Traveling with your canine

I have been asked to blog about traveling with your dog.  It is completely perfect timing because I just finished the final edit of my PBJ and Me (Poodles, Brad, Jessie and Me) book yesterday.  It's funny because it is much easier to answer questions about traveling with your dog versus just pondering on what I've learned.  But boy did I learn a lot.  From Southern California to Connecticut and back again in three and a half months.  What happened on the way and while we were on the other side of the country was a lot to deal with. Being back home now for three months I've had time to reflect and process it all.

So what are some of the big things that I learned in my travels?

-  You need to bring snacks in the car for both the dogs and the humans.  Easy and healthy type snacks so that you aren't constantly having to pull over and either dig them out or buy some.

-  Water, you need to offer the dogs water often.  During stops and a bit on the move if you aren't stopping every hour or two.  Of course the humans need water too.

-  Make the place where the dogs will be spending most of their time comfy, like a bed.  I set the back of my SUV up with a bed area and an area where they would walk around on a hard surface.

-  Pack a bag specifically for the dogs so that you can just grab it and know that all the dog things you need in it are there.

- Keep collars on at all time, just in case.   The collars need to have ID tags on them.

-  Look for places to stop that are far off of the freeway.  We stopped several times at school yards that were vacant.  With almost a completely fenced in area it was a great spot to let the dogs rip.

-   Do not switch up food while traveling, you may regret it big time.

-   When choosing a hotel and specific room, think about getting your dogs out for a potty break. Convenience to the door is important.

-  Teach your dog/dogs before hand that they only get out when given a certain command.  You don't want your dogs flying out of the car whenever you open the door.

Above everything else, know your dog.  It is important to understand how your dog or dogs will deal as an individual to traveling and staying in hotels.  Try to relax and enjoy the ride.

If anyone has specific questions please feel free to contact me.  I am happy to offer any advice that I can.