Ella in Europe: an American Dog's International Adventures
by Michael Konik
Delta, 320 pp., 2005; $10 (paperback)

Reviewed by Claudia Kawczynska

Many a wanderlust dog person harbors the same dream—to explore the world, or, at least those countries reputed to be dog friendly—with their best friend as a traveling partner. Who hasn’t read Steinbeck and envied the frequent rider miles that Charley and his Nobel laureate chalked up together? Sportswriter Michael Konik certainly did and sets out, in the summer of 2002, to fulfill his own Steinbeckian fantasy—to jaunt through Europe on a six-week trip with his lovely white dog Ella. The eponymous Ella is a 70-pound Lab/Greyhound mix whose dad (as Konik calls himself) wants to reward for being his decade-long constant companion. And, to Konik’s mind, what better time and place to do this than in Europe during a World Cup summer. He and his best gal can watch soccer matches “in the company of people who live in a country where time stands still for football.” But for readers, who might not be soccer fans, don’t worry, this book goes beyond game highlights—it is an engrossing travelogue in the style of Rick Steves and a tender and sweet valentine to a very deserving dog.

Ella takes to transnational travel as effortlessly as she earned her therapy dog credentials—an occupation that she and Konik practice in Los Angeles area nursing homes, battered women shelters and abused children sanctuaries. She demonstrates a serene calmness, open friendliness and has such a non-threatening appeal that she wins the trust of even those more dog-timid souls. In short, she has what is takes to be a natural ambassador of her species. “Like one of the world’s great religions,” Konik writes, “Ella brings solace and happiness into people’s lives and the only holy wars she proclaims are upon the backyard rodents. She’s blessed, like so many dogs, with the capacity for creating joy in this world.”

Konik actually often seems a bit in awe of his American mutt (as he is wont to call her), because she not only blends into the various cultures but also inspires many pleasant cross-cultural exchanges that make their trip so memorable. Even though he sets out to test of the waters of just how dog friendly each of their destinations are—are dogs really allowed on German busses, is a dog (even such a large dog) truly welcomed in fine restaurants, can she ride on a Vienna streetcar—invariably (except for some museums and churches in Italy, and the Louvre in Paris), the answer is a resounding yes.

Ella seems to win fans wherever she goes—from a Venetian chef who exclaims “Bellissima!” while showering her with kisses as she wanders (unattended by her human) into his kitchen, to three young French boys who play with her for hours on end the warm Mediterranean waters in Cannes—she is everyone’s dream travel companion. She doesn’t whine “are we there yet?” and traveling with her allows her companions to get to know other cultures by the way that a dog is received and accepted into their everyday societies. Basically, not a lot of fuss is made of her accommodating Konik wherever he goes. Konik marvels at this—at times a little too much—but this reader will forgive him such excess. This book gives us the evidence that countries like Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and certainly France are far more dog cultural “enlightened” than ours, presenting us with something to strive for in the US.

Konik writes about his dog and the places they visit, in a simple and engaging travelogue style, there are few dramatic twists and turns. The stories are believable, and don’t seem embellished or staged, as many travel stories tend to be. There are actually a lot of practical travel tips and places to note if one is as lucky as the author was to be able to have the vacation of a lifetime with such a perfect traveling companion—and get to write about it too!

Claudia Kawczynska is the editor, and co-founder, of Bark.

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