Car travel with dog

I just posted my favorite travel with a pet tips, and today I’d like to talk about specific car travel with dog tips because traveling with a cat is an entirely different animal ;-).

When you’re going to be venturing out on a road trip with your dog, three things are important:

1) Preparation.
2) The actual car time.
3) What happens when you get where you’re going.

If your dog is a grumpy traveler (or, worse, gets carsick!) talk with your vet before you hit the road. In fact, it’s always a good idea to check in with your vet about any travel plans that include the dog because there may be vaccinations to consider, preventative medications (like if you’ll be traveling to a tick-heavy camp grounds) or other concerns to address.

Another important part of pre-trip preparation is to make sure you have a proper harness for car travel with dog. This will keep your dog secure through the trip.

Finally, make sure you have a dog first aid kit and any special medications your dog might need. For instance, if your dog is allergic to ants, make sure to take along the antihistamines you give to prevent a reaction. Yes, most of what you’d need is available where you’re going, and will be available along the way, but do you really want to waste precious minutes searching for a drugstore when you could just reach into the first aid kit and find precisely what you need? I think not!

During the trip, you’ll find lots of great tips from my article on Travel with a Pet–make sure to pay special attention to the warnings about weather!

Then, finally, when it comes to getting settled in when you venture out for car travel with dog, it’s important to choose pet friendly hotels if you’ll be staying in a hotel. Also, as before you started the car trip with your dog, make sure to give your dog plenty of exercise when you get to the hotel. That’ll help get your vacation off to a good start.

Does your dog get car sick? Or do both of you enjoy car travel with dog? I’d love to hear about your experiences!

Travel with a pet

It’s not easy to travel with a pet, but it’s oh-so-worth it. Here’s how to make it easier on both you and your pet.

1) Take along the essentials–food, water, a leash (or carrier for cats), a blanket, and pet first aid kits. When you’ll travel with a dog or cat you could also take along a toy to keep the pet occupied.

2) Make frequent stops for bathroom breaks. With dogs, this is pretty easy. Find a pet-friendly spot (away from traffic and not marked “No Pets Allowed”) and make sure to pick up after. With cats, it can be more of a challenge, so if you’ll be traveling a long distance, get your vet’s input on how to handle bathroom breaks.

3) Don’t leave your pet alone in the car for longer than 10 minutes–and even then, be careful. You shouldn’t travel with a pet when the weather is too warm or cold for the pet to be comfortably left in the car for a few minutes. That’s because, sooner or later, *you’re* going to need a bathroom break ;-). Once you’ve taken the precaution of only traveling with a pet when the weather’s tolerable, you still can’t leave your pet alone in the car for very long. The car heats up very quickly, even with the windows rolled down and the car parked in the shade. Add to that the stress of the car trip, and your pet can easily get sick. So, be really, really careful about heat (and cold) when you travel with a pet.

4) Talk to your pet throughout the trip. If you usually talk to your pet, make sure you continue to offer encouragement during the car trip. Pets can get antsy sitting still for a long time–just like kids–and a little encouragement now and then can make a big difference.

5) Make sure to exercise your pet before and after you travel with a pet. Also, exercise in the middle of the trip if it’s long and there’s a safe place to do so. Any time you need your pet to be calm and low-key, it’s a good idea to start with plenty of exercise. A long run or walk, or a game of fetch with a catnip ball can really soothe your pet and calm that restless energy.

6) Find a great pet friendly hotel to keep your pet comfortable when you get where you’re going.

What are your favorite tips for travel with a pet? What’s the longest road trip you’ve ever taken with a pet? I’d love to hear all about your pet-friendly vacations!

Finding Pet Friendly Hotels

If you’ve decided to take your dog along on your next vacation, you’re probably searching for dog friendly hotels and motels. You don’t want to stay somewhere gross, but rather in a nice, affordable spot where the whole family will have a good vacation.

Fortunately, these days, lots of hotels are pet friendly because they know that pet owners want to travel with their dogs and they’re making big changes to their properties to enable you to do exactly that. So, here’s how to book a room at dog friendly hotels motels:

1) Ask about the pet policy. Are there size limitations? Will the dog need to be crated when left alone in the room? (Is the dog not allowed to be left alone in the room?) Find out all the nitty gritty details before you commit to a dog friendly hotel or motel.

2) Find out about the facilities. What kinds of spaces do they have for dogs? How often are those spaces cleaned? (Remember to clean up after your dog, but of course, not all guests will be so responsible.) How far are these spaces from the dog friendly hotel rooms?

3) Find out about extra charges and if there’s any way to negotiate on those. Sometimes, if you provide proof that your dog is on a monthly flea prevention, they’ll waive the deposit. Other times, a letter from your vet is good for a “good behavior” discount. So, ask! Dog friendly hotels / motels want you to bring your best friend along and often have special incentives to encourage you to do so.

It’ll be a vacation to remember when you bring your dog along; best of luck booking your dog friendly hotels / motels rooms.