Ten Tips for Travelling with Your Dog

Summer is right around the corner!

Time for vacations and family trips that can include your fluffy canine companions. Planning is key to having a good trip with your best pal. Let’s start with something you already know. Do not leave your dog alone in the car, especially if it’s hot. Not ever. With that out of the way, let’s move on to ten more tips for traveling happily and safely with your pet.

Plan, Plan and Plan Again!

Even before the trip, make sure your pooch is healthy enough to go along. They should stay home if they’re pregnant, sick or recuperating from an injury. They should also stay home if they’re the type to freak out if their routine is majorly altered. In these cases, it’s best to find a reliable pet sitter to take care of Barkley while you’re on the road.

Health Concerns

Before the trip, take the four-legged child to the vet to make sure that they’re in good shape for traveling.

Behavior Opportunities

Some remedial obedience sessions are a good idea. The tolerance for ill-mannered dogs is only a bit higher than that for ill-mannered children.

Laws and Regulations

If you’re traveling out of the country, check the laws that cover when or if you can bring your pooch. You may have to update their vaccinations, and take care to have a health certificate with you.

Where To Stay?

Research hotels, motels or B and Bs. Some have no problem with pets, while others strictly forbid them.

Ten Tips For Travelling with Your Dog

Now, finally, here are the ten tips:

1. 1. Did you know that dogs can get motion sickness? To prevent or at least mitigate this misery, have Lassie travel on an empty stomach or feed her at least six hours before the trip begins. Some health food stores have ginger pills to settle upset canine stomachs.
   2. Use no-spill bowls made specially for travel. Make sure that there’s always a good supply of ice and fresh water, and bring the dog’s favorite food.
   3. Ideally, Rinty should travel in a kennel or a crate. He’ll be happy with his favorite blankie, his best chew toy and a bottle of fresh water.
   4. We’ve all seen dogs with their heads hanging out opened car windows, enjoying the breeze and all those new and interesting scents it brings. But it’s a bad idea. Something can fly into their eye, and if the window’s open wide enough, they may jump out if they see something irresistible. Letting the pooch ride unrestrained in the bed of a pick-up truck is also a bad idea that everyone’s seen. All the driver has to do is stop short, and Ruggles goes flying.
   5. Stop often for potty breaks, walks and playtime.
   6. Shade the back windshield and the side windows to keep Muttley comfortable.
   7. Check the car’s air conditioning to make sure it’s in good working order, and keep it on during the trip. Fresh air is a must. A dog can’t take off its fur coat.
   8. Try not to fly unless it’s an emergency. Would you like to spend your flight in the cargo hold? Fido wouldn’t either.
   9. Make sure your best friend has identification. This means he’s wearing a collar with his name, your name and contact numbers and proof that he’s had his rabies shots. Some owners allow their dogs to be injected with a microchip. Always have a recent picture of your pet in the unhappy event that you have to make copies, and put it on telephone poles and in store windows.
   10. Be cheerful and positive. You already know Puggsley is exquisitely attuned to your moods. If you’re calm, he’s more likely to be calm too.