Best 4 Tips for Travel with Your Dog? Here’s How to Make it Possible
Traveling is a fulfilling pastime that many people rate highly on their bucket lists. After all, the world is vast, and there is so much to see and explore. Unfortunately, it breaks many pet lovers’ hearts when they have to leave their furry friends beyond for long periods of time.
Travelling with your dog can relieve stress. What if you could have the best of both worlds?
If you want to explore the world with your canine companion by your side, then keep reading for some helpful tips and tricks to help make that possible. With a little planning and forethought, you and your pooch can both have the times of your lives anywhere in the world.
1. Use Dog Online Resources
There are dog lovers all over the world with tons of knowledge and expertise that they want to make available to you on the internet. For example, if you need a dog friendly place to stay in the UK or Ireland, then check out Dog Friendly Retreats for thousands of cottages that accept dogs.
Additionally, make sure to include “dog-friendly” in all your online searches for accommodations to make sure you find a place that will welcome man’s best friend with open arms.
2. Research Proper Carriers
Keeping a dog in a crate or carrier while traveling by car or plane will help to keep them safe, and sometimes it is even required. Check out Airline Approved Pet Carrier. However, it is important that you do not just choose the first option you see. When selecting a crate, make sure that it is large enough for your dog to sit, lie down, stand up, and turn around. If these conditions are not met, then your dog will be extremely uncomfortable and may even become ill.
Additionally, for long car trips with a small dog, you may want to consider a car seat. It will give you dog more visibility while keeping them safe and out of trouble.
3. Plan Ahead
Do not decide to take your dog on a trip tomorrow. Significant planning and preparation are required to make sure that they have as much fun as you do. Collect contact information for veterinarians and animal hospitals in the area in which you will be staying so that you will be ready in the case of an emergency.
If you are flying by plane, you should also make sure that your pet’s shots and papers are up-to-date and follow all the rules and regulations that your airline of choice employs. Also, do not forget to make a flight reservation for your dog just as you do for yourself. Many airlines restrict the number of animals that they allow on each flight on a first-come-first-serve basis. Do not miss out simply because you waited too long.
4. Conduct a Dry-Run
Once you have gathered all the necessary equipment, try it out. Do not let the first time your dog experiences life inside their crate happen during a 10-hour car ride where they cannot take a break. Change and new environments can be difficult for dogs just as it is for humans. You could argue it may be even harder for a dog because you don’t have the means to fully communicate with them and reassure them that everything will be fine.
Try to take several, short day trips before attempting a long haul to make sure that your dog is comfortable and used to their environment.
For many people, dogs are more than just pets; they are members of the family. Any family member does not deserve to sit at home while everyone else has fun. Dogs bring smiles to millions of people’s faces all over the world every day, so why does that have to end when it comes time to take a trip? Hopefully, these tips will help you to be prepared to bring your four-legged friend on all your adventures so that you can share in them together.