Cat owners and dog owners have plenty of differences for sure, but some things we all have in common. We all adore our four-legged family members! We want them with us whether we’re at home or away. However, long-distance travel with pets brings its own set of challenges. If you want to take your dog and cat on a long distance road trip, some planning and preparation can make all the difference.
Even a simple overnight trip can get complicated with the specific needs and demands that accompany pet ownership. Long-distance travel can be a nightmare, not only for you but especially for your pet.
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement (chaos) that can surround a trip. But you don’t want your pet to suffer because you waited until the last minute to prepare.
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Past Experiences a.k.a Trial and Error While Traveling Long-Distance With Pets
Our long-distance travel usually starts something like this: “Has everyone gone to the bathroom?”… “Go anyway”. “First-aid kit?”… “Check.” “Sodas and snacks?”… “Got them.” “Suitcases and backpacks?”… “Check.” “Fuel tank?”… “Full.” “Tookie’s car carrier?”…
Early on, when we had a long-distance road trip with our chihuahua, Tookie, the entire process didn’t look like our trips now. The first trip was full of last-minute ordeals.
Stops at pet stores because we forgot our pet’s food. On arrival, we had to look everywhere for a hotel room because we didn’t think to call ahead. Stress every time we walked him because we didn’t realize that his ID tag had fallen off until we were on the road. In our defense, we had three young children to also get ready, but there really is not a good excuse to not plan for your pet, also.
We have always viewed Tookie as a beloved family member. However, we didn’t plan for his travel the way we should have for man’s best friend.
Thankfully, We Learned!
Over the years, we have learned, often by trial and error, how to better prepare for the long days of a road trip in a way that is less stressful for us as owners, but especially less stressful for our pets.
As we love to travel to different areas of the country, staying home was not an option. Neither was the thought of leaving our chihuahua at home, Through experience and research, we have gained some expertise for car travel with our fur-covered best friends. Along with the tips below, we have put together a great Checklist for Traveling With Your Pets.
Tips for Long-Distance Traveling With Your Pet
Now, we want to share some of our travel tips as well as those of other pet owners. Hopefully, your next long road trip will be as much fun as you hope it will be. AND your pet will also be able to enjoy the journey in whatever mode that may take.
Sometimes the best option for long-distance travel will involve your pet going cross country in the cargo area of an airplane. Or it may involve them joining you in the cabin for a flight. A good option for us typically has our pets in the back seat of the car for a long-distance road trip.
However you plan on traveling, and however far the trip may be, following these helpful tips can help make your trip as successful as possible for both you and your pet. Because we haven’t taken our pets with us when we air travel, we asked some experts for their suggestions.
Tip #1- Know Your Pet
Jenny from Traveling Party Of 4 describes how important knowing your pet can be as you make travel decisions,
“If you have an anxious pet who prefers the safety and comfort of home, consider a pet sitter. I have an anxious pet, however, he loves riding in the car and being with his family on road trips. He is the best on a road trip.
However, he would not do well on a plane, it would be too stressful for him, so he can’t go with us when we fly. For this reason, we hire pet sitters to stay at the house with Razor while we are gone.”
Tip #2- Train Your Pet
Yvonne with Guate Adventure has some great ideas about training your pet.
“Train your dog! Teaching your dog to be polite is a huge asset when you’re at home, but it becomes even more necessary when you’re on the road.
Teaching my dog to sit, come, stay, leave something alone, and saddle up on my motorcycle has made it possible to take her almost everywhere with me. If you haven’t trained your dog yet, don’t worry, it’s never too late to start, I highly recommend Tamar Geller’s dog training book ‘The Loved Dog’.”
Plan and Prepare
Tip #3- Make a Checklist
It takes some time and it saves a lot of heartaches when you make a checklist of everything you need to do before you start packing. The perfect time to solve a problem is before it ever surfaces. You can CLICK HERE for our free Pet Travel Checklist.
Tip #4- Choose Pet-Friendly Accommodations
Secure pet-friendly accommodations. Not all hotels are pet-friendly hotels. It isn’t fun to hop from place to place and “hope” someone will allow you to stay the night. The best bet is to do a little research and have choices so you can select the better option, not settle with the only thing you could find.
We love using Hotels.com. Not only do we love earning a free night, but you can also filter your results for pet-friendly locations.
