedandloved #myrescuedog #happydoghappylife #mydogismybestfriend taken in San Diego, California by @reinasadventures

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4 days ago

I don’t know where I’d be if Hugs and I hadn’t met at hq. 🐻💗

I’ll never stop being grateful that somehow through all the twists and turns of life, Hugs became mine. I love this boy more than I could ever put into words and I hope he understands that.

Hugs is the equivalent of sunshine, and I’m so happy I get to have him by my side. ☀️🐻

📍 North Park, San Diego.

#hugsthedog #thedogwhothoughthecouldfly #rescuedandloved #whorescuedwho #happydoggo taken in North Park, San Diego by @reinasadventures

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11 days ago

Lassen the reins and letting Betty lead the way. 😂🐴🌋

One of my favorite memories from Lassen National Park was our trail ride from the ranch we were staying at to Boiling Springs Lake on our last day.

I definitely went through a horse girl phase growing up and rode whenever I got the chance, so getting back in the saddle in Lassen was such a fun little full-circle moment.

I got to ride the sweetest older Appaloosa named Betty, and we had an awesome guide who took us right from our ranch, across a boardwalk, through the forest and all the way out to Boiling Springs.

Seeing this part of the park from horseback was SO cool! Where we stayed was a bit remote, and a quieter area of Lassen that not many people make it out to.

Boiling Springs Lake was wild. I genuinely don’t know how to describe the color green it was. 😂 With steam rising off the water in the middle of the forest, it almost didn’t look real.

After our ride, we put our hiking boots back on for one more hike out to Devil’s Kitchen, because apparently we hadn’t hiked enough.

Lassen was just SO cool and every part of the park felt completely different. I loved how much of it we got to experience while we were there, and getting to see some of it from horseback made this day even more special. 🐴💗

📍 Lassen Volcanic National Park, California.

#trailride #lassenvolcanicnationalpark #nationalparksusa #travelcalifornia taken in Lassen Volcanic National Park by @reinasadventures

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13 days ago

How did I get so lucky? 💗

That Hugs became my foster dog way back when. That he got to be one of Reina’s last best friends and learn so much from her. That when I lost her and didn’t know how I was supposed to keep going without her, he was right there helping me slowly put the pieces back together.

And how did I get so lucky that, after all of that, Hugs became mine? 🐻

There were many hard days. People told me more than once that I should re-foster him because of his separation anxiety and reactivity. But I didn’t give up on him.

Because Hugs never gave up on me either.

We stayed beside each other through some of our hardest days. We kept learning, growing and choosing each other. And now, the things that once felt so big are only rarely occasionally part of our lives anymore.

My mom is visiting from the East Coast this week, and getting to squeeze her again has been so good for my heart. I don’t think I ever want her to leave. I told her she should move her a few times already. 😂

She’s met Hugs before, but watching her love the dog who has become such a huge part of my life makes my heart so happy. And Hugs has been an absolute angel with his Grandma. 🥹

I’ll miss Reina for the rest of my life, but I’ll forever be grateful that one of her last best friends became the dog who helped put my heart back together.

The dog I couldn’t give up on, because he never gave up on me. 💗🐻

And a huge thank you to the amazing & talented Alexis, @doghausphotography for this special photo of us. 🥹📸

& thanks to all the others who hosted such an amazing event! @sup_pups @dogsof_sandiego @petpowerstudio

📍San Diego, California

#dogsof_sandiego #hugsthedog #rescuedandloved #fosterfail #dogswhosup by @reinasadventures

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15 days ago

I’m Lassen my mind over these views. 🤪🌋

I finally sat down to write about our trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park, and I’ve been so excited to share this one!

Lassen is one of California’s lesser-known national parks, so I honestly didn’t know too much about it going in, but I couldn’t wait to find out!

