For people who have a dog, going on a trip without their dog is no fun at all without their four-legged members, the trip will be incomplete. Travelling, on the other hand, can turn out to be really stressful for both you and your favourite four-legged travel companion. But, if you plan out the trip thoughtfully, the trip can turn out to be safe and comfortable for all of you. Taking a road trip with your beloved dog involves more than just making your dog stay in the backseat. It is important to look at other things as well because driving for long distances with your dog can be a little troublesome.
We have a few tips for you to show you how you can keep yourself and your four-legged best friend calm and comfortable during the journey and the trip. If you follow these six tips, you will enjoy the whole trip regardless of the distance covered or the mode of travel chosen. These six tips will help you and your dog to have fun during the entire journey, from planning to packing and travelling to feeding.
- Practice Travel Manners With Your Dog: Dogs who have not travelled before might get uncomfortable while travelling. The dog owner needs to be patient with the dog and start teaching it some travel manners. Firstly, it is essential to take the dog for small car journeys if the dog has not been to any long journey so that the dog gets comfortable in the car. If you plan on travelling by train or air, you should take the dog near the railway station or the airport so that the dog gets familiar with the sounds and smells. It is also crucial to reward your pet with treats for their good behaviour. Doing all this, your dog will become comfortable with travelling.
- Buying the Perfect Crate: For making the dog sit comfortably in the car, you should purchase a perfect dog crate so that your dog does not feel any discomfort. We understand that a dog crate fills up the entire backseat and you would get less space for keeping your luggage. For storing your luggage, you should use roof rack accessories so that your travel becomes less worrisome. The size of the crate that you choose should be sufficient for your dog to stand, sit and turn around inside the car. Also, the crate should not slip whenever the car takes a turn or stops. Therefore, you should keep all these things in mind before buying a crate for your dog.
- Stay at Pet-Friendly Hotels: Finding a pet-friendly hotel can be a burden at the end moment. It is advised that you do your research before going on the trip so that you get a good dog-friendly hotel. If the hotel you choose is pet-friendly, you should inquire from them about the hotel room where dogs are allowed to stay. Some hotels are pet-friendly, but they do not let the dogs enter the room. Therefore, it should be your duty to ask them way in advance about the pets being allowed in the hotel room. Some hotels also specify the size, weight and breed of the dog, it is imperative to get to know these things way in advance.
- Schedule a Check-Up with your Dog’s Veterinarian: When it comes to travelling with your pet, you should take your pet for a check-up to a veterinarian as new place and weather can cause some changes in the body of your dog. The veterinarian might suggest some vaccinations and medications for your dog. It would help if you also asked about what food to give to your dog according to the climate of the place where you plan on going. If the doctor suggests some blood tests for your dog, you should get them done much before you leave as the dog will get time to recover if there is some problem.
- Plan your Dog’s Diet: You need to keep your pet comfortable with a diet once you arrive at your destination. Doing so, your dog will not have a stomach upset. You should give your dog dry food during the journey as the dog would not fall ill because of you. If your dog doesn’t like dry food, you try giving it the canned food that you give it usually. If it gets some problem with the canned food too, then you should buy some local fruits, vegetables and meat so that the dog feels comfortable and full.
- Plan for Emergencies: You should be ready with everything your dog needs when an emergency strikes. Researching about who to call, where to go, how to stay, how to care is very important. It would help if you did not wait for the emergency to strike. Instead, you should have all the details handy. Travelling can cause several problems, and you should know it beforehand as to how to tackle them. Pets can not communicate so; you should understand the signs that they are trying to communicate.