Tip #5- Choose Pet-Friendly Destinations
Our next tip comes to us via our friend Candice from www.CSGinger.com. She says,
“When planning a vacation where you will be traveling with your pets, you can get off on the right start by picking a destination that is pet friendly. For example, if you are wanting to go to the beach, pick a town that allows pets on the beach either year-round or during specific times of the day. This will give you and your pet the opportunity to explore and enjoy the beach together.
Coastal cities in Washington State like Ocean Shores (https://csginger.com/ocean-shores/) allow dogs on the beach and is a very pet-friendly community.” After all is said and done, a trip can go south quickly if you arrive, but you then have to make arrangements for your pet.
Nicoll adds even more information about traveling in an RV with your pet:
Even on vacation, there are many places where dogs are not allowed. You cannot take your dog to National Parks or to many beaches and this means sometimes you have to leave your dog behind in your RV.
Nicoll from Living Tiny With A Wolf mentions in her article Tips for RVing with Dogs a clever tip. Using a pet monitoring camera allows you to keep track of your dogs well-being while you are away by sending you a live feed of what your pet is doing inside your RV to your phone. Not only does this give us peace of mind that they are safe, but we can get alerts if there is unusual activity inside the RV and head back early if needed.
Tip #6- Visit the Vet for a Wellness Checkup
The first thing we do is take Tookie to his vet for a wellness checkup in advance of longer trips. Until you know if your dog or cat is prone to motion sickness, don’t risk an upset stomach with vomit or mess in the bottom of the carrier. Bring that topic up during your pet’s wellness visit. There is a good chance she will have advice on the best way to avoid that!
The family veterinarian can also provide an up-to-date copy of your dog or cat’s medical records on the off chance you might need them for health issues during a long journey.
In our case, we want to make sure all vaccinations and shots are up to date in time for any possible injection site pain to go away. Put yourself in your pup’s paws for a minute and consider how uncomfortable you are after sitting in a car for a long drive.
Everything is easier when he feels well. In the same vein, we also trim toenails in advance of hitting the open road.
Tip #7- Practice Ahead of Time
Walk your pet on her leash several times over the course of several days. The advice here- begin with short walks at first, or she may need to be carried or over-tire on a long walk. The next step, get her accustomed to the travel carrier. As a general rule of thumb, five to fourteen days will be satisfactory.
We take Tookie for car rides and practice all of the steps we would have during a real travel event and even practice taking rest stops.
Stef Henne has another piece of advice:
“If your pet has never been on a long journey before and you have one coming up, do a trial run. Plan a day trip where you can see how they will do with long car rides. Start with an hour or two and then work your way up and see if there are any issues you need to address before the big trip.”
Tip #8- Check Your Pet’s Collar
It is a good idea to check your pet’s collar. Is it clean, does it show signs of wear? How is the fit? Is it too snug or too loose? Now, check the ID tags. Are they up to date? Are the vaccinations listed on the collar tags? Is your contact information legible?
This tip comes from Stef Henne at OpenRoadOdysseys.com.
“In a new environment, they may get spooked easier and bolt, so if they catch you off-guard and getaway, you’ll want to know they have your information on their collar so you can be contacted when they are found.”
We have learned this one from experience. Thankfully, we discovered we were missing our dog’s ID tag before arrival, but it added extra stress to the entire trip.
Hanging over our head was the knowledge that if he got lost, there would be no way for anyone to contact us.
Tip # 9- Check All Equipment & Supplies
This is a good time to make sure everything is in working order. Is the pet carrier in good repair and clean? Make sure you have poop bags, plenty of water and a water bowl, a leash, your pet’s food. and a couple of their favorite toys.
Long-distance travel with pets means that running home for those items isn’t possible. Preparation goes a long way to make a smooth trip.
For cat travel, make sure you have a cat harness, travel litter box or disposable litter boxes, and a car carrier.
If your pet is darkly colored, also consider nighttime visibility. Leashes and collars such as these make it easier to ensure they’re easy to see.
The best cat carrier or small dog carrier, in our experience, is the Pet Mate Two-Door Top-Load Pet Kennel. You want something with enough room for your small dog or kitty to relax in, even on shorter trips. This will feel like his or her new home. Good equipment and supplies also include having a great pet first-aid kit.
