This post is pawwered by the folks at DogVacay! To get the perfect pup sitter while you’re out of town, visit DogVacay.com to find a caring human to watch your pup.
The holidays are approaching, and that means one thing: traveling. Whether your journey is over 2 blocks or an entire ocean, we know if you can take your pup with you, you will! But traveling—uuuuuuggghhh. The idea, great. The execution: ugugug. And adding a pup or two can sometimes, no matter how much you love ’em, make it way more ugHHH.
In the spirit of make ugugug and uuuggghhhh and ugHHH disappear from your travel vocabulary, here are 18 travel hacks that will totally make voyaging with your pooch a total breeze.
1. Bring a squeegee.
Why? Because dog hair gets everywhere. EVERYWHERE. A great way to get dog fluff out of hotel carpets and car seat upholstery is, no lie, a small hand-held window squeegee. Easy to carry, easy to pack, and less mess on the go. If that doesn’t work, then find a cheap rubber glove, wet it, and run your hand over it (with the glove on it). You can buy that on the go or pack the ones you use for the dishes.
2. Research the nearest vet/animal hospital where you’ll be traveling to ahead of time and WRITE THAT DOWN WHERE YOU WON’T LOSE IT.
Dog forbid there’s a situation where your pup needs some medical attention, but it’s better to be pawpared for all eventualities. So if a crisis does happen, you won’t be scrambling for necessary info.
3. Going by plane? Read this BarkPost lowdown on airline pet regulations.
Also CALL the airline ahead of time. Sometimes things change, depending on the flight.
4. Ask the Experts at PetRelocation.
PetRelocation, a company solely devoted to pet transportation and travel for anywhere in the world has a blog where you can ask their travel experts ANYTHING. And I mean anything–and they’ve probably already heard it. If you don’t find the answer to any travel query you might have, you can just send ’em your inquiry, and they’ll respond!
5. Exercise the poop outta them the day before they travel.
An exercised pup means a tired pup. A tired pup means a sleeping pup. A sleeping pup means a nice, peaceful flight and/or ride for you.
6. Pet travel carriers on wheels.
Look at it. Do you see how this might be useful in a crowded airport or train station? As for those with large pups, they make ’em for big dogs too! We recommend checking out The Uncommon Dog for great solutions for all sizes.
7. GPS Locator Apps for Pups.
Download one and then register your pup. Again, it’s better to be prepared for a pawssible crisis. Plus, if your mom’s like, “Did your dog break this vase???” you can locate ’em via your app, show her and say, “Nope. They’re in the kitchen.” #YouNeedEvidenceToConvict
8. Car Seats for Pups.
Hold on, this isn’t overpawtective pup-parenting. First, these help keep any obnoxious shedding on your car seat to a minimum. Second, they keep your pup secure and safe. Third, many of them are like little nests, calming a nervous pup if they get stressed on car rides. Fourth, it keeps them from jumping in your lap and hijacking your car into an off road snafu.
9. Let them look out the window.
It actually tends to help motion-sickness, if they’re prone to it. Plus, it keeps them occupied. If you’re in a plane, get the cabin crew’s pawmission first before bringing them out of their carrier. If you’re in a car, open the window a crack (just a crack) so they can smell the scents on the air rushing by, which also combats motion sickness. (Just make sure they can’t jump out). Plus, dogs love it. 🙂
10. Pack a dryer sheet.
If there’s a thunderstorm at your destination (or even that you’re driving through), run the dryer sheet over your pup’s fur. It will help keep them calm by keeping the buildup of static electricity in their fur low.
11. Put all your dog’s medical, extra contact and ID info in a waterproof, sealable Ziploc and label what’s in it.
A) Now they’re all in one place for you to easily access. B) They won’t get wet and/or stained. You know the spilling that happens when you travel–generally, at the worst possible moment.
12. Ice Cubes.
Ok, maybe not one as big and as elaborate as this one. BUT regular-sized ice cubes keep your pup hydrated and control their water intake. This way, they’ll stay hydrated but the danger of a trip to vomit city is lessened.
13. Pack spares.
Spare collars, spare IDs, spare poop bags, spare toys. Don’t go overboard though. Your pup proooobably doesn’t need their own suitcase. Probably. All right, maybe they do.
14. Baking soda.
Seriously, either pack some or know where it’s kept at your destination. If your pup has an accident (which can happen to even well trained dogs in a new environment), this is an easy, cheap way to get that pee stain out of the carpet. Incidentally, if your pooch gets stung by a bee whilst sojourning, baking soda paste helps bring the swelling down (and eases the pain).
15. Do a practice run.
It’s not the greatest idea to put your pet in a new carrier/car seat/car RIGHT when you go on your trip. And by not the greatest idea we mean don’t do that, dumbskies. Do short rides in the car with them in it. Leave the carrier around the house, let them explore the inside. That way, they’re already comfortable with it as a safe space before you leave on that 8-hour flight.
16. Chicken broth.
If your pup was sick during the ride, or seems a little under the weather, other than calling the vet, add a little chicken broth to their water (make sure it’s low sodium though! Too much salt is bad for pups). As it does for humans, it helps pups feel better, and is full of nice nutrients.
17. Tweezers, liquid soap, and cotton balls.
No this isn’t the beginning of a bad sex tape. If you’re traveling to an outdoorsy area where your pup can get ticks, make sure you have these handy. To remove a tick, grab it at the head with a pair of tweezers and gently pull it off. (Make sure you don’t leave the head.) After you remove the tick, be sure to clean the area + your hands with soap.
18. Get a pupsitter.
If your pup isn’t into this whole traveling thing, don’t put them through the ordeal of a trip. Instead, find them a bestie they can snuggle with while you’re away! That way, they can have a fun staycation while you’re dealing with airport lines (ugh). If you don’t already have a good friend or family member who’s able to watch ’em, DogVacay is a great site to find a reliable, trusted pupsitter–and you can make their (and your dog’s) time without you easier by following these tips.
This post was sponsored by the pups at DogVacay. Visit DogVacay.com to find a loving dog sitter for your four-legged ruv and use the code BARKPOST2014 to get $10 off your first booking!
