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Generally, dogs travel well. They are
adventurous and like to see new places and
meet new people. Even so, traveling out of
town with a dog can be troublesome, so you’ll
want to have a system in place for yours when
you are away from home.
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If you choose to travel without your dog, you may
want to engage the services of a full-time pet sitter.
This may be a friend or a family member who knows
and likes your pet, or a professional pet sitter who
will stay in your home while you’re gone. Your vet
can probably recommend a few good people.
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Should you decide to leave your dog in a kennel,
get recommendations from dog-owning friends or
the breeder, and visit the place before you leave.
Make sure the animals look happy and that their
spaces are clean and comfortable. Talk to the
people working in the kennel, and make sure they
truly care about the pets they look after. Ask if
they’ll allow you to bring your dog’s own bed, toys
and food.
Good kennels are often booked up months or
even years in advance of major holidays, so plan
as far ahead as you can. And make sure your
dog has all his vaccinations and immunizations,
especially for kennel cough. Kennels will not
accept a dog unless these are up to date.
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If you decide to bring your dog on your trip with
you, consult with your vet about the best method
of transportation, and get a health certificate.
If you choose to fly call the airlines in advance
for their rules on pet travel. If you do not have a
sturdy carrier, such as a dog crate, the airline will
probably require you to purchase one of its
carriers. These are very sturdy, fairly expensive,
and, of course, totally strange to your dog. Some
airlines allow you to take your pet with you in the
passenger compartment; others consign all
animals to the luggage compartment.
If you travel by car, keep the air conditioning
on during warm or hot weather. Don’t let your dog
stick his head out the window (he might get
something in his eyes).
Never park in the sun if you leave your dog in
the car. Just five minutes of direct sunlight on a
warm day can raise the temperature inside the car
to more than 100 degrees. Your dog could suffer
permanent brain damage or even die from heat
stroke. Park only in parking structures or in shaded
areas with at least two windows rolled down
about an inch or two for cross ventilation. If you
return to your car and notice symptoms like rapid
panting, a fast pulse, excessive slobbering, red
eyes and gums, feverish temperature, or vomiting,
place cool towels on your dog. If he doesn’t recover
quickly, take him to a veterinarian immediately.
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Traveling to foreign countries with any pet can be
a difficult experience. Check with the local office of
the U. S. Department of Agriculture for specific
rules. Your vet, auto
club, or the local
consulate of your
foreign destination
can also be helpful.
 Always have a
valid rabies vaccination
certificate with
you because you
won’t be allowed to
bring your dog back into the U.S. without it. In
addition, you will need an official health certificate
to bring a dog into foreign nations; sometimes
these certificates must be in the other
country’s native language and notarized at the
local consulate.
Different countries have different rules and
regulations for pets brought in on vacation.
Contact your airline for more details.
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