Four Ways To Keep Your Dog Safe And Healthy On Vacation This Summer

Posted on: 15 July 2016

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If your dog is a part of the family, they might even travel with you on family vacations. While this can be fun for everyone, making sure your dog is safe and healthy along the way is important as well. Here are four things you can do to make trips with the family dog fun and safe for everyone.

1. Get a Clean Bill of Health

Before you take your dog on the road, bring them to the veterinarian first to ensure that they are ready for the road and don't have any underlying conditions. Vets might recommend further preventative vaccines or flea and tick treatments depending on where you are headed. If your dog tends to get anxious or aggressive, your vet might recommend your dog stay home in a boarding situation instead.

2. Be Ready for Emergencies

While you will have your eye on your dog during your vacation, emergencies can happen. If you are going to one primary location for a trip, ask your vet for recommendations for emergency veterinary hospitals in the area you'll be in just in case. Even if you keep your dog on their leash, bringing along a crate for smaller dogs can be a good idea as well. You never know when you might be displaced or in an emergency situation where pets need to be restrained, such as a fire or flood.

3. Frequent Stops are Important

You might want to get in a lot of miles on your trip, but don't forget that your furry travel companion might do better with frequent stops along the way. Be sure to research pet-friendly parks, rest stops, and restaurants along your route that will be accessible and incorporate these stops along the way. Dogs might be too nervous to eat or drink in the car, and might need plenty of stops to hydrate and eat on solid ground.

4. Pet-Friendly Hotels and Campgrounds

Don't wing it on your family vacation if you are bringing along your family dog. Making reservations well in advance at pet-friendly hotels and campgrounds will take this worry out of your vacation plans. You might think these types of accommodations won't be hard to source, but in summer months when reservations book up, pet-friendly options might be more scarce.

Taking the family dog on vacation can be a fun, great way for dog to explore and bet with their pack. It it up to you to make sure your pet is safe and their daily needs are met along the way. If you can plan ahead for a vacation with the family dog, this can be a great way for everyone in your family gets to have fun this summer.