Dogs make great travel companions because they make your trip both joyful and social media-worthy. You can take lots of selfies with them on all the beautiful sites you visit and make new friends. They are called man’s best friends for a real reason.
However, there are some essential things to know before traveling with your four-legged friend to make your trip truly memorable. Without it, you risk unnecessarily inviting a lot of chaos into your journey, destroying all your peace of mind.
So here are those important things to keep in mind,
1) Carry all pet-related documents
To ensure a hassle-free trip, you should carry all documents regarding your dogs, especially when traveling overseas. Your dog’s health record will tell the relevant authorities that your animal is healthy and vaccinated. These documents are just as important as your passport. So before you plan anything else, get all your dogs papers ready.
Additionally, you may also want to take the dog’s medical history with you, in case you need to show it to a veterinarian overseas.
2) Take a dog backpack
A dog backpack is one of the best ways to transport your pet while traveling, especially if you have a small or medium breed dog. The biggest advantage of a dog carrier is that your hands will always be free to do things. Plus, you can walk, hike, and even hike the mountains while keeping your dogs safe on your back. Unlike crates, a dog carrier allows your fido to look outside and enjoy the beautiful scenery with you.
With a dog carrier, you can also avoid the threat of stray dogs that are often known to chase pet dogs. Your journey can be wonderful once you know your dogs are literally supporting you.
3) Bring a travel kit for your dog
Carrying a separate travel kit for your dog will go a long way in storing essential items for them like food, water, medicine, bowls, etc. You can also include pet supplies that will help you clean up your pet, including waste bags, shovels, etc. An item like a first aid kit should also be carried in a travel bag to be prepared for all sorts of demands.
Having a separate kit for your pet is always handy as you can reach it quickly, without messing up your own stuff.
4) Be respectful of the people you meet
When you travel around the world with your dog, you meet all kinds of people. Many people would love to meet your four-legged friend while some might not even come to your neighborhood. As a responsible dog owner, you need to be mindful of all of these people.
Wherever you travel, you must willingly accept the culture and feelings of a particular place and the people there.
5) Make sure your dog knows all the basic commands
Before you go on a trip with your dog, you need to make sure he knows some basic commands, like sit and stay. This is essential for controlling your dog when around other animals and humans. An untrained dog can wreak havoc on your own trip and disrupt the peace of mind of other travelers as well.
Basic commands like sit, stay and stop can be taught to dogs effortlessly. One of the best ways to train your dogs is to offer them treats and praise, where your dogs will learn in a few repetitions.
6) Put a pet tag on your dog
A pet tag is nothing less than a safer life in times of crisis. They act as the dogs’ fastest ticket to your home if, through some unfortunate means, they lose contact with you. Pet tags can be attached to your dog’s collar, where you can enter their name, address, phone number, etc.
For longer trips and vacations, add details of the destination you’ll be staying at so they can get back to you quickly. Remember that you should never use a choke collar as it can make it difficult for dogs to breathe.
7) Have your dogs checked before you go
It is essential to have your dogs checked before your departure in order to rule out possible health problems. First, make sure your dogs are vaccinated as there is a higher chance of them being exposed to bacteria in a foreign country. In addition, if you are traveling to another country, vaccinations against rabies are essential.
Veterinarians will also help you get rid of parasites in your dogs (if any), as parasite-infested animals are not allowed to travel on airlines. Also remember to bring all the supporting documents issued by the veterinarians to ensure a hassle-free trip.
In a word,
You’ve seen 7 essential things to keep in mind when traveling with your adorable fido. Once you take care of it, you can be sure to have a great trip worth remembering for longer. By traveling with your dog, you begin to gain perspective from their side, which will enrich your own experience as a whole.
