If you are planning a vacation with your pet
companion,
start by taking short trips close to home - around
town, then an overnight trip, etc. This will insure that your dog gets
used to riding in your vehicle for greater periods of time. Make sure
that your dog is kennel-trained to prevent him/her from "helping" you
drive! A little training goes a long way. Never travel with a dog that
hates to ride in a vehicle or that gets motion sickness!
If you are going to leave your canine companion
in the hotel room the entire time,
don't take
him/her! He/she would be far better off and happier at home with
a pet sitting service. If you do take your pet, plan activities in which
your pet can participate.
Do your homework -
plan ahead! This will
insure that you have reservations in "pet friendly hotels" and have
outings planned for both you and your pet(s). (Doing a little research
before you go can make your and your pet's vacation much more enjoyable
as you plan river walks together, visits to parks, etc.) If you have
more than one pet, make sure that your hotel allows this. Many hotels
only allow one pet per room, but often advance negotiations with the
hotel can be made to allow more than one animal. Consider offering a pet
damage deposit. (And, if your pet does damage the room, be true to your
word and pay for all repairs.)
When making your hotel/motel reservations,
try to reserve a room on the
first floor (ground level) with doors leading directly to the outdoors,
if possible. Ask the hotel if they have a dog walk area. If not, ask the
desk clerk where dogs should be walked. For safety purposes, you don't
want to be wandering in a strange area in search of a grassy area.
(Remember to clean up after your dog, even in dog walk areas.)
Always,
ALWAYS keep your dog on a leash! Even obedience-trained canine
companions can become disoriented; strange surroundings can sometimes
override training even with the most obedient dogs. Why risk having your
pet lost, stolen, hurt or killed? Also remember that not everyone likes
dogs (hard to imagine, I know). Also, "magnets" will attract your dogs -
other dogs, cats, children. Imagine your feelings if your dog escaped in
a strange area and you had to leave town to get back to work the next
day. As the old saying goes, better safe than sorry - LEASH THAT DOGGIE!
Always
bring water and a water bowl with you for your doggie. Providing
fresh water at regular intervals will prevent them from drinking water
from stagnant puddles or other unsafe sources. Even moderately active
dogs need lots of fresh water, especially in the summer.
Bring
toys or chew toys and dog biscuits! Just like children, dogs will
get bored during those long rides. Make their trip pleasurable and yours
will be pleasurable, too!
Never,
EVER leave your dog alone in a car in warm weather! The heat in a
car builds up so rapidly that your dog could die in a matter of minutes.
Temperatures which are uncomfortable for you can be deadly for your dog
because a dogs' "cooling systems" are much less efficient than humans'.
In cool weather, if your dog MUST be left in the car for a short period,
park the car where you can see it from a window. Lower the windows
slightly for ventilation. Please note, however, that this is a
calculated risk - children may stick their fingers in the window and be
bitten, the dog might become stressed and damage the car or himself, or
someone may actually break into your car and steal your valued
companion. Active dogs have been known to accidentally put the car in
gear. If, however, you must leave your companion in the car, you should
go back to the car every 10 minutes or so to check on your friend.
Again, never, EVER leave your dog alone in a car in warm weather! This
could be a death sentence for your companion!
Train
your dog companions to a kennel and kennel your dog while
traveling. Collapsible dog kennels are ideal for traveling!
Kenneling your dog while driving accomplishes many things:
- It allows you to drive (rather than your
pet!). Dogs love to drive, but they are lousy at it! They are also
good at distracting you when you are driving.
- It is much safer to both you and your dog in
case of an accident (kennels should be secured within your vehicle).
- It lowers the chance of "pottie accidents"
because dogs do not like to soil their "mini-homes."
- Your dog can be kenneled in your hotel room,
thus minimizing "accidents" and the possibility of the maid accidently
letting your dog escape from your hotel room. (Imagine your sadness at
coming back to your hotel room to find your dog companion missing!" In
addition, hotel management will be much happier. Having a kennel will
allow you to stop and picnic or play games while having your pet
companion near (and safe in his kennel).
Bring
your dog companion's own food (and don't forget any medications,
vitamins, etc. he/she may be taking!). Often, a change in type of food
will cause stomach problems (which aren't fun while traveling). Also,
resist the urge to feed your dog human food. Carry the food, water,
medications, vitamins, etc. in the car so that you can feed your dog
according to his/her normal schedule. Don't forget those hearthworm
pills!
Prepare
for the worst! Bring a small first aid kit with you with items
such as tweezers (for ticks/thorns), gauze (for cuts), and antiseptic.
If you have a dog with health problems, consider a little research about
veterinarians in the area you'll be visiting - just in case. For a
listing of veterinary hospitals in the area in which you plan to
vacation, a web site you may want to visit prior to your vacation is
http://www.healthypet.com.
If your
doggie makes a mess, please be considerate and clean it up! Bring
cleaning supplies, plastic bags, and tissue for waste disposal. Hard to
believe, but even dog lovers don't enjoy stepping in "waste!" Consider
bringing carpet cleaner and old towels/rags to clean in hotel rooms or
your car should the need arise.
Take
the extra step in hotels and notify the desk and maid that there is a
dog in your room (in a kennel, please). This will insure that the
maid is not surprised (and possibly scared) which could also result in
her scaring your dog. Consider having them skip cleaning the room - most
of us don't change bed sheets daily at our homes, anyway! This is also a
good idea when traveling even without a pet companion - it helps save
our environment (water and detergent usage is reduced).
Enjoy yourselves! If this all sounds like a lot
more trouble than it's worth, then it probably is. If you are already
imagining yourself having fun hikes with your canine companion or
exploring new areas together, then you're ready. There are many joys and
happy memories to be found in traveling with your canine companion -
ENJOY!
For more information about
traveling with your pet,
please visit http:www.petswelcome.com
Our thanks to the Humane Society of Southeast Texas
for this valuable information!
