Taking your dog on a long-haul outdoor trip is exciting; however, it is extremely overwhelming. It involves careful planning irrespective of whether you are planning to move to a new country, plan for a longer vacation time, or even prepare your furry companion for the adventure outdoors.
Ensuring that your dog is safe and comfortable during the longer hauls on the road trip or longer flights becomes important to turn this overwhelming experience into an enjoyable journey for you and your furry pet.
In our post today, we are going to offer you the key tips and the main considerations to prepare your dog, especially smaller dog breeds such as Teacup Bichpoo or a Poodle, for long-haul travels.
Understanding Your Dog’s Travel Needs
Prior to initiating the long-haul endeavors, it is important to evaluate whether the dog is emotionally and physically prepared for the trip. A few of the dogs, mainly the older pets or the ones facing health issues, might not tackle well across long trips. Identically, the dogs dealing with fear or anxiety of the unfamiliar spaces would find the travel extremely overwhelming.
Evaluate the Health of Your Dog
You can initiate the process of taking your dog to a longer haul ensuring that you visit the vet for complete health inspections. Ensure that the vaccinations are updated and discuss the distinctive concerns related to health that would often show up upon traveling.
Your choice of vet would often advise the treatments as well as medications related to motion sickness, anxiety as well and other issues that pop up on long trips. For senior dogs or those dealing with chronic conditions, it is important to get clearance from the vet before heading out for long journeys.
Understand Your Dog’s Personality
Each dog has their way of responding to the travel or trips. A few of the dogs are quite adventurous and adapt well to new spaces, while the others often undergo anxiety and stress. If your dog has never traveled longer distances, it is worth considering the short trips to find out how they react.
Eventually when you make your dog familiar with the trips, it can help make them stay anxiety-free. You can also follow some other traditional ways to make your dog comfortable during the long hauls, like starting with the basics of Doga: yoga for dogs. Yoga can help your furry companion stay calm and comfortable during the trips.
Choosing the Right Travel Crate
One key and essential factor in ensuring a seamless long haul with your dog is selecting the right travel crate. Whether you are in your car or on a flight, your furry friend needs a comfortable and secure space to unwind during their long journey.
Size and Comfort
It must have enough space for your dog to stand comfortably, turn, and lie down. The crates become the source of discomfort and stress only if they are too cramped. A well-ventilated and comfortable crate surface, preferably with a soft blanket or bedding with the scent of home, is essential.
Crate Training
If your dog still needs to be crate-trained, start this process several weeks before a trip. Gradually introduce your dog to the crate and help it associate good times, treats, and toys with it. They can spend short periods in the crate and then expand their time. At the beginning of the long-haul trip, your dog should feel secure and safe in its crate.
Preparing for Air Travel with Your Dog
Traveling with dogs by flight, especially over a long distance, requires much more preparation. Each airline has different regulations governing pet travel; therefore, do read up on some of the requirements before embarking on the journey.
Know Airline Regulations
Also, each airline has pet travel policies that could vary from weighing restrictions to crate size requirements and pet-friendly flight options. A couple of airlines allow small dog breeds to be carried in the cabin, although others require them to be carried through the cargo. If you are traveling with your furry companion, ensure that you select a pet-friendly airline and buy a crate that meets the airline’s guidelines.
Booking a Pet-Friendly Flight
Choose a non-stop flight so that you can save time on long travels and stops that may cause stress to your pet. When booking a flight with your pet, ensure booking for late-night or early-morning flights. This makes the entire long haul less overwhelming. Also, check out the climatic conditions of the destination you are heading out for. High temperatures can be dangerous for pets, especially those that have to spend a cargo hold for their flight.
Pre-Flight Preparation
Refrain from giving your dog bigger meals right before the flight, as they might get sick with motion. Ensure that they are well-hydrated and have good access to water prior to boarding. Also, check to keep their stomach clean right before heading out to the airport.
Traveling by Car: Long Road Trips
Long travels with a dog require planning, although one can still include frequent stops to ensure comfort during the journey, unlike air travel.
Car Safety
Secure your dog in the car either by using a car crate or a dog harness seatbelt. An unanchored dog would keep both of you highly distracted, and accidents can always happen. Moreover, don’t forget to ventilate your car to provide your dog with sufficient fresh air while inside.
Planning Regular Breaks
It is very important to come up with regular breaks during long road trips where your dog can stretch his/her legs, relieve itself, and get some water. You should stop the vehicle every two to three hours to let your dog spend some time outside the vehicle. It would help if you used these breaks for short walks, which might reduce stress and prevent restlessness.
Packing a Dog Travel Kit
Whenever you are going out on a long journey with your puppy by your side, you need to keep a travel kit ready with all the required goodies to make your dog comfortable. Such a kit can consist of many essential things that your dog may need. Also, remember to pack along a cushion or blanket for your furry friend to sleep on.
Ensuring Comfort During the Journey
The comfort of your dog is the most important thing, above all others, in a long-haul flight or road trip. In many ways, it’s true to say that a quiet environment with some tending to their needs can just be what they need to calm down and really feel secure.
Managing Anxiety and Stress
If your pet is prone to stress or anxiety, ensure that you approach your vet to find out how you can handle this situation. Sometimes, calming aids in the form of pheromone sprays, anxiety vests, or natural calming supplements can be great allies. If your vet deems it necessary, for extreme cases, sedatives might be prescribed, but they should be used sparingly and are best used as a last resort.
Keeping Your Dog Hydrated and Fed
One last important consideration is that pets dehydrate quickly when they travel for long distances. Provide your dog with constant access to new, clean water while on a trip, especially when on a flight, as dehydration sets in most cases.
Final Preparations and Arrival
Before the day of travel, make sure all final preparations are done. Check travel documents, especially international travel, because your dog might require special permits or health certificates.
Post-Arrival Care
Take your dog some time to settle into its new environment. After an extended travel, your dog may need some time to adapt to the new environment. To get them to settle in, give them their favorite toys, blankets, and lots of affection. Observe their behavior and remain alert to clues that indicate just how much stress or discomfort they feel. If necessary, take your dog to a local vet to determine whether it is healthy after this ordeal.
Conclusion
Traveling long distances with your dog is a thoughtful process, given the amount of preparation and detail that will go into the planning of this journey. Preparing your dog, or rather helping him prepare both physically and mentally, comes in handy. This includes ensuring that he is chosen for the appropriate crate and prepared for the needs of air or road travel. Your dog will thus be ready to begin the journey comfortably and confidently.
