More and more people are deciding to take their pets on holiday with them. It saves having to find someone to look after your pet or having to pay for the kennels to look after your dog. It also means that you can have fun with your pet in a different place or country.
According Four Legged Travels, the majority of people travel with their pets annually (42%), others travel with their pets every few years (37%), whilst some claim to travel with their pet monthly (15%).
If you are thinking of going on holiday soon and want to take your dog with you, then check out these 5 tips on taking your dog on holiday with you.
Travelling tips when going on holiday with your dog
Dogs are great travel companions. Whether you are going on holiday by yourself and want some company, or whether you are taking the whole family with you and your dog counts as part of the family, there are many instances and reasons why taking your dog on holiday with you is a great idea.
One study found that one in five Aussie parents miss their pets more than their children when they go on holiday. So if you are crazy about your dog and are going on holiday soon, here is everything you need to know.
1.Dog-friendly holiday home
The very first thing you need to do before booking your holiday is ensuring your holiday accommodation is dog-friendly.
There are a lot of dog friendly places you can stay all over the world, but make sure you check before you go ahead and book somewhere. Otherwise you might have to leave your dog behind.
2.Plan the journey
Consider your dog during the planning of your journey. If it is going to be a long journey make sure you take plenty of water to keep him/her hydrated. You also need to plan appropriate stops where your dog can stretch his/her legs and get some fresh air.
Where possible, choose transport that is more dog-friendly for example try to not fly as dogs tend to get anxious when flying.
3.Take their favourite things
Your dog might feel home-sick whilst you are away on holiday, so it is important to take their favourite things and make your accommodation homely for them.
You could do this by taking their favourite food, toys, and blanket. Dogs are very similar to humans, taking their favourite things will help to comfort them. You might also want to consider taking a dog bowl as the wrong bowl can harm your dog.
4. Make dog-friendly holiday plans
There are certain things that you can’t do with dogs, or certain activities that your dogs won’t enjoy doing as much. You also shouldn’t leave your dog alone in your holiday accommodation as they might get scared and start destroying the place.
Don’t assume your dog will be happy just lying on the beach all day, as they will get bored. Active holidays are great for taking dogs on as they can do lots of exercise. For example, you could plan to do lots of walking or swimming as your dog will enjoy doing these activities.
5.Have the contact details of a local vet
In case of an emergency, it is always important to have the contact details of a local vet handy. So before you go on holiday, make sure you find out who the local vets are and which one is best for you and your dog.
You also need to make sure your dog has insurance, so that if anything does go wrong you won’t have to pay a hefty sum to get your travelling companion the medical care they need.
