Are you planning for an exciting adventure, once the travel restrictions are lifted?
Perhaps so!
May be your pets are also yearning for the outdoors as much as you are. How about you take them along with you on your next trip?
Pets are generally bouncy and always moving, so it may look like a challenging task to take them along on your journey.
But wait! Don’t fret about making your pets feel left out. Although, there’s a high chance your pet won’t even remember this trip, but you and your pets will definitely have some real treat and leisure time together. This may even lift your and your pets’ moods, after spending months in the gloomy lockdown.
In this article, we have curated the right tricks and tips that will help make traveling with your pets comfortable and safe.
- Keep Your Pets Comfortable in A Travel Crate or Carrier
It’s a common misconception that your pets should have all the extra space to move around. Yes, this is true if you’re not in a vehicle. Therefore, when traveling with your cat or dog in a moving vehicle, it’s better, safer, and more comfortable for your pets to be confined in a large crate. This gives them the necessary security and safety; hence they won’t slide around the backseat, unprotected.
As human beings wear seatbelts for protection, pets also need an added layer of security. Inside the crate, you may also want to keep the toys to a minimum. It’s best to optimize the space allocated for the pet. Hence, add a blanket to the crate.
A good tip along this line, if your pet hasn’t been in a crate before, you might want to spend some time before your trip to train your pet.
- Have A Thorough Check with Your Veterinarian
As the trip nears on, it’s recommended to visit the vet for you your pet, despite of no apparent ailments. You don’t want to deal with your sick pet on the trip.
A thorough check with your veterinarian will also allow you to prepare the necessary documents needed in your destination. Check for vaccines that you may have missed or some medication if your pet requires. You could just get your pet examined to ensure the trip goes smoothly for the pets.
- Make It Easy to Find Your Dog
When traveling with kids, don’t you take precautions so they don’t get lost? The same should also apply to your pet. Remember that you’re going to a foreign territory, that’s even unfamiliar to you. If your pet gets lost in an unknown place, you won’t want to be looking around for them like a tramp. Simply saying “a brown dog” just won’t help your situation.
If your dog doesn’t have one already, you may want to have a unique collar with the pet’s and the owner’s name on it. This will greatly help with identification in case of such upsetting situation.
- Pack Enough Food and Water
Packing enough food and water usually depends on how you’re traveling.
If you’re going on your car and sufficient space, you can pack enough food for the entire journey. But, if you’re traveling by air, sea, or any public transportation, at the very least, pack enough food that’ll last till the end of journey. When you reach your destination, you can shop for extra dog food and water.
Another prudent tip is to do enough research on your destination to know about the best pet food stores. This doesn’t necessarily mean the brand, but the ingredients.
- Take Time to Practice
This tip applies if you’re traveling by car. One of the best ways to ensure your pet will be comfortable in a car for long distance is to make short, practice trips.
This doesn’t imply that you need to go out of town. Simply taking your dog around the block, or the city is sufficient to train it. In doing this, your trip won’t be the very first time your pets will be in the car with you.
Conclusion
As your pets are a part of your family, surely, you’d love to take them with you on that holiday. You may have seen several Instagram snaps that showcase the travel memories with pets, and it has inspired you to do the same. The tips mentioned in this article will let you know where to start preparing for your journey. Most importantly, now you’ll know traveling with pets is such a fun and playful experience!
