Ho ho ho! The biggest holidays are coming and of course, as responsible paw-rents, we can’t leave our dogs unattended during Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Here’s a quick guide when preparing your Dog for the Holidays in AU. 

Bringing your dog on a vacation? 

We love our dogs and sometimes we just can’t help but to bring them along with us. How can we not? In this life, we just want to spend every moment with the ones that we love. However, even if we do treat them as our own babies, still remember that they are different from us. There are things that are not recommended for dogs, or at least we should be cautious about. To help you out on this, these are some things to keep in mind when taking your dog on a vacation with you.

Is the trip dog friendly?

Before anything else, make sure that the trip that you plan to take your dog on is dog friendly. This refers to everything from transit, to accommodation including the activities that are involved in that vacation. It may sound exciting and really fun but think about how your dog is going to go through all this with you.  Let’s start with the transit. If you are traveling by car, it is important that you know if your dog gets car sick, how often he/she needs to go to the potty or if it has any other effects on your dog. You won’t be able to enjoy a trip yourself if you have to throw up every 10 minutes, right? The same goes for Chappy over there. 

 Now, if you’re commuting, ask yourself: is my dog okay to travel with strangers on a bus, train, or whatever public transport? If not, then this may not be the best idea. Other than the fact that this can stress out your dog, you want to minimize the chances of anyone getting bitten or at least snarled at. If you plan to go by plane, that’s fine too. A lot of dogs fly with their owners. 

However, remember that there are specific dog breeds that have trouble breathing. Dog breeds like pugs, bulldogs and other flat-faced dogs aren’t recommended for flight travel. Other than the transit, one other thing that you should worry about is answering the question: “is your hotel dog-friendly?’.

This doesn’t just apply to hotels. You can check out dog-friendly or pet-friendly Airbnb to help you out. Lastly, consider the activities that you intend to do during this holiday trip or holiday vacation. If you what you have in mind is to go on an outdoor trekking experience or maybe go island hopping, bringing your dog may not be the best idea. At the same time, it’s also not the kindest thing to do if you just leave your precious dog back and the hotel while you go out the whole day. This may just stress your dog because of the fact that he/she is in a foreign or unfamiliar space and you are not there.

Is your dog fit to travel? 

As what was mentioned above, not every dog is fit for travel. This may be because of certain temporary illnesses, or conditions or this may be something that comes with their dog breed. Here is a list of some of the dogs that are discouraged from boarding a plane: -Affenpinscher -Pit Bulls -Boston Terrier -Boxer -Bulldog -King Charles Spaniel -Chow Chow -English Toy Spaniel/Prince Charles Spaniel -Japanese Chin/Japanese Spaniel -Lhasa Apso -Mastiffs -Pekingese -Pug -Shar-Pei Shih Tzu Don’t see this as a way to discriminate them but rather to protect them from any life threatening situations while in flight.

Bring all the right stuff for your dogs Like how you pack your things for a getaway or holiday trip, also don’t forget the things your dog needs when traveling. Certain dogs are bred for the cold but some aren’t. In the same way that some dogs love the heat while some have trouble trying to breathe during the hot weather. Bring some blankets, or if you wanna be extra, get some winter gear for your dogs, or bring fans and always pack a cold bottle of water for your dog. Speaking of water, make sure that you pack an anti-bacterial dog bowl so you avoid any tummy issues during the trip. 

If you are traveling by car, you may want to consider bringing your dog's own dog bed to make sure he/she is comfortable too-like you! Other things would be enough dog food, of course. Don’t forget a leash and harness, and maybe add a spare set in case the other one gets destroyed or lost. One other essential thing would be any medication that your dog is taking. You don’t want your dog getting sick or feeling unwell. That would just ruin the trip for both of you.

Final Thoughts

There are a bunch more things that you consider when traveling with your dog other than just bringing blankets, throws, dog bowls, and dog beds but these are the top 3 ones to know about.
Need help gathering some of the dog travel essentials? Check out some pet lounge stuff at ambient lounge®.