Pointers For Traveling With A Dog
Alternate corny post title: Taking The Ooch Out Of Traveling With Your Pooch
Many curious readers ask us how we manage to bring Burger along on nearly every on-the-go adventure (from our Alaskan Honeymoon to our recent Dallas road trip) so we are here to share some pointers and tricks that works for us. When it comes to hotels, we whipped up this swift little video to explain how we find pet friendly ones… and how we make sure that Burger’s comfortable and mannerly when we leave him in the room to attend events like weddings that do not include a puppy plus one. Check it out below or see it here on YouTube.
As for getting a pooch to relax and sleep while road tripping in a car (waking only for drive-thru french fries), our biggest pointer would be to evaluate your pet’s personality and truly consider whether they would appreciate being on the road with you for that length of time. Some dogs get carsick or even suffer severe anxiety from being on the move for that long, while others (like Burger) looooove it to pieces. Part of the reason that he enjoys it so much is because ever since Burger was a baby we have been taking him on drives- first short ones to get him acclimated and then longer ones as he became more adjusted. Happily, we have trained him to be an remarkable little car traveler so the good news is that with time you can hopefully do the same with your pup.
When it comes to flying with your fur baby, there is a lot to consider. First of all, be sure to call the specific airline you will be using and talk to them about their pet policies, which vary from company to company. You will want the airline to officially recognize that you will be bringing a pet aboard since there are a limited number of pets that can be on a flight (typically one or two per plane) and you will want first dibs. Do not forget to ask about their requirements while you’ve got them on the horn (you will likely need to get a health certificate from your vet to ensure that your dog is well sufficient to travel and you will need to know what size/type of travel container they allow on their flights).
You will also likely have to pay a fee that typically ranges from $50 – $100. Oh and there is a weight limit for dogs that can travel in the cabin like Burger (we have heard that the cut off is typically 20 lbs) so bigger breeds have to travel underneath the cabin near the luggage. This is a bit more risky since it may not be a temperature controlled environment down there (especially when the plane is not in motion), so be sure to research whether it is safe to fly into Texas in the summer with your pooch (many airlines simply will not allow it if it is a especially hot or cold destination, but it is good to check that they are considering your pet’s safety before blindly booking the trip).
As for pets who are small sufficient to travel in the cabin like our fur baby, they must be contained and stored either under the seat in front of you or on your lap in an airline approved carrying case (we enjoy a soft padded bag with breathable mesh on both ends which has consistently been airline approved). How does Burger react to takeoff, a few hours of flying, and landing? He sleeps the whole time- so much so that people do not believe there is in fact a dog inside our little canvas bag. It is miraculous.
Oh and taking dogs out of the country (other than driving over the border to Canada) can get a lot more complicated (frequently requiring that your dog be left in “quarantine” for several days) so we are way too nervous to attempt that. Which is why we are glad to stick to trips in the good ol’ USA & CA for now- which have not let us down yet. Hope it helps! And glad pooch travels…