Lassen marks the 14th national park Kaela and I have visited together! She’s the true mastermind behind all of our wild, jam-packed but always amazing itineraries. 😂

Burney Falls was one of our stops on the road trip up before making our way into Lassen, and this park was SO much cooler than I expected. I loved seeing Mount Shasta on the drive up again, that place will always be special to me because of Reina 👑.

We climbed Lassen Peak surrounded by hundreds of migrating California tortoiseshell butterflies 🦋 and then hiked Cinder Cone the following day. Cinder Cone absolutely humbled us, but we did it. 😂

We hiked through the bubbling and steaming Bumpass Hell and Devil’s Kitchen, checked out Sulphur Works, took a trail ride on horseback to Boiling Springs Lake, stargazed, and stayed at the cutest little ranch inside the park.

What surprised me most was how much more there is to Lassen than volcanoes. Alpine lakes, breathtaking forests, cool but stinky hydrothermal features, incredible dark night skies, and beautiful views around every corner. This park is seriously underrated, and I don’t know how it doesn’t get more visitors!

On the way home, we obviously had to squeeze in stops at Lake Tahoe & Bishop. 💜

I can’t believe we’ve been to 14 national parks together, and I know we’re definitely not done yet. 💗 Can’t wait to share more from this trip on stories!

📍 Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

#nationalparksusa #lassenvolcanicnationalpark #hikemoreworryless #girlswhohike #hikingtrip taken in Lassen Volcanic National Park by @reinasadventures

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18 days ago

Officially reached the age where the number is between me, myself & the government. My younger friends have started to playfully tease me about being ancient 🤪 (looking at @misterboandco 😂).

A few weeks ago, Kaela and I celebrated our birthdays with a trip to Lassen National Park.

I spent my actual birthday doing a lot of my favorite things. I started my morning hanging with @theanimalpad pups, then spent the rest of the day with Hugs. We ended the day at such a fun paddle board event hosted by @sup_pups , @petpowerstudio, @dogsof_sandiego & @doghausphotography. It was so good to see everyone again! 🥰

It was beautiful out on the water. The water was still like glass, the sunset was one of my favorites, and there were so many people and dogs there. I was SO proud of Hugs and how well he handled all of it. We have worked so hard together, and getting to experience things like this with him means so much to me.

Especially after the scary week we had when he was sick, having my happy, goofy boy feeling like himself again and by my side made the day that much better. 🐻

A friend on the care team surprised me with homemade funfetti cupcakes, Kaela got me one of my favorite cakes, and I got a day filled with dogs, friends, sunshine, and my Huggy Bear. Pretty hard to beat.

The older I get, the more I realize how important the people I love are to me. Thank you to everyone who reached out, celebrated with me, and continues to show up for me. I’m incredibly grateful for my friends, my family, and the dogs who have brought so much happiness into my life.

For this next trip around the sun, I’m hoping for more adventures & more national parks. I want to help save more dogs, make a million more memories with Hugs, and spend more time with the people I love.

I want to trust myself more, follow my heart, embrace change a little better, and stop being so afraid to take up space in my own life. More than anything, I just want to be genuinely happy. I think I deserve that, too.

Cheers to another year of figuring it all out as I go 🥂💗

📍 San Diego, CA

#dogsof_sandiego #hugsthedog #rescuedandloved #birthdaygirls #sunsetviews by @reinasadventures

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20 days ago

Hugs finally gave me the news I’ve been waiting for this week: a solid poop, a good appetite, and that goofy smile again. 🐻

After a really scary few days, he’s finally feeling better. We’re slowly getting back to walks with his friends, he’s enjoying his food again, and seeing him happy has been such a relief.

And I think I needed some good news just as much as he did.

I haven’t felt much like myself lately. My anxiety has been loud, I’ve felt increasingly on the outside looking in. I’m tired of having to justify why something hurt me. I’ve been told I’m too sensitive, that people were “just joking,” and that something was no big deal when, to me, it was a very big deal.

Maybe I do feel things deeply. That doesn’t make those feelings matter any less.

