Going away with your dog this summer? Then read Dog City’s guide to traveling with your dog to ensure your pet is safe and healthy while away from home.
1. Use A Pet Carrier
Whether you’re traveling by car or by plane, you’ll want to have a carrier for your pet to ensure safe travel. Carriers are required for air travel, but if you’re traveling by car avoid leaving your pet free to roam around. Keep your pet in their carrier while driving will ensure their safety in case of an accident. For larger dogs, secure their harness to a seatbelt during your ride.
2. Practice Traveling With Your Pet
Take your pet for a practice drive. Let them sniff around and get familiar with your car. Once they seem comfortable in this space you can start with taking them on short drives, 10-minutes, and then build up progressively.
Practicing this ahead of time will not only tell you how your dog feels about driving, but also if they get motion sickness. If your dog suffers from motion sickness while driving you can reach out to your veterinarian who can prescribe you medication for this, as well as for anxiety.
3. Prepare For Emergencies
Make sure that your pet’s identification or microchip information is up-to-date. If your pet is not microchipped, try a GPS tracker. You can attach it to their collar and monitor them on your phone. This one by Whistle tracks your pet’s location as well as their overall health.
4. Get Your Dog’s Energy Out Beforehand
Dogs who are less physically active tend to be more anxious and afraid when introduced to new environments or stressors. Taking your dog for long walks or having extended playdates with other dogs leading up to your trip could greatly improve your dog’s disposition while traveling.
5. Use Calming Pet Products
Another way to improve your dog’s mood while traveling is with calming treats, these treats by Chill are made with all-natural ingredients and is suitable for all dogs. An alternative to treats is calming spray. This spray by ThunderEase is made with pheromones that calm your dog and keep them at ease. Simply spray is on a blanket your dog will use 15-minutes before you introduce to them.
Follow this guide and you’ll be sure to have a safe and fun-filled adventure wherever you are traveling with your dog.
Bon voyage!
