Chinook dogs - Kathleen Riley Photography
Travel with your pets can be really enjoyable, and having your companion along can make the
family vacation more fun for everyone. Here are some tips to help make
your travel experience easier.
- Make frequent stops (about every 2-3 hours) to allow you and your
dog time to go to the bathroom and get some exercise. Frequent stops are
better for all the travelers and will leave when you feeling better
when you reach your destination.
- Properly restrain or contain your dog in your vehicle to prevent injury to your dog, to you and to other drivers. Dogs
should not ride on your lap or under the driver's feet. Use crates, a
specialized dog seat belt or in travel-safe dog beds to keep your dog
safer when traveling.
- Do not let your dog ride in the back of a truck. If there is some
reason your dog must ride in the truck bed, they should be confined in a
protective kennel that is safely secured to the truck to help prevent
injury.
- Dogs should not be allowed to ride with their heads outside the
window no matter how much fun it looks like. Dirt and other debris can
get into their eyes, ears and nose and may cause injury or infection.
- Provide a familiar blanket and/or safe toy to help you dog feel more comfortable during the trip.
- Bring medical records, medications and identification, including pictures of you with your pets. Make sure your pets are up-to-date with their vaccinations, flea, tick and heartworm treatments.
- Microchip (in addition to collar and tags) is a very important tool
to help you locate your pets in case they get away from you during your travels. (Talk to your veterinarian about microchips.)
- Pack their bags! It's always a good idea to have extra collars, leashes, toys as well as food and water bowls for your pets.
- Bring extra food, treats – and don’t forget the water. Water varies from city to city and sensitive dogs may prefer bottled water or tap water from home.
- Find a local veterinary office at your destination -- and along the route too -- you probably won't need it, but like the Boy Scouts it's always best to be prepared.
- Get a First Aid kit and keep it in your vehicle. These are important for people and pets.
- Remember, pets don’t belong in hot cars! Heat stroke may be deadly and happens in moments so have a plan for keeping your pet safe when the weather warms up.
Visit our Facebook page and share photos of you and your pets, we love to see all of you!