Tips for traveling with your dog

Traveling is fun. Spending time with your pet dog is fun. Put the two together? Boy oh boy, are you in for an adventure. However, while there’s plenty of potential for having a memorable time when you’re hitting the road with your canine best friend by your side, it’s also true that there are a few potential complications in the mix. You’re used to looking after your pet in your home — the practice changes somewhat when you’re in new, unfamiliar terrain. Below, we take a look at nine essential tips that’ll ensure your vacation with your pet goes off without a hitch.

Keep Things Simple

It’s normally a good idea to stay on the side of simplicity when it comes to traveling excursions. Some people try and jam pack too many things into their trip away, and consequently spend all their time running from one place to the next, never truly appreciating what’s right in front of them. When it comes to traveling with your canine, it’s even more recommended to keep your travel plans simple, at least for your first journey. You’re going to run into one dog-related complicated or another when you’re on your travels, and they’re going to be much easier to manage if you’re not also trying to make your next train or flight.

Getting from A to B

There are plenty of ways to get from A to B — indeed, the various transportation methods are part of the fun of moving around. However, while they may all be good for humans, they’re not equally good for dogs. If you can, it’s recommended that you travel by car. It’ll make everything much easier. You’ll be in charge of when to stop, you can load it up with your pet’s favorite toys, and it’ll all-around take an additional pressure weight off your shoulders. And it’s not like you’re losing anything — a road trip is a fantastic way to explore when you’re in the vacation mindset.

Getting Comfortable

Your dog isn’t used to zipping around at 70 miles per hour. They might like it, or they might not. Don’t wait until you’re on the road to find out the answer. Be prepared, and make sure your pet has everything they need to feel comfortable and at ease. They’ll enjoy the process of traveling much more if they’re sitting in their usual doggy bed, have their favorite toys with them, and so on. As well as helping them feel at ease, they’ll also have less objection to riding in the car for longer if they’re physically comfortable.

In the Bags

You might be happy to pick up some gas station food on your travels, but you can’t expect the mini-markets that gas stations have to provide for your pet too. They might have something for your pooch to eat in a pinch, but it’s not an option for the duration of the trip. Make sure you’re beginning the trip with a decent supply of pet food, and then top up your supplies by stopping off at larger supermarkets along the way. And remember that your dog is on vacation too, so you’ll want to have some tasty treats with you too.

Handling Issues

Until you’ve been traveling with your dog on multiple occasions, you can never be completely sure how they’re going to react to life on the road. While many dogs enjoy the thrill, others prefer to stay in familiar surroundings. When they’re taken out of their comfort zone, dogs can begin acting in uncharacteristic ways, such as an increase in anxiety and incontinence. To handle the wetting issue, look at getting a dog belly band from www.PetParentsBrand.com/products/dog-belly-bands. You hopefully won’t need it, but you’ll be thankful that you packed it if it becomes an issue. If your dog is getting anxious in the vehicle, then look at playing soothing music, giving physical affection, and spraying dog-friendly essential oils into the air.

Where to Stay

While it can be fun to wing your trip entirely when you’re on your own, that’s not really possible when you have a dog with you on the trip. There’ll need to be an element of planning, so that you can be sure that you’ll all have somewhere to sleep each night. When you’re traveling with your pet, the two primary options are dog-friendly hotels and campsites. There are pros and cons to each option. Hotels are more comfortable but more expensive. Camping has you in the outdoors (your dog will love it) but doesn’t always provide the best night’s sleep.

In Case of Emergencies

You never know what’s going to happen when you’re on vacation. Indeed, that’s part of the fun! But while you’ll be hoping for fun surprises, you’ll need to be ready to handle any less than welcome surprises, too. A simple way to do this is to be aware of any dangers of your destination (such as wild animals/poisonous plants in natural areas) and to know the location of nearby vets.

Dog-Friendly Excursions

You’re not just driving around all the time; you’re on vacation, and you want to have some fun. But when you’ve got a dog with you, you’ll need to be sensible. You’ll need to choose your excursions carefully. For example, stopping in a major city and doing a tour of the museums and art galleries won’t be an appropriate option. In general, it’s best to stick with wide open natural spots where every creature in your traveling party can have fun. Coasts, forests, mountains will all be winners!

Don’t Overthink It

Finally, try to prevent yourself from overthinking the situation. While traveling with your pet does require some additional planning, it’s not a crippling amount. If you have a dog-friendly destination in mind and the essential supplies that your pet needs to thrive, then you’ll have a good time. Any anxiety you have about the trip will rub off on your pet, so have a go with the flow attitude.