First-Aid Kit
Alisha with Travel Today Work Tomorrow has a great list of items to make sure you have on hand:
When traveling with our dog, there is one thing that we never leave the house without, a pet first aid kit. It is something so simple that you can make on your own and makes a huge difference in keeping your pet safe.
Over the years (and many personal experiences later), we have found the following list to be the most useful during our dog-friendly travels. Our standard pack has tick tweezers, non-stick bandages, non-woven gauze, probiotics in case of diarrhea, and some Benadryl (this last one is a good idea to carry; our dog had an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting!). A handy bit of Benadryl may actually be a lifesaver.
Alisha also recommends purchasing pet insurance for extra protection on your trip:
Another way to keep your pet safe when you travel is by purchasing pet insurance. You never realize how important it is to have pet insurance until you really need it. Whether it is a day trip to the beach or an epic hike, accidents can happen, and you always want to be prepared.
Tip #10- For Air Travel- Ensure Crate Complies with Airline Regulations
Air travel with dogs can become involved, particularly if she is too big to travel with you in the cabin. Our friend Victoria from www.guideyourtravel.com gives our next tip,
“Not everyone has the luxury of having a small furry companion. If you’re in a situation where you need to take a larger dog with you, for example, you’ll need to get them as comfortable as possible.
Make sure to buy a crate that is compliant with airline regulations and don’t be stingy. This is not something you want to save money on. Get a sturdy, high-quality crate that won’t easily be damaged and will make your pet feel safe and secure. Let them get used to it before the big journey”
Tip #11- Have Familiar Bedding/Crate/Blankets
Stef Henne with Open Road Odysseys gives our next tip,
“Make sure you have your pet’s bed/crate/blanket or whatever they sleep on along with you so they have something familiar when you sleep in a new place. If they don’t sleep on anything, in particular, have something that smells like home to make them feel safer.”
Yvonne with www.guateadventure.com gives similar advice.
“If you’re taking your dog somewhere new for an overnight or camping trip, take along a mat or blanket that smells familiar.
I taught my dog to associate the word “blanket” with whatever mat or blanket she sleeps on. This way I can show my dog where I intend for her to sleep when we are at a friend’s house, in a hostel, or sleeping in a tent.”
During the Long-Distance Trip with Pets
Tip #12- Maintain Your Pet’s Routine
Stef Henne also speaks to the importance of maintaining the pet’s routine to the greatest degree.
“I think the biggest thing I learned when traveling long distances with a pet is to keep their schedule as regular as possible. Animals are creatures of habit just like people! Feed them when they normally eat, take them for a short walk if they get a walk in the afternoon, and try to go to bed as close to your normal time as possible.
Your pet is probably going to be stressed no matter what, especially if they are a nervous traveler (like our dog was!), so you’ll want to make their routine as normal as you can so there are some things they can rely on.”
You can find more of Stef’s travel planning and tips & tricks on her blog https://openroadodysseys.com/.
Fasten the dog crate in the back seat with a seat belt. You wouldn’t let your small child sit anywhere but a car seat, give your pet the same safety consideration.
Drive with your pet crated only. It is poor practice to let a small dog, let alone larger dogs for that matter, wander around your vehicle at will. This is true even while you are on a long-distance trip.
Unfortunately, with very large dogs, this can be especially challenging. Our daughter has a large dog and a small car. There is absolutely no way that they can fit a crate large enough in the car.
They secure him in the back seat and put him on a large bath mat like this one. It doubles as a seat protector in the car as well as bedding for him upon arrival. (He’s a chewer and can’t handle an actual dog bed yet.)
Tip # 13- Take Frequent Breaks Whenever Possible
During long distance road trips, stop for a break every two to three hours, never exceeding four hours. Many truck stops now include specific pet areas. Finding those are much easier ahead of time. Waiting until your pet has hit ’emergency status’ can result in awkward, or even dangerous stops.
This tip also comes to us from Stef Henne,
“I like to walk our dog around the rest stops for about 15 minutes so he can run around and get out some of his nervous energy.
Traveling with pets is like traveling with children – you are going to go slower than you probably would if you were by yourself. Just accept that fact and be willing to make the stops to make your pet comfier.
I liked to walk our dog around the rest stops for about 15 minutes so he could run around and get out some of his nervous energy. Traveling with pets is like traveling with children – you are going to go slower than you probably would if you were by yourself. Just accept that fact and be willing to make the stops to make your pet comfier.”
