Once terrorized by dogs, German adventurer Heike Pirngruber is now trekking the globe with Butch, a rescued puppy she found in Mexico. The two have crossed continents by foot, canoe, motorbike, and tuk tuk, according to news agency SWNS. Pirngruber, 53, adopted the Australian cattle puppy in 2021 while staying in a beach hut in Baja California, Mexico. Butch, who was just a month old when she found him, had been malnourished and alone. Pirngruber, who once feared dogs due to years of solo travel and encounters with aggressive strays, credits her life-changing decision to adopt Butch with altering her perspective and restoring her sense of freedom. ‘Nothing was the same anymore,’ she said. ‘And I had no clue how this little puppy would change my life.’
Pirngruber’s fear of dogs originated from years of solo travel, with seven of those years spent cycling around the world. She was often chased by aggressive strays, she said. However, her perspective changed after the chance encounter at the beach hut, where she cooked grilled chicken and a street dog named Max appeared at her door. Initially hesitant, she was convinced by a friend to feed him. The next day, Max returned with two companions, Brownie and Pushy. She began feeding them regularly and slowly shed her fear. Later, when a local tried to give away a litter of flea-ridden puppies, Pirngruber made a life-changing decision. She chose Butch and took him on the road.
Since adopting Butch, Pirngruber has transformed her life, according to SWNS. ‘With Butch, I always have someone there. I am never alone. I have such a connection with him and I’m happy with him,’ she said. A former camera operator for ZDF, Germany’s largest broadcast station, Pirngruber has been traveling full-time for over 12 years. She has visited 104 countries across every inhabited continent. Originally, she had planned to cross the Americas by donkey in 2020, followed by a break in Baja California in 2021. However, after adopting Butch, she scrapped that plan and chose other ways to continue their journey. Over the next three years, they explored the Americas together on foot, by canoe, motorcycle, and tuk tuk before flying to Madrid in April 2024.
After a brief return home, just her third visit in 12 years, she quickly realized life in Germany no longer felt like hers. She was pulled back to the road. ‘Now, I love my freedom, I love living day-by-day, I love not knowing where I am staying each night or where I can pitch my tent. It’s such a thrill,’ she said. Since then, she and Butch have traversed Spain, Andorra, France, and Italy before sailing to Greece. As of November 2024, they had crossed five European countries.
Pirngruber carries only the essentials she needs: camping gear, a stove and pot, a camera, first aid supplies, and medicine for Butch. ‘Less is more,’ she said. ‘Carrying less is more freedom. It’s always a burden having more.’ Despite occasional challenges, Pirngruber said her experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. ‘Ninety-nine percent of people are nice, and overall, I’ve had some great encounters with people,’ she said. ‘It’s a safe world to travel in, in general.’