Monday, January 30, 2012

Advice for Easy Travel With Your Dog

By Regina T. Roby


aking a trip is a popular pastime for numerous and for dog owners it can be particularly fun whenever they can enjoy new places with their pet. Nonetheless, if you've ever gone on a trip together with your dog, you can recognize just how uncomfortable and anxious they can become through the journey. Thankfully this can frequently be overcome with the use of some advanced planning to avoid potential problems and make your dog as relaxed as you can. Regardless if it's making certain that your pet is equipped to be well behaved and obedient, or learning the nuances of vacationing with a pet, it's not difficult to take measures to make sure everyone enjoys themselves. Let's examine a handful of tips you can use to make vacationing with your dog more enjoyable.

Planning Ahead

Even though it goes without saying, vacationing with your dog will need more planning than just grabbing food, water and a blanket for your dog. To make sure that your entire trip goes as effortlessly as possible, it's essential that you think through your trip and method of travel to be certain that both you and your dog are comfortable. While a vacation schedule can differ in its level of detail, an overall plan should focus on the means of travel and how routine breaks can be planned. When in your vehicle, making a stop every 3 -5 hours would be ideal, but when traveling by air breaks should be taken whenever feasible. Moreover, some essentials that should always accompany your pet include: list of rest stops, a leash, water & bowl, dog treats, blanket and any essential medications. Certainly some planning will make traveling with your dog much easier.

Travel By Air

Among all of the modes of transportation, airline travel is perhaps the worst for dogs. Although there may be several options to traditional commercial air travel, like the pet-only airline Pet Airways, using one of these specialty air carriers is not always practical. Conventional commercial airlines tend to be the only option for most pet owners and frequently their dogs must be placed into the cargo hold and handled as cargo. Needless to say, after seeing the condition of some bags as they come off the conveyor belt, many pet parents are painfully hesitant to have a member of their family treated in this way. Nevertheless, in order to avoid undue stress on your dog it's wise to be sure that you're aware of the airline's policies on transporting pets, come with an up to date pet kennel and make your dog as comfortable as possible; this usually means including a blanket and a favorite toy to help keep them calm. Although you may be separated from your pet, these steps will keep your dog as comfortable as possible.

Travel By Car

Travel by car if normally regarded as the most suitable means of travel and is normally preferred by many animal owners. Offering much greater control, automobile travel offers quite a few advantages over air travel, like: Your dog is frequently more accustomed to the car, so it will be a smoother experience. Even if your dog may be anxious about traveling in a car, you can go for brief rides before a trip to get your pet more used to it. In addition, auto travel offers you the freedom to take rest breaks whenever needed, which allows you to make significant progress while ensuring your pet is comfortable. As any dog owner can appreciate, having your dog within arm's reach is normally better for everyone concerned.

After You're There

Usually, enjoying a trip with your dog is just half the battle. Getting through a plane or car ride can be challenging, but making sure that everyone enjoys themselves upon arrival at their destination can be equally trying. Thus, performing your research before leaving home will make sure that both you and your dog will be comfortable. No matter if you're destination is a hotel, B&B or even a campground, you should determine which places not just allow dogs, but are dog friendly and offer amenities that both you and your pet will like. For instance, is there a nearby area that can be used to let your dog off its leash to run without limitation? Are dogs normally welcomed or discouraged? Are there nearby activities in which both you and your pet can participate together?
In a nutshell, make sure that the both of you can have fun wherever your final destination may be.

Vacationing with your pet can be extremely pleasant for both you and your dog. Make sure the both of you make the most of your trip by looking at these travel tips.




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