Over the river and through the woods……It doesn’t matter whose house you are going to, your dog wants to come too! With summer travel and ‘Take your dog to work day’ this month, I thought I should share some travel tips to make your errands or holiday more fun for 2 and 4 legged family members.
1. First Foray or Vacation Veteran? Get your pet used to all types of travel with several small trips in and around town before you attempt a 3-day cross country jaunt. Pets react in different ways and knowing your pets’ travel preferences will save a lot of grief for all of you when you are on a schedule.
2. It should go without saying, but I feel I must, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN THE CAR ALONE for more than 10 minutes! Hot or cold, your pet is not accustomed to temperature extremes, and adding that to the stress of travel and separation while you “Just run in for a minute” is often too much for our furry companions.
3. Kennel or buckle your family members! Pets are helpless in an accident. Having them in a kennel or buckled with a special harness into the seat belt (any Pet Supplies “Plus” has them) will keep an accident from turning into a tragedy.
4. Identification Please! Make sure to keep tags on all of your pets, but this becomes even more important when traveling! Under stress, the most obedient pet can slip out of a kennel or car door and run out into unfamiliar territory. Also, it’s a good idea to keep copies of their vet records along for emergencies!
5. Make sure you maintain regular flea/tick and heartworm preventative. I have found that parasite populations change dramatically in different areas and you don’t want to bring home extra pests along with your dirty laundry!
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