It’s that time of year for vacations and outdoor extravaganzas with your family, friends, and extended family members of the four-legged variety. So how do you know where your pets will be welcomed, what to take with you to keep them comfortable, and how to plan the trip over-all?
There are hundreds of great hotels around the country that allow pets and even have services and special amenities for the fuzzy ones. I’ve done some in-depth research for Dog Living Magazine as to some great cities around the U.S. with plenty of dog-friendly activities, shops, boarding and awesome hotels that offer extras such as dog walkers, free treats, food and water bowls, blankets, and even their own doggy room-service menus! If you want to check some of these places out on your own I’ve made a list at the end of this blog post. Also, visit sites like fidofriendly.com and dogfriendly.com to find more attractions in the area you’re staying.
Okay, so now we have the “where” taken care of, but what do we do about making sure our dogs have a good travel experience, stay safe and healthy, and over-all just have a dog-gone good time? Well, let’s start from the basics and go from there.
Before going on any trip farther than the county lake, make sure your dog takes a visit to the vet to confirm he’s in good shape to hit the road and to get updated on all vaccinations, heartworm meds and flea meds. Get a copy of his vaccination records if you’re going to be bringing him in a hotel or boarding him while on your vaca. Also, get a rabies tag for his collar along with any other tags you would like to add (one with your address and phone number – yea you can add your blackberry number too) in case he gets a little frisky on the ride and takes off. There’s no worse way to ruin a vacation than to lose your dog, or even more horrible, never finding him again because you didn’t get him a little extra bling for his collar. Oh hey, it never hurts to get him micro-chipped either! Quick. Painless. And more secure than a collar tag.
Now that you’re confident your pup can be found and returned to you if the worst of the worst happens, let’s plan. After you’ve done your research and found the places you want to stay and things you want to do, make sure you call ahead of time to confirm that these places are truly dog-friendly, and also ask about weight and breed limits. You don’t want to end up on the other side of the country and have to board your dog the entire time because he was 5 lbs over the hotel limit! Ah!
Don’t you like to make sure you have your favorite shoes, comfy pillow, nummy snacks, and all the other comforts of home while you’re on the road? Try to pack things that make your dog comfortable too, such as favorite toys or blankets, and maybe even their food dishes if you have room. One thing you don’t want to go without, however, is their regular food. It’s not a great time to experiment with their digestive tract and pyrotechnic skills. If you’ve ever switched their food before, it can be a disaster if not done gradually. Things shoot out from both ends! Yea gross, sorry.
“Nationally known veterinarian, Dr. Jeff Werber (www.drjeff.com), also warns that municipal water systems vary from place to place, so don't just let Fido drink the local water — the abrupt change could give him diarrhea. Instead, start with a gallon of water from home, and "water your dog" along the route, topping off the gallon from a local water source at each stop. That way, the change is gradual.” – Edmunds.com
Before you actually head out the door, you’re going to need to make sure your dog is going to make it to your destination safely. This means crates for flying and even crates or certain seatbelts for car rides. It’s always necessary to check with different airlines for their policies. If you’re traveling by car, you don’t want your dog to be tossed and turned around ever single corner. Most dog owners know from experience how unbalanced and uncoordinated your dog can be on winding back roads. It’s easy to find restraints that actually connect to the seatbelts in your car that keep your dog from flying everywhere. Another alternative, perhaps if you have an SUV or van, is crating your dog; however, you need to make sure the crate can be fastened to the car, otherwise the crate and your dog can end up being projectiles if you were in a wreck or in cases of sudden braking. If you’re going the route of crating, try to add some blankets or cushions to the bottom so your pup isn’t uncomfortable or sliding around on the plastic. Last time I checked my own bed was made of fluff and not solid hard stuff. One last word of caution if you’re driving to your destination: If you have a truck DO NOT let your dog go freestyle back there. Over thousands of dogs a year are tossed or jump out of truck beds.
Lastly, just make sure your pup gets breaks from the car ride to walk around, go potty, and maybe play a little bit. Be careful as to how much water your dog gets on the ride too. You know how quickly your bladder is screaming if you drink tons of water and pop on the road, and your dog is no different.
So take some advice, do some research, and get ready to have a great vacation.
Here’s a good quick checklist of things to bring:
- Bed
-Food and water
-Food and water bowls
-Crate
-Seatbelt harness
-Any medicines
-Shot records
-Collar and leash
-Bags to pick up after him
-First aid kit for any injuries
-Contact info for vets in the area you are traveling
Here’s a list of cities with some great hotels and attractions:
Westward Look Resort
Lodge on the Desert
For fun look at: Rillito River Trail
The Tides
Mayfair Hotel and Spa
Aqua Hotel and Lounge
For fun look at:
The Tower
Grafton on Sunset
For fun look at: Skybark
Soho Grand Hotel
Loews Hotel
For fun look at:
Hotel Monaco
Palomar
Hotel Madera
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