We all stay more relaxed if we are able to turn one long trip into a number of short trips. And besides, frequent stops help ward off car sickness. Pets and pet owners need bathroom breaks and it does everyone good to stretch their legs.
We always like to make sure every stop is a positive experience for everyone. Be patient with your pet. Give ample positive reinforcement as is necessary. Just like their “people”, sometimes dogs can’t go to the bathroom “on-demand”, especially in a new place.
Find a safe place to park, with as much space as you can find. The safest way to take a potty break during long-distance travel is to find a travel stop parking spot away from other vehicles and near green grass. Stepping from the parked car directly onto the grass can lessen stress. This minimizes distractions and lessens the need to cross busy parking lots too.
Tip #14- Keep Things Safe and Fun
“Whenever I’m taking my dog somewhere new or asking her to do something strange (like getting on a boat), I praise and encourage her and reward her with treats. That way she associates the experience with pleasure.
Of course, sometimes you may have to move in baby steps, like carrying your dog aboard and holding her so she feels safe. Over time, your dog will get more familiar with new experiences and will learn that wherever they are they are okay because you are there too.”
More great advice from Yvonne with Guate Adventure.
Upon Arrival
Tip #15- Find a Dog Park or Walking Area
At the end of a long-distance road trip, you might find a dog park. Giving some unleashed and uncrated time is a great way for your friend to get fresh air. It can help both of you to have some room to roam. One important thing- dogs always need to experience the scents of any new environment. This will help them begin to relax and to feel normal.
Visiting dog parks can offer several side benefits, too. Lynn has had personal experience with this.
“When we travel we find a local dog park. Our two standard poodles need to run freely to reduce their stress. It is also helpful to talk to the locals. During fire season, we received helpful updates about the fires.”
There’s always a lot to do when you arrive at any destination, but don’t skip the time it takes to get your pet (and yourself) some time to unwind and get some fresh air. The suitcase will still be there when you get back to your hotel room, but your whole perspective can be more relaxed.
Tip # 16- Hiking With Pets
Let’s face it, we have things we want to do and experience when we are away from home. Nina, from Nina Out And About, has more advice,
“Hiking is one of the best ways to explore a natural area. When you bring your furry friend, you have to make sure they are properly outfitted. So many hikers bring their dog with nothing but a couple of treats in their pocket.
To keep your pup safe, be sure to bring the essentials: water (and a way for them to drink it easily), a leash (even in off-leash areas), treats, bandages or a bandana that could be used to close a wound, and a communication device to call for help if needed.”
Tip #17- RVing with Pets
Let’s also consider those situations when the journey is the destination- as in RVing and Vanning. and you want to or need to leave your pet behind for a short time.
Nina also gives tips about these types of travel with pets,
“Van lifers and RVers often want to go on expeditions without their pup. That’s totally fine! Dogs can stay in vans and RVs that have proper ventilation and fan systems to will prevent them from overheating.
If you leave your van at a campsite, keep it plugged into the electricity so you can run the air conditioning for your pet. Even with a fan system, you should keep some windows open (even partially) to ensure that the dog is getting fresh air.
Always park in shaded areas to help keep it cool for your pup. Before you rely on this system, test it out yourself! If you couldn’t handle it, then your dog definitely can’t either.”
Bonus- Traveling With Pets in the UK
All of our experiences with long-distance travel with pets have been within the United States. Traveling in the UK brings its own challenges and opportunities. Hannah with All About the Après, however, has a lot of experience traveling with her cat all across Europe.
“If you want to travel to the UK with your pet then it is impossible to fly with them in the cabin due to the law in the country. If you don’t want to check your pet into the hold then I recommend taking a ferry to the UK from Europe.
I traveled with my cat from Rotterdam, The Netherlands, to Hull, England, and it was a smooth and stress-free experience. The company I used, P&O Ferries, even has pet-friendly cabins available at a surcharge so my cat was able to sleep comfortably beside me throughout the sailing and she was completely relaxed! Ferries also connect to the UK from France and Belgium.”
Conclusion
For most of us, our pets are part of the family. But just like any travel, the better prepared you are, the smoother the trip will go. The next time you prepare for long-distance travel with your pets, keep these tips in mind. Also, be sure and download our Travel With Pets Checklist.
Thanks for Reading- Long-Distance Travel With Pets
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