No one has asked me this, but someone out there might want to know. How do you travel with a dog? I’ve put a lot of thought into this.
I don’t board my dog, if I can help it. I see the need for it, I just don’t see the point in having a dog if I’m not going to bring him places.
Luckily, I got a good one.
But he’s not without his own unique challenges. Here are some unsolicited tips for having a dog along on a road trip or vacation:
Make one activity a day about him/her.
A lot of the things I like to do are dog-friendly already, but it’s really easy to plan a day without anything in mind for your dog. I’m currently boarding Morrie here in Wildwood (our rental is strictly against pets, even adorable ones), but I played hooky with him yesterday and brought him to the dog beach. It was new and unfamiliar, but he loved it and by the time I brought him back to the kennel, he had happy/sleepy face.
Create a safe, comfortable space in your car.
I love my SUV (now that it’s fixed again), and so does Morrie. But six to seven hours in a car isn’t great for a dog regardless. I folded down my back seats and put my mattress topper, his favorite blanket, a foam dog bed and a body pillow back there.
Yup, for the dog.
He still prefers the passenger seat to anything else, but he’ll go back there and sleep for hours. I crank up the AC and make water available up in the front for when he’s thirsty. Having a space where they can stretch out and be comfortable is crucial.
Bring extra towels. And bags.
I am never without at least three extra plastic shopping bags. I tend to stock up on these, rather than having to buy the small portable bags. Keep extras in your car, as a lot of National Parks, beaches, etc. are super strict about picking up after your dog. Plus, it’s the non-dick thing to do.
As for towels, make sure you have an extra one. Morrie has only gotten car sick once, but I was totally unprepared. Luckily it was only driving from Durham to Raleigh, so I took care of it when we arrived at our destination. But on a long car drive in more remote areas, you don’t want to have to deal with that.
Socialize them as much as you can – and commit to it.
Morrie has really improved on his behavior towards other dogs since we started our little adventure. Over the past few months, he’s been hesitant and even aggressive when he sees another dog. He’ll bark, growl, etc., which is particularly frustrating because he’s usually so quiet and well-behaved.
We turned a corner in Asheville, when he was re-introduced to my friend Tess’s dog, Auggie. They had met briefly in Durham, and Morrie hadn’t reacted well. When we brought them together again, he had the same reaction as before. This time, I took the advice of my friend Peter, and we stuck it out. I figured he couldn’t growl forever, and I was right. Within about ten minutes, he had stopped growling. In about twenty, we took him off the leash. He and Auggie got along perfectly after that.
A lot of it is getting to know your dog’s limits. I’ve realized that Morrie sometimes growls because he wants to play, and if I just let him sniff another dog, let him get a growl or bark out of the way, he settles down. But a BIG part of that is committing to work through the rough patches. He couldn’t get over his aggression if I hadn’t given him a chance to. He’s still wary of places like bars, restaurants, that have tight quarters and not a lot of opportunities to get off leash.
Educate yourself on dog-friendly places.
Did you know that you can bring dogs to Home Depot?
Yup, me neither.
It’s important to know where your dog is welcome, not only to broaden their horizons, but in case you have an emergency and need to stop somewhere. When I was driving from Norfolk to Baltimore, I had to use the restroom, but couldn’t find anywhere to stop. I should have just looked up at PetSmart or something similar, but I was in a hurry so I just waited.
Six hours.
In addition to most parks and rest stops, dogs are welcomed at PetSmart, Petco, Home Depot, Lowes, and Bass Pro Shop. I’d advise calling the last three first, in case the policy differs from corporate.
Get creative about dog-care.
There are a ton of resources for dog-care nowadays, and I try to take advantage of as many as I can. I’m a huge fan of Rover – a website that hooks you up to affordable, local dog-walkers, house-sitters, etc. I’m planning on heavily utilizing it on longer road trips – having people walk him if I need to run an errand, or getting more affordable overnight care if I need to stay somewhere that isn’t pet friendly.
Also, other win-win dog-care situations would be utilizing Petco and PetSmart when you need time to yourself (for whatever reason). Dropping your dog off for two hours to get a bath or a nail trim can be great for grocery shopping, working in a coffee shop for awhile, etc.
Don’t forget your vet records. Make a copy. Double check vaccinations.
I carry Morrie’s vaccination and health records with me. Before I came to Wildwood and had to find a boarder for him, I visited an Asheville vet to double check everything was up to date. This is super super important, in case your dog gets sick or if you need to suddenly board him if you get sick.
I can’t stress this enough. Make sure it’s up to date. Carry it with you.
Listen to what your dog is telling you.
Morrie has pretty predictable behavior. When we were in Asheville, he woke me up at 3 AM one morning, clawing at the door. I figured he heard Auggie, so I tried to get to go back to sleep. He continued to whine and claw, which he rarely ever does, so I brought him outside.
He just sat there. He refused to do anything, and kept tugging me towards the street. I really didn’t want to walk him in an unfamiliar neighborhood alone, so after about ten minutes of that, I brought him inside. I wasn’t happy.
He continued to jump around and up on things (anyone who knows him knows how strange this is), so I finally gave in and walked him around the block. It turned out he really needed to get sick (he ate something funny), and for some reason, taking a walk soothed him.
I felt terrible, and when we went back inside, he immediately cuddled up to me and fell asleep. I knew something was off, but automatically thought he was misbehaving and wanted to remain authoritative.
Trust your dog.
Know that you’ll make mistakes.
The early morning Asheville walk was a mistake. I felt terrible about it. I actually yelled at Morrie, which I never do, and I could tell he was hurt when I did. But I’ve reminded myself since that 1) I was extremely tired 2) We were in unfamiliar territory.
Anyone could have made the same mistake.
Don’t beat yourself up when you stumble. Something that my boss at the agency used to say was, “everyone is making it up as they go”. I think that’s true – I’m not an expert by any means, and I’m sure I’ll make more mistakes as my travels with Morrie continue. I just try to prioritize momentum over anything else, knowing it’s important to keep going when you feel discouraged.
If you disregard all of that, remember this. This is an opportunity for adventure for your dog, too. I feel guilty for all the time my dog has spent in the house, and I love knowing that he’s experiencing new things now. It’ll only bring you and your dog closer.