My birthday is Saturday, and I thought I’d feel differently heading into it. I had an incredible trip to Lassen with Kaela, went out to celebrate with friends last week, and my mom is visiting next week. I have plenty to be grateful for, and I am. I can also admit that right now, I just feel down.

But Hugs has a funny way of bringing me back to what’s right in front of me.

His belly feels better. His friends are back. He’s rolling in the grass and smiling again.

So maybe I’ll follow his lead for a little while. Take things one day at a time, find the good where I can, and let myself feel what I feel without needing someone else to decide whether it’s a big enough deal to hurt.

Right now, the good is a healthy, happy Hugs. And that feels pretty damn big to me. 🐻💗

📍 San Diego, California

#dogsof_sandiego #rescuedismyfavouritebreed #hugsthedog #dogmoms taken in San Diego, California by @reinasadventures

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23 days ago

There’s nothing worse than watching your whole world feel sick and not being able to make it better. 🐻

I came home from Lassen with so many photos and stories I couldn’t wait to share, but those can wait. My Huggybear has had a really scary few days, and right now, all I care about is getting my boy feeling better.

What started as bad diarrhea turned bloody, leading to an emergency vet visit and a weekend full of worry. Seeing him so uncomfortable and not knowing exactly what was wrong was terrifying.

He’s slowly but surely starting to eat again. He’s still much more interested in treats and his favorite foods, but he’s beginning to eat his wet food bit by bit, too. It’s a small step, but one I’m so grateful for. 🥲

We’ve only been going out for little potty walks, but earlier today, we sat in the park so he could get some sunshine. He rolled around in the grass, and for a little while, I got to see my goofy, happy boy again.

He’s still not all the way better, but he’s trending in the right direction. I can see more of his usual personality coming back, and those little moments mean everything right now.

I hate seeing him sick. I wish I could explain what’s happening, convince him that the food I’m offering is meant to help him, or somehow take away whatever is making him feel so awful.

My birthday is just a few days away, and I’m having a hard time feeling excited. I know he’s improving, but I wish I could fast-forward to the day he’s feeling completely like himself again.

I just want my happy, healthy, smushy boy back. That would be the best birthday present I could ask for. 💗

📍 San Diego, CA
#hugsthedog #rescuedogsofig #dogmoms #rescuedandloved #dogowner taken in San Diego, California by @reinasadventures

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a month ago

One more sleep until mountain air, alpine lakes, long drives, and absolutely no service.

I don’t think I’ve ever needed it more.

Everything inside has felt too heavy lately. Sadness weighing on my chest. Anxiety tightening my ribs. An ache filling the quiet moments.

My anxiety medication wasn’t working, and my psychiatrist told me to stop it and start something new without tapering. The withdrawal hit hard, and I’ve felt more anxious, depressed, and exhausted ever since.

My mind won’t slow down. Time feels like it’s moving faster than I can keep up with, and I keep wondering why I feel this way when there is so much good in my life.

I’ve been working too much, saying yes too often, and leaving less time for the things that make me happy.

And then last night, there was Charlie.

A scared, sick, unbelievably sweet little dog we helped rescue at the border. The moment I looked into her eyes, something in me lit up.

For a little while, my mind was quiet.

I felt alive.

This morning, I woke up excited just to know how she was doing. It might sound small, but lately, it hasn’t felt small at all.

I should have known.

Dogs have always had a way of making the weight easier to carry. They give us something outside of our own heads and remind us how good it feels to be excited about something again.

Dogs are magical like that.

Tomorrow, I’m getting back to another thing that helps me breathe a little easier. The mountains. 🏔️

Maybe I don’t need to figure everything out right now. Maybe I just need life to slow down for a few days.

More dogs. More mountains. More of the simple things. 🐾

📍 Maroon Bells, Colorado

#mentalhealthmatters #hikinggirls #doglover🐶 #hikingtrip #maroonbells taken in Maroon Bells by @reinasadventures

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a month ago