Travelling With Your Dog: The Ultimate Guide to a Safe and Memorable Journey
Are you planning a dog vacation but worried about making it enjoyable for everyone, including your furry friend? Are you concerned about travelling with a dog? Don’t fret! We have some fantastic tips to ensure that travelling with your dog becomes a fun and memorable adventure for the whole family. Let’s find out how to make your adventure unforgettable with your canine companion!
Health And Safety are a must when Traveling with your Dog.
- Health Checks When flying with a large dog, ensuring the safety and health of your Labradoodle puppies is crucial when travelling. Before embarking on an extended trip, make it a priority to take them for a checkup at the veterinarian’s office. According to AKC, keep their vaccinations up-to-date, and remember to carry their health records.
- To keep your dog healthy as you travel, bring a supply of his healthy food. We recommend Royal Canin, as they offer dry and wet food options that are carefully formulated to ensure nutrition and taste for everyday excellence. They are the kibble. Don’t forget that bottled water and medications are needed.
- Be prepared for emergencies and find a 24-hour veterinary emergency hospital number. Save it on your cell phone, along with the veterinarian’s number. If your dog needs medical attention, you are prepared with the necessary information on hand.
Bring Crates
AKC declares that crates are an absolute must when travelling with your dog in the car and are required for travel. A crate can also keep your pet from getting hurt. Crates are available from all pet supply stores, so look for these features when purchasing:
- Large enough to allow comfort for the dog to stand, turn, and lie down.
- Intense, with handles and grips, and free of interior protrusions.
- Leak-proof bottom covered with absorbent material.
- To prevent blocked airflow, ventilation on opposing sides, with exterior rims or knobs.
- “Live Animal” label arrows should be in an upright position with the owner’s name, address, and phone number.
- Place a comfortable mat, your dog’s favourite toy, and a water bottle; your dog is ready.
The same can be done for any new situation your puppy or young Labradoodle, Puppy may encounter over their lives. Gannon recommends slowly introducing dogs to being in the car, going on a train, or staying at home or a hotel. Start by practicing short sessions and then gradually increase the time.
Tips on Traveling with your dog
- Having Control
- Being Consistent
- Introducing your puppy to as many new things as you can and being safe
- Start Traveling with your Dog when they are young, and even with puppies, carry them in the car and expose them to loud trucks, sights & sounds.
- Try practicing in a pet-friendly hotel lobby before booking a room. Have the puppy walk in, sit, and walk in, and praise their good behaviour.
Start with Small Steps
Take time before Traveling with your Dog, and practice before your trip by taking your dog and a crate to a friend’s home. Leave your pet in another room, and even set up a tablet to Skype to see how things are going and if he feels comfortable. If he is sitting there quietly, you can say over Skype, “quiet, good quiet,” so you can check to ensure they are safe even though they can’t see you.
When you are on your trip, your dog has already practiced. “I do it as often as I can. Mix it up when possible as well.”
- If you’re doing crate training, keep doing the same things you’re doing at home while on the go.
- Bring familiar items like your dog’s towel or blanket.
- Open the two back doors of the car.
- Put two leashes on your dog.
- Walk your dog to the car with two adults present. One adult should stand next to one of the open back doors, and another should be on the opposite side.
- Have one person practice getting your dog in and out from one side of the car.
- Finally, practice having your dog get in and out of the car from the other side.
This exercise aims to have the dog accomplish the task while maintaining a calm demeanour. Once your puppy graduates, you can have a friend to practice driving with your dog and the two of you in the back seat.
Encourage Positive Behavior
Our dog’s actions may not seem a big deal, but something like sitting in a new house or hotel lobby may make it feel like a significant accomplishment.
Things you can do when travelling is to ensure your puppy will feel safe and comfortable. “The more praise we can give, the more confidence becomes.
Keep Up Good Routines in a Calm Tone
When travelling with our dogs, we think we want to give them a great vacation, but we often think about the trip through the lens of the human experience. Some people may feel their dog doesn’t need them because they don’t like rules on vacation. It is a mistake, as dogs thrive on routines.
Tips to Enforce
- Leadership and being calm.
- Reinforce rules.
- Help your dog be calm, relaxed, and happy.
Be Aware of Stressful Elements of Traveling with Your Dog
Even dogs that act calm and obedient at home may be startled or act differently in situations that frighten or stress them out. Things like crowds and loud noises may be problematic.
Redirect Issues As They Arise
Instead of correcting, it’s best to walk away or redirect when your dog has challenges. Put your dog in a crate or keep them on a leash to control the situation.
Keep Your Dog Occupied With Toys
Your dog may need to blow off a little steam or focus on something else besides all the new stimuli involved with travelling. Having a couple of toys around can help give your pup something else to keep him or her occupied.
Don’t Set Expectations You Can’t Maintain
For instance, sitting next to your dog and petting them while travelling in the car may seem like a good idea. But doing so early may establish a routine wherein dogs think they’ll get comforted every time, leading to issues when you cannot fulfill that expectation.
Don’t Encourage Troubling Behaviors
Every moment you spend with your dog, you’re teaching them something. Some of that includes the things you may not want to be teaching. If you allow or encourage things like panting at the window or circling in the backseat of the car, you’re letting your dog think those things are acceptable.
- Never take your dog out of the car when they’re jumping around.
- Don’t introduce your dog to new situations in an excitable way, as this may make them overly animated.
- Establishing expectations for travelling in the car with the puppy allows him to relax and nap rather than move around.
- Never Leave your dog in the car alone.
These travelling with your pet exercises aim to have the dog accomplish the task while maintaining a calm demeanour. The American Kennel Club states that once you successfully start travelling with dogs long distances in a car, you can have a friend to practice driving with your dog and the two of you in the back seat.
Don’t Praise A Fearful or Anxious Dog
The biggest mistake owners make is to give dogs sympathy and empathy in a way that comes across as praising a negative behaviour. Saying “it’s okay, can be harmful. While you think you’re calming your dog down with a voice, it may translate to them as praise for fearful behaviour. Don’t try saying “leave it” when a dog is anxious or giving them a command they can be praised for, such as “sit.”
Travelling with your dog Labradoodle Puppy is exciting when on vacation; as with any aspect of travel, good preparation is vital, so ensure you establish good behaviour from your dog to maximize enjoyment.
