Dog Walks 15,000 km Across India With His Human

A puppy who refused to be left behind has become the first Indian dog to walk nearly 15,000 kilometers on foot, proving that the best travel companions choose you.

Yati Gaur, 28, from Noida met Butter during a walking journey through Rajasthan in 2021. Among a litter of puppies in Bhojawas village, Butter was the only one who ran toward him instead of away.

The timing wasn't ideal. Yati worked in hospitality, lived with his parents, and had no clear plan for puppy care. An elderly neighbor took Butter in, but eventually the dog came back to him.

Day boarding made Butter sick. Adoption attempts fell through. One NGO even demanded ₹80,000 to accept him, money Yati didn't have.

On his next journey, Yati decided to bring Butter along. At one point in Rishikesh, he left the dog with shepherds, thinking it would be a better life. Butter had other ideas.

The determined dog followed Yati 12 kilometers downhill. When Yati tried again to leave him, Butter tracked him down and scratched at his hotel room door. That moment changed everything.

Yati began training Butter for long distances, slowly building his endurance with adapted rest and food routines. Soon he realized Butter was actually better equipped for these journeys than he was.

On November 1, 2022, they started their longest walk together. From Badrinath in Uttarakhand, they traveled through the plains of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu to Rameswaram. Then they continued through Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to Somnath in Gujarat.

Yati tried customized shoes for Butter but they proved uncomfortable. Instead, he focused on proper rest periods, weather-appropriate gear, and long breaks between walking sessions.

Sunny's Take

Today, Yati shares their adventures with over 106,000 followers on Instagram as theunfoldingplay. His posts show travel not as a checklist of destinations but as a lived experience built on trust and patience. What began as solitary pandemic walks in September 2020 became an extraordinary partnership.

Their bond wasn't built overnight or out of convenience, but through miles of shared silence and mutual understanding. Sometimes the greatest reward of a journey isn't waiting at the destination but walks beside you every step of the way.