Tips on Traveling with your Dog

Seasoned travelers who love to hit the roads with their dogs know that traveling with your pooch doesnt have to be a stressful and tiring affair. The secret to being prepared for every eventuality on the trip is to plan ahead. If youve never dared venture out of town with your pet, theres really no reason to worry. Just follow these simple tips and ideas for a safe and comfortable journey with your dog.

First on the agenda of course, is packing. Traveling with your dog is a bit like traveling with your kid, in that sense. Theres no question of throwing a couple of T shirts in the bag, and heading out the door. Make a detailed list of all the things that your dog uses when hes at home, and pack all of these. His dog bed and feeder will have to go in the bag, and so will his water bowls, toys and brush. If he uses an elevated dog feeder at home, pack that too. Traveling is going to be hard enough for him; you dont have to make it worse by forcing him to adjust to a new feeder on the journey. Its the best way to push him off course. If hes used to an orthopedic dog bed, you absolutely must take his bed along or youll have a dog thats cranky from not sleeping well at night. In short, whatever hes used to at home, throw all those things into a separate bag that contains all his essentials.

Take tins of his normal dog food. The brand or flavor that he likes may not be available where youre headed, and traveling is not the time when you want to introduce your dog to new foods, unless youre prepared to spend your holiday tending to a pet with diarrhea.

Remember to take him to a vet before you leave, so you can catch a nasty oncoming illness before it flares up on the journey. Make sure you pack all his medication, and prepare a separate first aid box for him with anti bloating and anti diarrhea medicine.

If youre traveling by air, make sure you are aware of their pet policies. Some planes allow only dogs that fit into a desired weight range on board. Read the fine print on the hotels dog policy  if they dont allow large dogs above a certain weight, you might have to find another hotel

If youre traveling by car, remember to take plenty of breaks so your dog can stretch his legs.

Traveling with your dog can be a fun and bonding experience for you and your pooch. Plan ahead, pack wisely and hit the road.

This author lives in Flemington, NJ with her husband and 5 month old daughter and is an expert contributing author for a luxury raised dog feeders boutique offering variety of dog beds and orthopedic dog beds. This author and DogBedSupplies are also dedicated to providing valuable and informative articles on pet health, dog training, crate training, puppy breeds and more.