Traveling with your dog can either end up being the best thing you’ve ever done or the absolutely worst mistake you’ve ever made. And for the most part, even for the most resilient of dogs, the change in routine and living environments can be too much.
And as their parent, you need to be aware of exactly how fast things can go from amazing to disaster and avoid ruining your bond and your trip.
This post is going to look at some of the ways you can prepare your dog for travel so you both have peace of mind, you’re doing what’s righ,t and you can handle anything life throws at you on the road.
Research Vets Along the Route
Anything can happen at any time at home or when you’re traveling, and while at home you have your vet to hand, you won’t when you’re away. This means you need to make sure you know the location for all vets in the areas you’ll be visiting, including regular vets and emergency vets, too.
Finding a vet in an emergency when you’re away from home, when something has happened, will only make the situation worse, so before you leave, pinpoint the best vets, check their opening and emergency details, so you know and make note of them. Check to see if mobile vets like Veteris exist who can come to you and just have the little extra peace of mind.
Check Their Health
Staying on the vet theme, take your dog for a checkup before you leave, and not just the day before. Get your vet to do a health check to make sure they’re actually fit to travel, especially if they’re going on a flight. Older pets, brachycephalic breeds, or anxious animals, as well as those with ongoing medical conditions, are at higher risk when things change suddenly for them.
Make sure they have a clean bill of health, and your vet thinks they’re good to join you, and of course, you have enough of their regular medication if they take it to cover the duration of the trip.
Prepare Emergency Information
This is really important if you or your dog needs medical care during your trip. Compiling all important information means they can get help fast when they’re in unfamiliar places. Emergency vet clinics will want to know the basics. If you’re both in an accident, this information (for you and your pet) will help first responders get you both the treatment and care you need.
Make a note on your phone or leave on a card in your vehicle the following
- Your pet’s age and weight
- Their exact breed if known
- Any medical conditions
- Any regular medications
- Regular vet’s contact details
- Vaccination status
- Next of kin
- And behavioral issues they need to know, i.e., fearful of other people or reactive to other dogs.
This keeps you, your dog, and others who need to help you safe. If you feel it’s important for people to know, write it down. It’s not overorganizing, it’s care.
If you’re traveling with a high-energy, people-friendly breed (like Red Desert Doodles), double-check ID tags, microchip info, and a recent photo—those small details matter most in busy airports, hotels, and rest stops.
Training
When you’re away from home, your pet might be more susceptible to different behaviors and reactions than they would at home. Training prior to leaving is always a good idea. This can be reinforcing recall, it can be getting them used to being in the car, it can be crate training for the journey, or even taking them on overnight trips close to home, so you can assess how they react or how they’ll be on a longer trip.
If they’ve never traveled before, avoid taking them on weeks-long road trips, as this can be an extremely stressful change for them. Instead, take time to build up behaviors and experiences they might encounter so you and they feel more comfortable and confident.
