How to Travel with a Dog

BeApp Blogger

5 years ago

Info: Dogs like adventure. How do you travel with your dog without it being only the dog’s adventure? In this article we’ll go through some common concerns and resources.

Note: see for How to Travel With a Cat, How to Find a Travel Partner, Cheapest Travel Locations, and Solo Trips for Women

How to Travel with a Dog on a Plane

How do dogs fair when air-born? What’s legal and how do you prepare?

Let’s look at some quick basics to get you started on how to travel with a dog.

Cabin Vs. Cargo

Check in with your airline ahead of time. Different companies have different policies and you want to be sure. You need to protect your baby, here.

If Fido is smaller, you may be able to carry him on. That is, if he, in his container fits under your seat or not. You can also buy him a ticket to put him the seat next to you.

Pressurized, temperature controlled cargo is an option as well. You’ll want to be clear about the dimensions of the kennel and the weight.

Check with your airline to get clear about the costs of both.

Health

Talk to your vet about air travel for your dog. Differences in altitude can have an effect.

Ask your vet if he recommends any medication or sedatives for the dog.

Preparation

If your dog will be flying in a kennel, make sure to acclimate the dog to the kennel before the departure date.

Put absorbent materials as they base, this is likely to be a stressful situation for your pooch.

Show up early to the airport. TSA, metal detectors, checking luggage, etc. can be a hassle. The rules here are always changing, so, allow time for the unexpected.

Air Traveling with Dogs

Once you’re in the air, then what? With the right preparation there’s nothing to worry about.

Here’s a short video to give you a heads up for making your puppy airborne:

Transcript: hi everyone I know it’s been a while but if you’ve been following us on Facebook Instagram or YouTube you probably know we were you simply took a trip to the west coast in Cooper this is gonna be a quick video we weren’t gonna do this at first but our friends and followers encouraged us to do so but also I think it’s important for us to share our story we took a flight with Cooper on our trip he couldn’t sit with us in the cabin so Cooper had to be in his crate in the cargo hold of the plane we followed the procedures up to a tee as dictated by United Pet Safe program however something happened that didn’t make me happy and I think is actually quite dangerous when we picked up Cooper from our destination I immediately took him out of his crate for a walk so that he can do his business during our walk we discovered that his ID tags were missing from his collar but we actually found them afterwards near our car this was the odd part why did his tags fall off from his collar anyway we checked the tags and discovered that it had been tampered with you see that bent wire it’s not ours but it was the wire that was supposedly holding up Cooper’s tags to his collar we certainly didn’t do that so who did rewind back to when we were checking Cooper into our flight the United pet safe employee who handled our paperwork inspected Cooper and his crate this is standard procedure and we’ve gone through this three times before so we’re used to it the employee noticed the tile hanging on Cooper’s collar and she asked what it is for for those of you who don’t know what a tile is it’s basically a blue tooth location tracking device we got this idea from others who have traveled with their pets who also used some type of tracking device to stay informed on their pets whereabouts so we were completely honest and told the employee checking Cooper this exact same thing we decided to use a tracking device this time on our flight to avoid the drama that happened the last time we fluid Cooper on United I almost had a panic attack during that flight but I’ll save that story for another time after explaining to the employee what the tile is on Cooper’s collar she didn’t seem to have a problem with it she just moved on to closing back the crates door and proceeded with the rest of the paperwork after the paperwork was done we waited for the employee to zip-tie Cooper’s crate and let us know that we’re done again we’ve been through this before so we know this is standard procedure we must have been standing there waiting for 15 to 20 minutes just for her to tell us hey you guys know you’re done right we told her that we were waiting for her to zip-tie his crate and she was like oh okay so she zip-tied Cooper’s crate and then we left to check in for our flight fast forward to our discovery if you connect the dots somebody somebody I’m not gonna say who I think you might know him very well must have opened up Cooper’s crate after it had already been secured for boarding to check what that tile was about they must have removed it from his collar and decided to put it back on but used that piece of wire to connect Cooper’s tags back to his collar we’re very reasonable people and were not extremely upset about this but we are disturbed by what happened this was done without our knowledge we weren’t even informed after the flight or anytime at all that they unsealed Cooper’s crate for whatever reason it may be we would have appreciated upfront honesty from United if they really wanted to inspect that tile further that could have easily been done during our check-in although we understand why United might have been extra cautious in checking the unknown due to all the recent flight petsafe issues in the news this experience left us with a very shady feeling like the old saying goes honesty is the best policy always be upfront with your customers even if it might cause some tension because otherwise the alternative would potentially make the customers even more upset if we can’t even trust the company to do the right thing in this minor instance then what more with bigger things some people have asked us why didn’t we complain to the United Airlines desk once we discovered this we actually thought about it right there and then but we had a tight schedule to adhere to and we didn’t want to waste our time and number two the most important thing for us is that Cooper is back with us and that he is safe so that’s our story we just wanted to share it so that others are aware that this has happened to us and unfortunately this might happen to others as well so just be prepared if you know someone who will travel with their pet in the cargo of the plane please share our story with them and if you’ve experienced something similar we’d love to hear from you about your story so comment below if you like this video please give it a thumbs up and please subscribe to our Channel if you already are thank you so much and we see all of your comments in our videos so thank you for all the love and support we always pass it on to Cooper you know we have more fun videos of Cooper and his adventures coming up so stay tuned and as always until next time thanks for watching and God bless

