What dog owner hasn’t once considered including their dog(s) in their vacation plans? It may seem especially appealing when the trip
involves traveling by car. Some of you might even do it regularly & have some tips for the rest of us. There is no doubt that, from time to time, traveling with your dog can be a fun way to go. There is also little doubt that it can go the wrong way. I’m even going to bet that as each one of you read the first few sentences of this article, your imagination or your memory quickly created a little movie depicting that very scenario. Your canine road film might have played out as a love story, a romantic comedy, a drama, a thriller or a horror movie. I definitely know how I saw my own just now.
Hear this…
If you’re ever going to travel with your dog (even if it’s just to the Vet) it is important for both safety and sanity to know what you’re doing and to be well prepared before you & your canine pal(s) hit the road. Not only must you get prepared, you must make sure your pup has been properly prepped. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your dog can handle it or that he’s obedient enough. You could wind up being very sorry.
Stay!
No one (dog owner & non-owner alike) would ever dispute the fact that basic obedience training is invaluable & makes life with a dog (your own or someone else’s) an absolute slice of heaven. The reality is that it becomes absolutely essential when taking your pet to unfamiliar territory. The ability for your dog(s) to obey the, oh so basic, "wait" or "stay" command is vital when traveling. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it can be a matter of life or death. For safety's sake, your dog must learn to wait for your permission before jumping out of the car. I know, I know. You’re wondering how to convince your dog to wait for your permission to do anything. You might even be hearing that little voice in your head begin to whine things like: “How will I ever learn how to “train” my dog in time for the trip we have planned at the end of the month?” “I’ll have to hire a professional trainer.” “I don’t know any professional trainers”. “I can’t afford a professional trainer.” “I don’t have time.” Blah, blah, blah…
Quit whining! According to Los Angeles dog trainer (my Siberian Husky’s first), Shelby Marlo, you can do it yourself. Here are her training instructions (*with added tips from yours truly):
To teach your dog a “wait” command, begin by having the dog sit (*the “sit” command would obviously be a pre-requisite.) in the back seat of the car (*you might consider doing this in a closed garage at first). Put a leash on the dog holding it firmly to prevent him from jumping out of the car. Then, standing directly in front of the dog, with a confident voice, say "Stay" or "Wait" while simultaneously putting your hand in front of his face like a stop sign, with your palm flat and forward. For every few moments that the dog properly sits and stays, you should give the dog a (*little) treat and praise him by saying "Good stay." or "Good wait." Release the dog by saying "Okay" or "Go" and moving your hand away. Do not give him a treat on the release. If at any time during the exercise, your dog breaks from the "stay" without permission, lure him back into the sitting position and repeat the process. You should require the dog to successfully perform this exercise several times during each session and practice it daily to make sure he doesn’t “forget”. It would also be helpful to gradually increase the amount of time the dog is to “wait” or “stay” until he’ll do it for several minutes with a “loose leash”. You can then move on to practicing it with the car outside the garage and finally without holding on to the leash at all.
Hopefully, you are able to follow through with all of these things and are successful. If not, I would suggest you go with one of the following options. You can confine the dog in a crate while in the car (size permitting) or you should probably change your plans and leave the dog at home. Trust me, your dog will experience very little stress during the trip if he knows exactly what is expected of him and that you are completely in control of the situation. Not to mention that he will be much safer if he doesn’t run away. You, of course, will also experience less stress. Wasn’t that the whole reason for the vacation in the first place?
Road Rules
Here are a few tips that will make your road trip with you dog a good one:
- Avoid feeding your dog for few hours prior to the start of any car trip.
- If your dog is not used to car rides, take the dog for frequent, short trips. Go to pleasant places, such as the park or dog run so your dog has a positive association with the car.
- Consider restraining the dog in the back by using in a crate or car harness. These items are available in most of the larger pet stores. It may not look cool, but they are essential in case of accident and they give the dog a sense of security. Crating or harnessing is also a good solution for rambunctious car traveler. It is kind and gentle method of obedience training.
- Do not keep an unrestrained dog behind a gate in the cargo space of your car, van, SUV or truck. Ever. Why? It’s dangerous!
