Travelling with dogs
Share your next adventure with man’s best friend – travelling with your dog!
Your dog is more than your best friend, he is your companion for life. True dog lovers include their canines in their lifestyles, and for dog-loving travelers, that means making arrangements for your pooch to travel with you on your adventures!
It’s More Fun to Travel with Your 4-Legged Companion
Adventures are more fun when they are shared, and when you consider traveling with your dog, the adventure takes on more fun and more possibility. Whether you want to hike, explore, take long road trips, or visit friends and family, traveling with your pawed partner presents great opportunities for both of you.
You have a constant companion and one that won’t dominate the conversation, complain about your choice of music, or demand input on the destination. Your dog will be happy to be with you no matter where you go or what you do. Chances are, the only demands the dog will have are to sleep, eat, grab a few pats on the head, and take a bathroom break-no restroom required.
But Taking a Vacation Without Your Dog Can Be a Hassle
When you have a dog and want to travel without it, you have to make arrangements for your canine companion. That can add up to costly pet sitter fees and the intrusion of having someone enter or stay in your house.
Boarding your dog for extended, overnight stays can also lead to an enormous expense and add stress to your canine partner. Take into account the confines of boarding hours and the hassle of having to drop off and pick up your dog and you are faced with an entire situation of stressors that can keep you from enjoying the most out of your vacation.
So if travelling with your dog sounds like a great idea here are some tips for a great vacation with your dog
If traveling with your dog is enticing, keep a few things in mind to make this a vacation of a lifetime!
Make sure dogs are allowed where you are traveling and that you have a collar, leash, and a name tag with your contact information on it in case your dog gets lost. A better idea is to microchip your pet; this is affordable, easy, pain-free, and can be done at your vet or pet clinic. It also ensures that your pet will be able to get back to you in the event it is lost and the collar falls off.
Make sure your dog is up-to-date on all shots. This is especially crucial if you are traveling in unknown destinations that can expose your dogs to fleas or ticks.
Update your safety kit with items that you may also need for your dog such as tweezers, gauze, anti-bacterial wash, or cleaning wipes. It’s always better to be prepared in the event your dog gets a minor injury.
Bring enough food for your dog for the entire time you are away and keep it consistent with the same brand you are feeding at home to avoid an upset stomach. Throw in a few tasty treats! We all like to go a little off our diets when vacationing!
Have a fresh water available at all times and bring a portable bowl. Dogs get thirsty, too on walks or hikes and portable bowls make it easy for you to carry and provide drinking water to your pooch.
Don’t underestimate the time your dog needs to acclimate to a new place. This means making sure it isn’t without you for a long time in case it gets stressed. Bringing a portable, foldable crate for your dog to sleep in allows the dog to feel safe and secure and gives you the peace of mind to enjoy time away from your four-legged friend.
If you are visiting new friends and family, allow the dog to approach on its own terms and time. No one likes to be inundated with hugs and attention when meeting anyone for the first time.
Bring a favorite blanket, toy or stuffed animal that your dog can play with or snuggle with to make it feel right at home.
Most of all, enjoy the journey. That will make the destination all the more worthwhile.
Take the Hassle out of Traveling With Your Dog with a GTRV Camper Van
When you want to include your furred or haired friend on your vacations and eliminate the hassles and expenses of finding someone competent to care for your dog, consider a vacation in your GTRV Camper Van.
GTRV has been manufacturing Class B camper vans since 1994. We start with a full-size, mid-size or mini-size van, then ‘camperize’ it to create the highest quality Class B RV conversion built to your specifications (we can even make it dog friendly). So, whether you are traveling across town or across the country, you’ll enjoy traveling in comfort behind the wheel of a GTRV. With a GTRV camper van ‘Wherever you go, you’re always home!’ Contact us for more information.