Pawsport Ready? Tips for Traveling With Your Dog

Whether you're hitting the open road for a weekend getaway or flying across the country for a longer adventure, bringing your canine companion along can turn an ordinary trip into a tail-wagging good time if you are prepared. We just enjoyed a road trip in the mountains and wanted to share our tips. Here’s our guide to stress-free travel with your dog.

🧳 Prep Before You Go

Vet Visit: Make sure your dog is up-to-date on vaccines and ask your vet for any travel-related advice, especially if you're flying or going to higher altitudes.

Pack Their Essentials: Don’t forget food, water, bowls, leash, poop bags, and medications.  We bring extra food and medications in case of travel delays. A kennel, bed, mat, or a favorite toy or blanket can bring some comfort to being in an unfamiliar place. 

ID & Microchip: Double-check that your dog’s collar ID tags are current. A microchip with up-to-date info adds an extra layer of safety.

🚗 Road Tripping With Your Pup

We don’t recommend leaving your dog in the car due to the heat or in a hotel room, as that may create anxiety from being alone in a strange place.  Your dog may or may not be comfortable being alone at home, but a new, strange place can create anxiety even if they are comfortable being left home alone. 

🏕️ Find Dog-Friendly Destinations

Although the world has become a lot more dog-friendly, there are lots of places where dogs are not allowed. Research the places that you’re going to go to ensure that they allow dogs and accept that you may be restricted to where you can go. Traveling with your dog means that you will need to adjust to only going to dog-friendly places. Consider the settings that your dog is comfortable in. Is your dog comfortable in cities with lots of people and other dogs? Is your dog comfortable with the sounds inside a hotel, screaming children, stomping feet, or slamming doors down the hall? If you’re going to visit family or friends, is your dog comfortable with their dogs, kids, and new people? Again, traveling with your dog may mean adjusting your itinerary depending on your dog’s comfort level in various settings.

🐾 Keep Their Routine (Mostly)

Dogs thrive on routine, so stick to their usual feeding and walking schedule when possible. Bring a few familiar items from home to help them settle in. Please know that your dog may need more rest time than normal because traveling can be stressful and tiring for even well-adjusted dogs, so leave time for downtime and naps. Take your dog out for more frequent potty breaks wherever you stay, as your dog is not used to the new location and may not know how to alert in the same way they do at home. 

🏡 Maybe Leave Your Dog Home

Consider if it might be best to leave your dog at home, as the situation and or the location you’re going to might be too overwhelming for your dog. Some dogs enjoy adventures while others would prefer to be in their familiar environment, even if it means having a caregiver instead of you.

🐶 Train Before You Travel

A well-trained dog is a much easier travel companion. Your dog should have a good recall if he is off-leash for any reason. Heel and loose-leash walking are other very helpful behaviors that you should brush up on before your trip.

Looking to brush up on your dog’s skills before your next big trip? We’ll help you and your Canine Companion become the perfect travel team.