Dogs

[Sue Kenney]

Here's a story about my experience with a "peregrino" dog on the Camino.

I also had the pleasure of the the accompaniment of a dog I met in Castrojeriz.
He was known as the "peregrino dog". His owners are the proprietors of the first
bar you reach in the village, the one with the internet cafe.

When I first arrived at the bar, this rather large German Shepherd greeted me at
the door by jumping up on me, and then he licked my face. I found out that the
dog's name was Bernie. Coincidentally, my middle name is Bernadette and I often
get called Bernie too! Instantly we became buddies and while I ate breakfast he
laid beside my chair, as if to protect me. They also have a bird that is quite
friendly and not caged. The bird flew over to the table I was sitting at and
helped himself to my toast! Note: You are never alone on the Camino!

Soon I left the bar with an Argentinean pilgrim and Bernie followed us out the
door. We kept encouraging him to go home, but he wouldn't leave us. We walked at
least 24kms to Fromista with Bernie. He would take turns walking with me, then
he would run ahead to walk with the other pilgrim. When we arrived in Fromista
many people called out to the dog, "Ola Bernie". Little did we know, he was a
local hero in this town.

Through various conversations I found out that Bernie selected pilgrims most
days and cheerfully made the trek in their company. However, he would refuse to
walk the 24kms back home. Each day his owners would have to drive all the way to
Fromista to bring him home, only to have him do the same thing again the next
day!

Bernie was just one of the many gifts I received from the Camino.


Sue/Bernie


Elyn Aviva wrote:

> In 1997, a dog accompanied my husband and me from Villafranc del Bierzo to O
> Cebreiro, at which point "Jaime" (a girl, it turned out!) befriended someone
> else. Legendary dogs of the Camino!
> Buen Camino,
> Elyn