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While our dogs can be the best companions, traveling with them can sometimes require a lot of patience and planning in order to ensure the best time for you and your furry friend!
Before Traveling
It is always a good idea to get your dog a check up with their vet and make sure they are up-to-date on all their vaccines before you travel. Also, make sure you have all the supplies you will need for the journey, such as a crate, leashes, water/food bowls, food, and toys. It is especially important to check what size crate you are allowed to have if you plan on traveling by plane or what will work with your vehicle if you decide to travel by car. Lastly, ensure that your dog has proper identification, being a collar with a name-tag that has their name, your name, home address and phone number incase you should get separated.
By Car
Once you have completed your “before” list of things to get done prior to leaving for your trip, then you are ready to pack up and leave! If you are planning on traveling by car, be sure that your dog is already comfortable being in a car for an extended period of time. Also, plan on making a lot of stops to ensure your dog can go to the bathroom and also get plenty of exercise. Another thing to keep in mind when traveling by car is to bring plenty of bags for waste. Some areas will fine you if you do not clean up after yourself and your dog.
By Plane
If you are considering traveling by plane with your dog, you must keep in mind how long the flight is, how much space they would have to move around, and if they would remain calm during the travel. Most airlines only offer space for dogs that are small enough to fit into a travel bag so if you have a big dog, know that they might not be able to sit with you on the plane. Also, a health certification of your dog must be provided to the airline no more than 10 days before you plan on traveling to ensure your pet is healthy!
Lodging
When considering where to stay while on your trip, you should also consider how that establishment and the people in it feel about dogs. You could stay anywhere from a hotel, to a lodge, to camping in the woods. Also be sure to figure out what or if any additional charges may be added due to the fact that you have a dog. Some hotels may say that they are “pet-friendly” and ad on an additional cleaning fee but offer no other services, while others may actually offer a “day-care” center for your dog and more. It is important to do research on what kind of lodging would work best for you and your dog!
