Time to
hit the road? Far from setting off into the sunset and enjoying a relaxing
journey, traveling with a dog can be a fur-raising experience.
Fear
peeing, puking and pooing; shaking, barking, whining and whimpering. Yeah, safe
to say that hitting route 66 quickly turns into the road trip from hell when
accompanied by your nervy canine. So, what can you do about it? Let’s work through our top
waggly-tail tips.H
Plan well ahead for accommodation
We
don’t know why, but not everyone is a huge fan of dogs (between you and I –
they don’t know what they’re missing). Anyway, dogs are pretty much a no-go for
many motels and hotels, so you’ll need to do a little legwork before you set
off.
This
page lists pet-friendly hotels in the USA, and allows you to search by
date as well as book online. Easy peasy.
Make a list (check it twice, thrice, four times) and pack in good time
Packing
for a smooth trip starts with getting organized and packing your bag at least
the day before. Here’s a list of things to pop into your case for your pooch:
●
Dog food
●
Treats
●
Dog crate
●
Food/water bowls
●
Dog harness/seat belt buckle
●
Leashes
●
Up-to-date vaccine records (this will be required when entering
Canada, as well as for staying at some accommodation)
●
Poo bags
●
Lint roller (for attempting to tackle that in-car dog
hair)
Go for walkies before hand
A long
walk will pay off big time before your journey (at least double the usual daily
walk should do nicely). Give him a small treat or two once he’s home, but avoid
feeding him his usual meal (a full belly is a sure-fire way to bring about car
sickness).
Dogs
can easily (and happily) go for a day without food, just so long as they have
plenty of water to hand.
Safety first
When
it’s time to set off, be sure to safely secure your dog with a seat buckle or place
him in a good quality crate (don’t be tempted to let him hang his head out of
the window – as this can lead to some pretty nasty eye injuries).
You
should also make sure that he’s easily identifiable (at least through a collar
tag and microchip). Ideally however you should go one step further, and fit him
with a dog tracker (there are some great – and inexpensive – options out there
that work with your smartphone – such as the Paw Tracker; Gibi Pet Locator and Link AKC Smart Dog Collar).
Finally,
think about the weather. If it’s the midst of summer and your car is
air-conditioning free you should plan to avoid travelling during the hottest
times of the day.
Top up your gas at quiet stations
If
possible, try to stop off for gas and toilet breaks at stations outside of
built-up urban areas, as it’ll be more likely that you’ll discover a grassy
space (which can encourage a reluctant pooch to open his bladder!).
Take a pit stop for a mid-way walk
Try to
split your journey up every couple of hours or so with a 15-minute walk. This
may take some planning, but it shouldn’t be too challenging to discover a nice
walk just a short way off most main highways.
Pop in a CBD bone or two into your pouch’s packing
CBD is a non-psychoactive
cannabinoid that’s derived from all-natural, 3rd party tested hemp (e.g. it
won’t make your canine stoned – it’ll simply calm their nerves and get them travel-ready).
CBD
bones are made for everything from the terrors of fireworks to taking a road
trip or plane ride.
FOMO
bones team CBD with a formidable team of valerian root, chamomile and passion
flower for one all-natural canine calmer.
Pack up the suitcase, through in the
dog basket, blanket and FOMO bone – we’re hitting the road!
Author bio: Jennifer is the
voice behind the FOMO Bones blog. She's pretty sure in her past life, she was a
Great Dane. However, we peg her as more of a labrador. Regardless of her breed,
she's a dog enthusiast who has 15 years experience training dogs and owners.
