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Inviting a canine companion into your home ultimately means adding another member to your family. This means, when considering travel and vacation plans, your dog has to be considered, too. For a lot of people, they can feel restricted in where they can travel to if they are taking their dog, or at the very least have financial implications if they wish to put their dog into a kennel for the duration of their trip.
However, there is no reason why traveling with your dog should be a source of stress or concern. Traveling with your pet can actually make the experience richer, whether as an individual, couple or the entire family.
Important Checks to Consider Before You Travel with Your Dog:
- Health
Before you head off on your vacation, you need to first consider if there are any relevant vaccinations that may be required, or health checks needed. While you might be worried about the impact the stress of this might have on your dog afterward, be sure to eliminate this by booking an appointment with a trusted service such as Heart and Paw Veterinary. They will ensure your dog is well looked after and in is optimal health before their travel.
- Location
Start by researching the best pet-friendly locations and then consider the preferred climate for your dog, as particular breeds may not be able to comfortably handle harsh temperatures.
Checking all of this in advance will help the trip to be a lot less stressful.
Choosing the type of Vacation
Knowing the best type of vacations to take your dog on early on will really help with the planning stage. The following ideas are ideal for your pet:
A Hiking Vacation
Your canine companion isn’t ever going to find too much hiking a grueling experience. That’s why walking vacations are perfect for the whole family, especially for your dog, and ideally during the warmer months when walking will be on easier terrain compared to ice or snow.
This is also a valuable idea, as a high amount of hiking will easily tire your dog out, meaning you avoid any risk of boisterousness or over-excitement if you are in a location that requires a more sedate atmosphere.
Renting a Motorhome
This option means your whole family – including the dog – can travel together on the open road. A motorhome also provides more space for your dog to move around inside the vehicle compared to a regular car, for example. Renting a motorhome is also beneficial because it means you can stop whenever required. Therefore your dog can receive a quick bathroom break and walk-around outside when necessary.
A Camping Trip
You will be able to find a variety of dog-friendly campsites, which enable you to set up your family in the ideal spot and know that your pet is free to roam around. A camping trip also makes it easier to take care of your dog during the vacation, due to the immediate access to walks and places for your dog to take a bathroom break. This compared to staying in a dog-friendly hotel, for example, which will require you to leave your room and walk through the hotel before reaching the outside.
Taking Your Dog Abroad
You can, of course, travel to a different country with your dog, but there are many essential areas you need to research and consider first. These include:
- What are the regulations for importing a dog into the country of your choice?
- Is your dog micro-chipped with the required vaccinations?
- Do you want to travel via plane, train or ferry and car?
- If you are traveling by plane, have you considered the flight time and how to transport your dog, such as in the cargo hold, and the implications of this?
Traveling overseas with your pet is naturally possible, but it takes a lot more preparation and many more hurdles you could possibly run into.