7 essential tips for Travelling With a puppy on vacation

Do you plan on travelling with a puppy on your next vacation?

While you may be looking forward to your upcoming vacation, do you worry about where to leave your puppy while you’re gone? So why not bring it with you? Even though traveling with a puppy may sound stressful, with the appropriate planning, your trip may even turn out to be more enjoyable.

Also keep in mind that your puppy might enjoy a holiday. Puppy socialization, or exposure to various settings and people, is necessary. They become more accustomed to a wide range of interactions and experiences as a result. Additionally, traveling is a great opportunity to introduce new experiences to your dog.

However, confirm if it is okay for your puppy to travel before purchasing your tickets. Puppies should be completely immunized before traveling far from home, including the DHPPV vaccine, which protects against kennel cough, rabies, and a variety of other ailments (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza and parvo).

They may also need vaccinations for canine influenza, Lyme disease, or leptospirosis, depending on where you live and where you’re going.

Tips for travelling with A puppy

You might want to pay attention to the tips provided below if you want to have a safe, enjoyable, and memorable trip with your dog:

Do a Travel-Trial Check

A dog that has never traveled may find the experience upsetting and unfamiliar. It is advisable to take your dog on a brief road trip because even a brief journey can provide insightful experiences.

You won’t know whether your pet finds car rides frightening or not until you observe their behavior during a trip. In order to keep your dog safe in the event of an accident, experts advise using a dog seat belt. Next, go for a 10- or 15-minute drive.

Keep an eye out for stress-related behaviors in your puppy, including drooling, panting, whimpering, or even vomiting, which might be an indication that your dog is feeling car sick. If your dog displays these signs, you’ll need to continue working with them to train them to enjoy traveling. Learn how dog car anxiety can be reduced through training.

Consult your veterinarian if you think your dog is experiencing vehicle sickness. They might be able to recommend treatments for motion sickness in cars or other things.

Consult Your Veterinarian For Required Supplements

As usual, the market is flooded with products that promise to ease dogs’ anxiety associated to travel. But not all supplements are appropriate for all puppies. For instance, a worried puppy might not drink enough water. Dehydration may result from this, along with other major medical problems or even death.

Many dog owners report that calming vitamins have significantly reduced their pets’ anxiety, particularly in potentially stressful situations like travel.

You must understand what is effective for your dog, though. According to Anderson, products containing turmeric or CBD may conflict with other medications your pet is receiving. Therefore, check with your veterinarian to ensure it is safe before giving your dog anything new.

Mind Your Puppy’s Climate

Puppies are more vulnerable to the effects of the climate change than adult canines seem to be. Extremely hot or cold conditions might have a big impact on them. As a result, it’s crucial to consider whether the temperature where you’re traveling is appropriate for your puppy because what may be cosy for you might not be for your puppy.

For instance, the puppy’s carrier is often kept underneath the seats, which is also where the air conditioning vents on airplanes are frequently found. On airplanes, it can get very cold for puppies! In order to guarantee your dog is comfortable when traveling with you by air, give them a blanket or shirt to cuddle up in inside their carrier.

Pro tip: The blanket or shirt will have your scent on it if you sleep with it the night before you depart, which may relax your puppy.

The hazards are the same in warm environments. For instance, when traveling by car during the summer or in hotter climates, the backseat can occasionally become significantly hotter than the front seats. Throughout your journey, frequently check the temperature in the rear seat (or wherever your dog is riding).

Additionally, remember to take regular water breaks. Also, a cooling pad helps keep your pet at ease.

Hold Your Puppy’s Credentials

Just as it’s crucial for you to have your passport or driver’s license on hand, so too are your dog’s credentials. The following credentials are required of you:

• Medical Records: These will provide veterinarians with a thorough picture of your puppy’s health in the event that they are required to treat them while you are traveling. You might also need to take them with you when traveling abroad.

Related: Best Practices for a Dog’s Vaccination Schedule

• Recent Photograph: Throughout your journey, you will undoubtedly keep your dog by your side. Having a picture of your dog, however, can aid in the search for them if your dog does become missing.
• Updated Microchip: Additionally, check that the microchip in your puppy is completely registered and contains the most up-to-date information for contacting you.

The Carrier or Crate

The crate or carrier turns into your closest friend while traveling. They keep your puppy safe while providing a comfortable haven for them. It can be risky to walk puppies on leashes through crowded areas like airports, especially if they are still learning how to use a leash or are too small to be noticed by other passengers.

You don’t want them to get stepped on if they dart in an unexpected direction or simply get in the way of a distracted traveler.

If your puppy hasn’t yet been trained to use a crate, it’s best to start well before that time since it may take weeks or months for them to become completely trained. Many airlines also require your puppy to be in the crate during the flight. Remember that the crates you use for travel are different from the crates you use at home.

Home crates are typically made of wire or wood, and while some are intended to fold up and be stored for travel, they are typically not intended for moving animals from one location to another. On the other hand, airport-friendly travel bags are often constructed of fabric or plastic and are lighter.

Potty Breaks

It is not surprising that your puppy may require frequent bathroom stops, especially while traveling long distances. It is your responsibility to take them on as many breaks as they need because they have smaller bladders and pelvic bones, which lengthen the time they need to use the restroom.

Depending on the route of transportation, bathroom scenarios can change. Taking your dog on a road trip? Draw a route with rest stops on it. Flying with a dog? At your departure and arrival airports, be aware of the locations of the pet relief facilities. And have extra sanitary pads on hand for emergencies.

Gear Up

You might read a magazine, listen to a podcast, or nibble while you’re traveling. It’s wonderful to have a variety of activities to keep you occupied, don’t you think? The same is true of your puppy! Don’t forget about the activities your dog can take pleasure in while traveling.

Veterinarians typically advise bringing extra food on all journeys. Resealable baggies of food and an empty plastic bottle or travel bowl for your puppy’s water supply can be brought on board an airplane. Water cannot be brought through airport security, however you may easily fill up your container before boarding after going through TSA.

Additionally, you can provide your puppy toys in the crate. However, if your puppy’s jaws are powerful enough to shred toys, you’ll need to be more watchful about what you offer them to play with inside their carrier.

In order to ensure that your puppy won’t be able to chew off pieces that could cause choking, test out any potential toys with them in advance. Take into account items that come with treats or fillings, such as the KONG Puppy Dog Toy that may be filled with your puppy’s preferred treat.