Travel Checklist for Anyone Taking Their Pooch on the Road This Summer!

The season is upon us to go traveling with our families, and for some of us that includes our four-legged family members as well! This checklist is just a quick reminder of the essentials when leaving home with our animals, so don’t forget to check back when you’re heading out of town so you don’t forget anything you need.

1. Leash & Collar
This seems like an easy one, but you’d be surprised how often they accidentally get left behind when you’re loading Fido (and everything else!) into the car. These things are essential for the safety of your dog when taking bathroom breaks, as the territory is unfamiliar and may take more than a simple command to get your pooch under control.

2. Medical & Vaccination Records
This is often something that gets left behind in the hustle and bustle of packing for a trip, but oh so important when traveling with your dog. Should you be boarding your animal or if an emergency happens while on the road, it is important to have all the information you need you get your pet fully cared for. And if you’re leaving the country, checking what vaccinations are required is a must if you don’t want to run the risk of being denied entry!

3. Identification Tags
Usually this goes hand-in-hand with your leash and collar, but is worth noting just in case your tag is out of date with an incorrect address or phone number. Also, make sure your pet’s micro-chip is registered correctly and has up to date information in case your pet is lost or stolen.

4. First Aid Travel Kit
It seems a little far-fetched, but you never know what could happen on a long road trip, especially if it’s your dogs first time! Some things to include in this kit are eye wash, stypic powder for bleeding and antiseptic wipes. Be prepared, your pet will thank you!

5. Blankets or Seat Protectors
It’s no fun to have to sit in hair or mud after your pooch has been laying on your car seats either from a short trip to a long drive, so it might make things easier for you if you avoid the problem altogether by covering them ahead of time. And don’t forget an extra towel or two, just in case your pet gets into some really dirty fun on the way!

6. Safety Restraints
Check to see if your state has passed a mandatory seat belt law for pets, or if they haven’t ask yourself how safe your pet is without one. Do they tend to distract you by moving around constantly? Make sure both you and your animal stay safe in the car by considering a seat belt harness.

7. Food & Water
This also seems like another no-brainer, but it’s important for your dog to have comfort in the food they are used to and that won’t upset their stomach. And having a nice supply of bottled water for a long trip is an essential for keeping your dog hydrated.

8. Toys, Toys and More Toys
If your pet is a nervous traveler (and even if they aren’t!) it’s always a good idea to have plenty of their familiar toys lying around. It will make they trip better for you if you don’t have to constantly monitor your pet to make sure they don’t have their teeth on anything they shouldn’t and better for them if they have something that reminds them of home.

9. Always Check with the Hotel
If you’re staying in a hotel in part of or all of your trip, it’s a good idea to double check the hotel for any last minute changes to their pet policy. Sometimes hotels will go non-pet friendly or have a change in rules on how big the dog can be or even what breed, sad but true. It’s definitely worth a short phone call to find out, especially if you’ve booked way in advance!

I hope this travel checklist will prove useful to you if you’re going to be travelling with your animals this summer! As always, thank you for being a loyal customer and blog reader!