Traveling with a dog: everything you need to know

The holiday season is coming and enjoying a family break is essential to recharge the energies of the entire group. But what will happen to your dog? It is increasingly common to see family groups that have taken the initiative to travel with their dogs, making them part of this well-deserved rest for everyone. But what do you need if you want to travel with a dog? What are the recommendations? Is it dangerous? These are some of the most common concerns when deciding to travel with a dog to any destination . For this reason we developed this article with information that will be of great help when traveling with a dog, so that you can enjoy every moment before and during the trip.

Before traveling with a dog

If you have already made the decision to include your dog in your vacation plans or in your weekend getaway, you should know the steps to ensure that traveling with a dog is a successful process and together you can fully enjoy your days off. Here we will guide you in what you need to know to make this a reality:

Get your dog used to short outings

A very useful recommendation if you decide to travel with a dog is to adapt it to short outings from the time it is a puppy. This way when you decide to take trips, whether by car, train or plane, you will not feel so strange and you will not show concern or fear.

Plan the trip in advance

Although traveling with a dog has never been as easy as it is now, thanks to the accessibility of places where you can go with your canine friend, the trip needs to be planned in advance. From the destination you will visit to the documentation and luggage you need to travel with a dog. Thinking about your dog when you choose the destination must be very important . Choosing a place that is not suitable for traveling with a dog can be a stressful situation for the dog, causing changes in its behavior and neither of them enjoying the trip.

Select the appropriate transport

Selecting the means of transportation you will use for your outing is another important aspect when traveling with a dog . Because it's not just about your comfort, but also that of your canine companion. Even if you travel by car, train or plane, one of the common recommendations is to select a travel cage, also known as a carrier, for transporting the dog. This ensures your comfort and safety during the journey. The carrier should be chosen according to the dog's height and build, so that it can remain comfortable throughout the trip. If you travel by plane, the first step is to review the airline regulations, whether they allow travel with pets and the procedure you must follow to carry it out.

Check the documentation you need

If you plan to travel with a dog to another province or state of your country or to another territory, it is important that you know what certificates are required to allow your canine access to the area. This is because the documentation may vary depending on where you decide to travel with your dog . Certificates of routine control, vaccination, deworming and anti-rabies are some of the most common requirements to be requested if you travel with your dog. One of the requirements that has become very common is that the dog be around three months old, so that its immune system is stronger and there is no risk of getting sick or something similar.

Make sure you choose the right accommodation

Traveling with a dog involves a countless number of steps you must take to ensure you have a comfortable stay for both of you. Accommodation is an essential part of those steps. Nowadays there are numerous accommodation sites where you can stay with your pet , so you just have to choose the one that is most attractive to you.

Prioritize your pet's health

One aspect that you should take care of long before traveling with a dog is the health of our little friend. It is essential before making the trip to go to the veterinarian for a routine check-up, where in addition to verifying that you are in perfect health for the trip, you can obtain the certificates in order that may be requested depending on the place you are traveling. It is advisable to consult with the veterinarian about medications to mitigate any dizziness or nerves that the pet may suffer during the trip.

Bring the right luggage

Once you have the destination, the mode of transportation, requirements and documents, and you have visited the veterinarian, you can start packing your bags. Luggage for traveling with a dog must be made up of the basic elements: containers for drinking and eating, a leash, a harness, basic groceries, bags to collect waste, a tag with your identification data and, if necessary, your bed to sleep on. These are some basic elements that undoubtedly cannot be missing when traveling with a dog .

During the trip

During the trip it is recommended that you be as attentive as possible to the dog's physical and emotional state, because it may cause dizziness or stress. Avoid overloading it with food, this will reduce the risk of nausea or vomiting during the journey. In addition, it visibly identifies the carrier, so that, if at any time you must be separated from the dog, it can facilitate its location.

Familiarize your dog

Traveling with a dog to a place unknown to him can cause him to feel distrustful and permanently alert. Try, when you arrive at your destination, to provide an environment of trust that helps the dog become familiar with the space , this way his stay will be more comfortable.

Take care of your diet

It is essential, when traveling with a dog, to take care of its diet. On many occasions, trips can cause nutritional imbalances due to unexpected changes in feed or foods that are not recommended. To avoid these alterations, you can take with you the usual feed that you use for their diet and do not feed them anything strange during the trip.