How to Travel with a Dog Cross Country

Is it possible to have happy trails with your best friend?

Yes of course, even if your dog doesn’t seem like the type.

Here’s a basic checklist for your road trip.

Consult with your vet
Acclimate your dog to its travel-crate or kennel, as well as the car (create a comfortable personal space for the dog)
Map your trip with times and locations for breaks
Make sure you have ID tags and a chip for your dog (Once he’s free…things happen, you don’t want to be wandering the desert calling his name)
Be aware of dangerous plants or wildlife in the area
Give lots of treats and positive reinforcement
Don’t leave your dog alone

Traveling with Dogs in by Car Long Distance

You’ve made the preparations but what are you going to be in for once you’re both rolling on the highway?

If done right, this can be a bonding experience of adventure.

The key point to travel with a dog is to practice with short trips first. Acclimate your dog to the car. Build its special area to get comfortable in.

Turn long trips into a series of short trips. Plan the trip and let the dog out for exercise. Keep in mind that when you stop and the doors are open, this is the point where your dog could make a break for it. ID tags and a chip are important to be prepared for the worse.

Feed your dog sparingly, handfuls of food here and there will help soothe its nerves and keep you and your dog focused on each other.

For more info on travelling with your dog, check out this site.

How to Travel the World with a Dog

Want to travel with a dog all over but not sure how it can be done with your canine companion?

With the right planning, you can take your dog anywhere!

Get in the habit of having conversations with Hotels and Airlines. Be early to check in at the airport and hotel. Most of all, bringing a dog along means more to prepare and plan for. Don’t assume your buddy is automatically welcome everywhere. Understand what is expected of both of you.

Traveling with Dogs Internationally

Can you bring your dog to other countries? Fly your baby overseas?

Many people do, and you can too.

Plan Your Itinerary

We recommend looking for hotels, restaurants, activities, and services that are pet-friendly. You wouldn’t want to bring along your pup just to leave them in the hotel room all day.

Consult With Your Vet

Once you have your airline reservation meet with your vet to make sure your pet is up to date on all shots and that they are healthy for travel.

It’s also important for pet owners to get health insurance for their pets because it’s peace of mind should an unexpected accident or illness occur.

Pack Their Bag

Don’t forget to pack the essential things like food, medications, and water. In addition, a few things from home like a favorite toy might help to ease the stress of being in a new place.

Lastly, be sure to carry with you your dog’s documentation. You’ll need to know what kind of paperwork, medical tests, and credentials the visiting country requires.

Here’s info from the CDC on international travel.

Purchase Travel Insurance

For the unexpected travel mishaps that can occur, be sure to purchase travel insurance so you can concentrate on enjoying your vacation with your dog.

How to Travel with a Dog without a Car

Many people think travelling without a car or by regulated transit gives them a loophole. How true is this and what do you need to know?

Traveling with your dog without a car is definitely an option. Many alternative services like ride-shares and subways are more lax when it comes to pet travel.

If you have an emergency there are services that specialize in helping transport your pet. Here are a few:

Looking for a pet transport service or a pet friendly airline?