Pet Friendly Travel Tips

 

Taking your dog with you on a road trip can be enjoyable and stressful at the same time. Here are a few tips and tricks that can help when planning a road trip to create memories of the trip that will last you and your best pal for a lifetime.

Visit Your Vet before travelling

If you are traveling out of town, visit your vet and ensure that your pet’s vaccine and immunization records are up to-date and no general health issues in your pet are unattended.

Pack a bag for your pet

Make a separate bag containing all essentials for your pet to avoid clutter and confusion during travel

• A separate water bottle
• Bowls for feeding and water
• Your pet’s favorite treats
• Poop bags, old newspapers in case you need to pick up his poop
• Any medicines that your pet might be on as prescribed by the vet
• His favorite dog food, blanket, essential clothing such as winter dog coat or dog t-shirt, towel, grooming products (shampoo, brush, comb etc.) and insect repellent or sun block cream for dogs.
• Skip a meal on travel days

No matter how accommodating you are to your pet, some anxiety on their part is inevitable. A common symptom of this is stress diarrhea—which is the last thing you want to deal with on a long car or plane ride. Even if your pet doesn’t seem stressed before the trip, plain old motion sickness can upset your animal’s stomach rather quickly. Feed them less than you usually would prior to traveling will help. That doesn’t mean you should starve your pet if they’re begging for food; just skip the last meal you would normally feed them before beginning your journey or feed them a light meal few hours before you travel. Take your beloved for a long walk before you board the car and take off.

Using essential oils

With such powerful sniffers, it’s no surprise that scents can affect dogs’ behavior and comfort levels. That’s why a team of British researchers decided to study whether essential oils could reduce stress and improve the welfare of dogs in shelters. the study concluded that exposure to the odors of vanilla, coconut, valerian, and ginger has the potential to reduce stress in shelter dogs.

One of the gentlest oils around, lavender is well-known as natural sedative, calming and soothing the nerves, easing anxiety and depression and promoting deeper and more restful sleep. Using mild lavender sprays or car fresheners can help alleviate your dogs anxiety and stress

Plan Regular Stops

In case you are traveling by road and the journey involves a long travel time, then frequent stopovers become extremely important. Your dog needs to urinate every few hours and walk around a bit. It may even feel the need to defecate. A brief stop over at any pet friendly park en route to the destination will not just give your pooch a little physical stimulation but also help it to acquaint better to new surroundings. Thus, traveling long distance with your dog will be a smooth ride.

Keep your pet hydrated

Without regular access to water whenever they need it, pets can get easily dehydrated when traveling. Keep this in mind when traveling and pack extra water for your four-legged passenger. Allowing animals to self-regulate their water intake, perhaps by attaching a bowl to the inside of their crate, is ideal, but if that’s not possible, stop frequently to give them a chance to drink. Another way to keep them feeling good is to feed them wet food instead of dry; the water content in wet food can help hydrate pets.

Keep them occupied with a toy

If you can only give your pet one toy on a long trip, choose something that will keep them busy for as long as possible. When your dog is preoccupied with a toy, it’s harder for them to focus on anything else—including the stress of traveling to a new place.

Never leave your pet in a car alone

Hopefully this is common sense for most pet parents, but this is the most important thing to remember when traveling with an animal—especially during the summer months. Do not leave them in a locked car. It doesn’t matter if you crack a window or if you’re only stepping out of your car for a few minutes. If it’s a hot day, dogs should never be left alone in a vehicle.

Choose pet-friendly accommodations

You may love your pet, but that doesn’t mean the owner of the hotel or where you’re staying will love them, too; be mindful of this when booking accommodations for your trip. There are plenty of hotels that offer pet friendly accommodation

Be respectful of the people around you

No matter where you go with your dog, be honest and considerate with those around you. Some people love animals, while others can be terrified of even a tiny puppy. Be polite and know your dog’s limits.