How to Travel With Your Dog

You love your dog. I understand. I love my dog, too. However, I have to be honest, I love him a little less when I have to travel with him.

I know. It’s harsh and I would never say it to his cute little puppy dog face, but traveling with your dog makes everything more difficult and more stressful. In my years of puppy raising and body schlepping, I’ve found that the best way to ensure that “man’s best friend” remains your best friend is not to take him with you when you go on the road.

If you can’t bear the thought of boarding your dog due to threat of germs, foul treatment or gangs of canine low lives, you may want to consider services like PetWatchClub that will help you to find someone trustworthy to watch your dog while you’re out of town. This, of course, assumes you have no friends of your own to do it for you.

I’m not judging.

However, if that doesn’t work and you’re dead set on taking your dog with you, you’re going to need to do some planning. And I’ll warn you, it’s not going to be fun.

Initial Health and Safety

The first step in your trip is to figure out how you and your dog are getting to your destination. Are you flying? Driving? Going by boat, bus or by rail? Hopefully it’s not the latter options because non-service dogs are not permitted on most trains or interstate buses. Local rail and bus companies have their own policies, but most still won’t allow animals to ride with you. So if that was your plan, it’s back to Pet Watch Club you go.

Once you know how you’ll be traveling, it’s time to get your pooch to the vet for a check up. If you’re going by air, you’re going to need to get a full Health Check for your pup before he’ll be allowed on the plane. The Health Check looks to make sure that your pet is fit for travel and that all shots and vaccinations are up to date.  Once your animal has been seen by the vet, they’ll give you a pile of certificates and paperwork that will make you think it’s tax season already. Like your taxes, hold on to these forms. Your airline will ask to see them before they allow your beloved on the plane. If you’re driving and not flying, you should still hold on to mound of paperwork. It’s possible someone will ask to see them at some point on your journey. If anything, it’s a souvenir for the $300 you just spent on shots.

While you’re at the vet, you may also inquire about getting something to sedate your dog during the trip. As I mentioned earlier, traveling is highly stressful on dogs. It’s up to you whether or not you want to go down this route, but it never hurts to consult your vet. You’re already there.

Take a look at your puppy right now. Melts your heart, doesn’t he? Now imagine how you’d feel if your puppy darted out of your car in the middle of Route 66 and vanished before your eyes. Probably not so great.  Before you let your dog out of your house and out of your sight, make sure he’s wearing proper puppy identification.

At the very least, your dog should have a collar with complete tags. None of these vanity name tags. I mean tags that identify the dogs name, your name, your address, and your phone number.  If your dog is like mine and enjoys darting out doors, I’d highly recommend you consider microchipping. It doesn’t hurt the animal, comes at a nominal cost and will significantly increase your chances of getting your dog back should he disappear.

Getting There

Once the initial prep is done, it’s time to worry about what you’ll need for the trip itself.

By Car

If you’re traveling by car, you’re going to want to do some planning before heading on down the road.  Get your dog used to the idea of riding in a car by taking short rides leading up to the big travel day. If your pooch is comfortable riding in cars (and doesn’t associate it with shots at the vet), than he’ll be more relaxed during the journey (and so will you).

Your dog should have a safe place to travel in your car. The back of your truck is not this place. If your dog is in a crate, you’ll want to check that it’s well ventilated and allows your dog to eat and drink. If your dog is loose and not in a crate, make sure that he won’t be able to open any doors or windows. If there are kids in the car, instruct them not to bother the dog. Car rides are stressful and you don’t want your small child using the dog as a source of entertainment. That’s how kids lose fingers.

For everyone’s sanity, plot rest stops along the way to allow your dog to get out of his crate, run around, go to the bathroom, etc. You may also want to make a note of some of the veterinary hospitals along the way, should an emergency arise.

And of course, never leave your dog unattended in a closed vehicle, particularly during the warm months. Temperatures inside parked cars can reach dangerous levels rapidly and because of a dog’s inability to sweat like we humans do, brain damage and death can occur quickly.

By Plane

If you’re planning on taking your dog on the plane with you…well, you’re going to want to have some medication on hand. For you, not your dog.

Air travel can be very traumatic on pets and the airlines sure don’t make it any easier (likely on purpose).  Some airlines don’t even allow animals on their flights, while others will charge exorbitant pet fees, restrict which flights you can take, and make you purchase carriers with insane size limitations. If you do want to travel with your pet, contact the airline to let them know as early as possible. Only a certain number of pets are allowed on a flight so make sure yours gets a spot.

There are two ways to fly with your dog:

Carry on: If you’re traveling with a small dog you may be able to bring him on the plane with you in an airline-approved pet carrier. You should contact your airline as soon as possible to find out their specific carrier size requirements. I can tell you from frustrating personal experience that finding a carrier that’s not too big, too wide or too long is often more difficult than finding a spouse. While there’s some wiggle room with the width and length requirements, your carrier will have to be no greater than 10 inches in order to fit underneath the seat (good luck finding one, but that’s another topic for another article). Sites like Pet Travel Center and Pets On The Go can help you locate an airline-friendly carrier.  If you bring your pet on board with you, your dog will have to stay inside the carrier the entire flight, so make sure he has enough room to move around comfortably.

Cargo Hold: If your traveling with a medium to large dog, chances are you’ll have to place him in the the airplanes cargo hold underneath the plane with the rest of the common luggage. I know, the thought of this is heartbreaking to most pet owners, which is why you should leave your pet at home if at all possible. However, if you have to fly with your dog and he’s not small enough to fit under your seat, this is your only option. Again, you’ll have to secure your dog in a carrier and ‘check him’ with your luggage. Make sure you inquire with the airline where you can go to collect your dog immediately after the flight. It’s worth mentioning that you should check with the airline to ensure that cargo hold is even an option, as some restrict it during the winter months. (Would you want to collect a frozen-solid puppy at your destination gate? We didn’t think so.)

Locating Pet-Friendly Hotels

At some point in your journey you may need a place to crash overnight. Finding a pet-friendly hotel while on the road isn’t an easy task. It’s always better to plan out where you’ll be staying before you leave so that you can make the big decisions prior to having listened to your dog whimper for six hours straight while you pass the same exit four times. (We told you to leave him at home.)  In other words, do your research before you leave.

There are there kinds of hotels out there:

• Hotels that don’t allow animals
• Hotels that tolerate animals
• Hotels that like animals

The more pet-friendly your hotel is, the better the experience you and your dog will have. Some hotels will offer treats, doggie day care, and other amenities, so make sure to inquire about what each hotel offers when you make your reservation. Sites like PetsWelcome.com and DogFriendly.com are also good resources when trying to locate the right pet-friendly hotel for your needs.

Traveling with your pet can be stressful and you want to make it from here to there as safely and comfortably as you can. Doing a little bit of research before you make the big trek will greatly reduce the amount of cries and tears shed during your trip. And we’re not talking about your dogs.

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