Now that summer’s it’s time to take that well deserved vacation. Of course, this includes bringing your furry family member along. Here is a nicely detailed pet infographic showing some great traveling tips to help you prepare for one PAWESOME trip.
1 – Introduction To The Car
As shown in the infographic, it’s best to introduce your pet/puppy to rides in the car well before the long distance trip you plan on making. Be sure to remain calm. Otherwise if you become agitated your pet is likely to pick up on it and its anxiety will increase as well. You can also bring some of his or her favorite treats to gradually give throughout the short trip; assuring that their ride will truly be fun. Here’s 3 more helpful tips for you:
Sit Without Driving – Let your pet/puppy sit in the car with you while it’s in the driveway or garage. After the dog seems comfortable, try starting the car so your pet will grow used to the noise. You can even try feeding your pet a meal in the car or give it a their favorite toy so that it will now associate the car with good /safe feelings.
Short Trips – Keep the first several trips short. Some of them can include simply driving around the block. Then as you increase the duration, end up a fun destination, such as a friend’s house with a dog or a dog park.
Watch For Car Sickness – A pet that is anxious in the car or does not tolerate long trips can develop car sickness. Signs of this can include excessive drooling, whining, shaking, smacking or licking lips or simply vomiting. Note: it also helps to keep your pet facing forward while your traveling, rather than looking out the side windows.
2 – Supplies To Take
Once you’re ready to take a longer tip, here are 3 ways to help plan ahead and have packed the needed supplies.
Crate – You can use the pet’s crate while in the car of while in a hotel, which may help keep it calmer during the trip. If you’ve already been using the crate as a means to housebreak the pet, taking this with you can help avoid having a setback on housebreaking.
Food – Be sure to bring the same food your’ve been feeding your pet normally on the trip. This helps to prevent digestive issues as well as ensures their comfort by not changing their normal feeding habits or worse yet by introducing potentially toxic chemicals or undesirable ingredients from a bag of puppy food that your find while traveling.
ID Tag – Make sure the tags on your pet’s collar or ID chip are completely up to date! Should your pet escape while you are on your trip, it’s likely to become even more spooked in a strange location and therefore can make it much tougher to catch.
Unable to bring your furry friend with you on vacation? No problem, check out this set of pet sitting report cards to use to help make their own vacation and unique and great one.