Study: My Understanding of Dogs

Good Advices for Those Traveling with Their Dog

If you’re on a real, breakaway vacation and not on a working vacation, bringing your dog with you lightens up the worry of not knowing what’s going to happen to your dog while you’re away and, therefore, now is the time to make an effort to research on dog travel, such as requirements when traveling on planes and on the road, what to do when you reach your travel destination, hotel policies on dogs.

Placing your dog in a crate

The best thing you can do for your dog when you bring him on a travel, whether you are flying or driving on the road, is to prepare him for being in his crate, like making sure that your dog has been well exercised before he goes in the crate since he’s more inclined to rest after the exercise; making sure that there’s nothing left in the crate that can harm your dog such as a leash or collar; making your dog get used to the crate before travelling such that he voluntarily goes to the crate on his own; making sure that you check on your dog in 15 minutes when he has entered the crate so this can ease his separation anxiety. Crating your dog during driving keeps your dog safe, reduces the chance of injury, and prevents the dog from vomiting as he is kept still, knowing for a fact that dogs are prone to motion sickness.

Driving with your dog

The following are recommendations on what to do when you’re driving with your dog: don’t feed your dog a lot or when you’re driving, but make time for a break on your driving to give him a small snack, one that is high on protein, and spend a little time to play or walk him to release some pent-up energy; and, most importantly, don’t leave your dog in a parked car, as your dog might experience dehydration due to the heat inside the car.

Traveling your dog on a plane

Days ahead before your travel, check first with the airline as to what requirements are needed with regards to dog travel and since these prerequisites vary from different airlines, the most common requirements are: dog crate, health and vaccination certificates or dog microchip which bears the dog’s health and vaccination, airline veterinary health certificate, acclimation certificate, and pet calmer. It’s important that you let the dog fast for at least 6 hours before the trip so he will not be travelling on a full stomach and make sure that your dog has access to water enough to keep him hydrated during the plane travel.

Make your dog calm during travel

It is important to put your dog in a calm condition so his travel will not be upsetting, so bring a pet calmer, like dog’s blanket, favourite stuff animal, toy, bone – anything to keep him comfortable and calm during travel and maybe a little massage, using lavender oil, from the dog’s spine or base of his head.

Know the hotel regulations on travelling with your pet dog

Include in your research on which hotels allow pets so you can narrow down your list on the hotel’s policies on pets, before you start your travel.