Traveling is one of the most exciting activities that are popular amongst all. At some point or the other, the wanderlust bug is bound to bite you, and you can begin to chase an exciting adventure. The excitement of any trip becomes double with companionship, and who better than your canine friend to accompany you?
A trip with your best pet pal can be enjoyable and, at the same time, risky too. In such a scenario, callousness or any slip-up can reflect adversely on you as well as on your dog’s wellbeing. Though the risk is pretty evident, it is dispensable too. By following a few simple and easy steps, you can ensure a fun trip for you and your pet dog. You can also visit for personalised dog collars australia.
Here are some tips that you can follow while taking a trip with your dog.
1. Check with the Vet
If your dog is experiencing health issues, it probably is not the travel companion you want unless you get professional assistance. Pets who have had health issues are not good candidates for travel. A routine check-up with your vet can help put these issues to rest.
Many areas also require an additional health certificate for pets to travel. In these situations, a vet can help you figure out the right measures you must adhere to for your dog’s safe travel.
2. Use a Restraint
Using restraint during travel is exceptionally crucial for your pet’s safety and for yours too. This may be a carrier fastened to the seat or floor or a safety restraint system for your dog. This can be a carrier cage or even a car harness. This is to ensure adequate safety and stability for your companion and you.
A simple restraint or a harness attached to the dog coat can easily do the trick for you. Some of the best dog coats come with attached hooks for harnesses and restraints.
3. Stock Up on Food and Water
While you are looking to try some new cuisines on your trip, it can be a nightmare for your dog. Chances are, you cannot find your dog’s favorite food. Water supplies might not be present at roadside grocery stores. Hence, it is important to pack enough to last the length of your trip and carry enough water in refillable containers and food bowls to serve on the road.
Remember to pack some of your pet’s favorite treats and chews, as well. Soft treats are great for encouraging good behavior, while long-lasting, meaty chews, such as pig ears and bully sticks, keep your dog busy (and, therefore, not wreaking havoc in your car) throughout your trip. Moreover, chewing on something helps dogs alleviate their anxiety over unfamiliar places, new situations, and other stressful events.
4. Inculcate a Car Habit
Like most people, dogs can also find long trips to be excruciatingly painful and quickly get carsick. Most pets are comfortable in car rides in shorter trips around the town and can find it fun.
Long road trips can take their toll on your dog. Initially, positioning them in the car and noting their reaction is essential. It is highly probable that the way they react initially will give you a hint of how comfortable they will be in the entirety of the trip. So the best way is to inculcate a car habit in your dog with some practice runs.
5. Timing the Play and the Poop
What makes a trip fun on the road is the stops and pee-breaks along the way. Not only does it give you a chance to stretch your limbs and relieve yourself in case of nature’s call, but it also helps to unwind occasionally. Similarly, it’s a chance to relieve the strain of the tiresome journey for your dog and stretch out his paws.
Bring along all the favorite toys and treats for an interesting stopover for some much-required play and poop-break. You can also research additional dog-walk tracks, parks, or other interesting places for your pet. You can use it to incorporate some training and games to make it worthwhile for both of you.
6. Know the Rule of Air Travel
Some rules and regulations must be complied with, especially while flying with your pet dog. The rules for allowing dogs inside cabin spaces vary from airline to airline, and similarly, not all airlines boast of a soundtrack record of sagely transporting pets in cargo.
These are some areas that need to be researched well before embarking on your trip. Despite most airlines putting up pet-travel related information on the website, it is best to speak directly with a representative. In any case, most airlines allow pet-travel bookings through airline representatives only.
7. Distinctive Collar and ID
While traveling, you must protect your dog from the unthinkable. This requires you to spend some time and effort to chip and register your dog or update the registration details.
Additionally, you should ensure that your dog wears a distinctive collar and tag bearing your information and contact details, should it get lost. The contact details must be one where you are reachable at all times because you would be traveling too.
Conclusion
A few simple cautionary approaches can save a fun trip from turning into a disaster. The world outside is worth exploring. Its beautiful sights can be taken in with a lot of fun on and adequate precautions too. Thus, if the great big outdoors beckons, you make sure you respond with enthusiasm and responsibility too.