Love to Travel with your dog? Where to next?

Where will you go on your next adventure?

Is it a warm, ocean destination?  How about further north, like Alaska?  Is overseas your kind of dream?  What about camping within your own state?  Do you love to be pampered wherever you go or are the type that enjoys doing it yourself and ruffing it a bit?  What about travel companions?  Do you like to go it alone or with a family member or friend?  How about your pet?  Whatever, with whomever, or wherever it is, dream it, do it!  

Some travel dreams take a long time to plan, while other travel plans are none at all, just a spur of the moment, “let’s go!”  Either way, if you love to go places, there are so many options.  You probably don’t have to go far if time and budget are important  factors.  Sometimes the simplest travel destinations are the most enjoyable and memorable!  

If you are reading this blog, chances are that you have a dog as your companion.  What kind of destination would your dog enjoy the most?  Maybe he loves a trip to a dog-friendly beach to stretch his toes in the sand and dip his paws in the water!  Is your dog the type that would enjoy a great dog-friendly hotel to hang out with you at a new place?  Could it be your dog just loves the great outdoors and camping in a tent, snuggled with you on your sleeping bag is her ideal travel place with you?  How about road tripping in an RV?  

Like most of our dogs, they are not too fussy as long as it’s going anywhere with you!  

Some of the essentials for traveling with your dog are:

• Packing plenty of food along and extra in case plans change.  Make sure the food is stored so that it does not spoil.
• Fresh water is essential.  To avoid upset tummies, give your dog the same kind of water as you do at home.  That could mean filling up water bottles from your faucet or buying water.
• Don’t forget to bring water and food bowls.  If space is an issue, there are plenty of lightweight, foldable kinds of doggie dinnerware you can buy.
• If your dog is on any medications, make sure you pack that along and double-check with your vet if there is anything else you need to be aware of for your travel plans.  If that area has more heartworm or ticks or canine flu outbreaks, you will want to have that conversation with your vet far in advance to prepare for your dog’s protection.
• Bring along any grooming device, towels, and waterless shampoo in case they need to get cleaned up while on your trip together.  
• Of course, you should always bring poop bags to clean up after your dogs so that we all can enjoy going places without the worry of the dreaded shoe cleanup!
• It’s always a smart thing to bring a copy of your dog’s vaccination records or other valuable information in case something happens on the trip and someone else needs to take care of your dog temporarily.  Emergency contacts plus identification tags, and hopefully a registered microchip in case the tag goes missing.  
• Last but not least, the ever-important collar and/or harness and leash!  Of course, our harnesses and leashes at Dog Performance Gear are great for travel.

By all means, this is not a complete list of things to bring with your dog for travel, but it has all the essentials.  You may also add a carry bag to store all the items in one easy to find places.  In addition, having a small pet emergency kit is valuable as well if you can’t get to a vet right away so you have a few things on hand to take care of it yourself.  There are plenty of ideas on the web to make up your own pet emergency kit.  This is especially important if you are going camping or further away from any vet care.  Speaking of vet care, you may also want to write down some veterinarian clinics and emergency hospitals located at your destination as well as along the way.  It wouldn’t hurt to know where those places are located just in case.  We never want or expect anything to happen during travel, but it’s best to be prepared.

My dogs always enjoy extra special treats and packing their favorite toys along too.  If you have room for their favorite bed or a comfy familiar mat, that helps them feel at home on the road.  Just like us, sometimes we like to bring our favorite pillow along to get a good night’s rest.

Let us know where your next travel destination is going to be with your dog!  Post some of your travel adventure stories in the comments below.

We would love to hear all about where you go with your best buddy!