Tips for Travelling with Your Dog

If you are planning on taking your dog with you when you go on holiday this year, you will need to make sure that you are fully prepared.  Packing and organising luggage, tickets, bookings and so on for you and your human family can be trying enough; add to that the need to ensure that your dog is healthy and vaccinated and that they have everything they need for the journey and holiday and you’ll have a long ‘to do’ list!

So get organised nice and early and plan for all eventualities and you’ll be fine.  There are many dog friendly cottages and pet friendly cottages in the UK that offer accommodation that will welcome your pet(s) and that option reduces the amount of planning you’ll need to do, compared to planning a holiday abroad with your pet. 

Here is a list of things to help you to prepare for your holiday with your dog, wherever you are headed:

•  Take your dog to the vet to make sure all its vaccinations and treatments for worms and fleas are up to date.   If you are travelling abroad, you will need to get all your paperwork sorted out for your pet passport (see next point below), so ask your vet how early you need to visit before your holiday starts.  Whether you’re travelling abroad or not, you’ll need to visit your vet a few days before you leave, for the most up-to-date treatment for worms and fleas.  Most places – even dog friendly cottages in the UK – will ask for proof of this (if they don’t, you should be worried about what your dog might pick up whilst they’re there).
•  If you are travelling abroad, your pet must be micro-chipped and vaccinated at least 21 days before travel.  If you are going somewhere where there is a high incidence of rabies, you will also need to have a Blood Titer test done soon after vaccination – ask your vet for details.
  
• If your dog tends to get travel sick, ask your vet for help in managing that before you travel.  If your dog gets really distressed by travelling then think hard about whether to take it at all – if you really must (say, if your dog would be more distressed by being cared for in a kennel) then ask your vet for advice on how to keep your dog calm.  Medication might be necessary.
  
• Find out before you travel about where the local vet is, and take a note of their address and telephone number.  
  
• Make sure you have appropriate restraints for travelling with your pet, either to keep them safe in your car or for transporting them on public transport (e.g. a pet carrier with proper ventilation and waterproof base).
  
• If transporting your pet in a carrier, write your name and address and phone number on the case.
• Remember to take:
  

- all your documents from your vet proving your pet’s health;
- Sheets and towels for lining the places where your dog might sleep, to keep shedding to a minimum;
- Your pet’s own bedding, for comfort and familiarity;
- Food and fresh water for the journey and for your stay. Dog friendly cottages often stock dog food but don’t assume that it will. A change to your dog’s normal diet might make it unwell anyway so take your own food.
- Food and water dishes;
- Dog toys and chews;
- Grooming tools;
- Bags to pick up your dog’s waste;
- Disinfectant and cleaning supplies;
- Any prescribed medication for your dog. 

Once you’ve got organised, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your holiday as a family.

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