- Remember to use praise and treats as rewards along the way.
Go!
Teaching your dog to “eliminate” when your want/need him to is a great help. It can help facilitate a dog's willingness to go in an unfamiliar area and expedite the process when you don’t have much time or the weather is bad. To teach your dog "potty on command," take him to a suitable area and wait until he begins to “go” (either #1 or #2, in case you were wondering). As he begins, start to chant "Good potty" or something like it. Don’t say “Good dog”, “Good boy/girl” or “Good whatever-your-dog’s-name-is”. You no doubt say those things often and when teaching a specific task, a task-specific word must be used. Otherwise it is confusing & meaningless to the dog. I use the word "potty" as a generic term for both functions. It isn’t necessary to have a different word for each function. It is crucial that you say the word during the act, however. It also doesn’t hurt to make sure you sound really happy about it as well.
During car trips, stops should be made every two to three hours, depending on the age of the dog & length of the trip. Cats that are taken on extended car trips should be in a crate large enough to accommodate a small litter box.
Safe & Sound
Crates are essential equipment when you hit the road, and, contrary to what a lot of people think, dogs ultimately very happy being in them. Humans tend to think in human terms – generally not useful when predicting what an animal thinks. A person might say something like, "I’d hate being caged up like that, and I know my dog would hate it too." Nothing could be further from the truth. Since “crate training” is an entire article all by itself, I can’t go into it here. I will suggest that you look into it and trust me that dogs will actually choose their crate over other places in the house when they’re properly trained. It’s also very easy to do.
Keep in mind that if your dog is still in a destructive chewing and/or housebreaking stage, the crate will save everyone from disasters such as messed carpets or chewed bedposts (while traveling or at home). Besides, even a well-adjusted, well-trained dog may become troublesome when left alone in a new place. In a hotel, using a crate will not only cut down on expensive and embarrassing messes, it will also keep the hotel staff safe and your pet from escaping when the room is cleaned.
Wild Blue Yonder
If you’re traveling by plane & your vacation will be a short one, it may be better to leave your dog or cat at home with a good friend, trusted pet-sitter or kennel. Longer trips may make it more worthwhile.
For those who do fly with critters in tow, please check out the rules & regulation well in advance with the individual airline. There are many airlines and the rules may vary greatly. In general, however, you should take note the following safety tips and requirements:
All animals must be issued a health certificate within ten days of any flight. Dogs must have a current rabies certificate.
If possible, keep your pet in the cabin with you. Size or airline regulations may prohibit that option. Be aware that animals that travel in the baggage compartment are most at risk. Precautionary measures start with getting a very secure crate. The top of the line for safety is a non-collapsible aluminum crate. The crate must be large enough for the dog to stand up, lay down and turn around comfortably. Just be sure it isn’t too large because that puts your pet in danger of being tossed to and fro during periods of air turbulence.
Make sure you have several pieces of identification on the dog: a buckle collar and two ID tags with your permanent address, home phone number & cell phone number. Yes, I said cell phone number. Also include any addresses and phone numbers at which you may be reached while you are traveling. The identical information should also be placed on the crate.
Make sure you bring a leash so you can walk your dog prior to checking in and after your arrival. Keep this leash with you, not in the carrier.
Tranquilizing dogs or cats is generally not advised because drugs can impair respiratory function. This is especially a risk for short-nosed breeds of dogs, such as boxers and pugs, since they are most likely to experience breathing problems during transport.
Whenever possible, use direct flights to avoid accidental transfers or delays. Always travel on the same flight as your pet.
Another good idea is to make friends with your flight attendants. You can probably get them to double check that your pet has been safely loaded onto the plane.
In the summer months, it is imperative that you fly in the early morning or late evening to avoid temperature extremes that may affect your pet. In winter months, your pet will be very vulnerable to the cold. Most airlines are aware of these issues and have strict rules in place, but, as always, you are responsible for taking the initiative; making sure that the friendly skies are friendly for all passengers, two- and four- legged alike.
Finally, you would be wise to carry a current photograph of your pet. If your pet is lost, an up-to-date photo will make the search go much more smoothly.
