As promised in our last blog post, we are going to share some of our go-to travel websites and resource pages + tips.
Traveling with a pet is so much fun...but the planning can be a little stressful. There’s so many things to consider, from finding a pet frown place to stay, to figuring out pet regulations of each state or country.
So let’s dive straight into it.
Planning your Vacation
First things first.
I always start out by looking up the pet Travel regulations for my destination. Depending on where you want to visit, the rules can vary greatly - but the basic is usually up-to-date rabies vaccinations. Some countries can be more strict, like the UK.
You can usually find the information you need by doing a quick Google search such as “flying with dogs to Canada” or something similar. Most countries have a government website with all the information you need.
However, I have found it very helpful to use pettravel.com. It has an updated list of travel requirements for most countries, making it much easier to plan your vacation quickly.
Accommodation
Choosing your accommodation is a very personal choice. We usually like to stay at private rental properties for the most part when we travel because we like to cook our own and Lovebug’s food.
However, on shorter city trips we usually book a pet friendly hotel room because it makes it so easy (not to mention the added benefit of room service).
Top Travel Tips
Check for creepy crawlers
One of the things we found out the hard way was that each place you travel to have their own type of bugs. Some of the potential ticks, sand flies and other creepy crawlies you can encounter on a trip may be much worse than what you’re usual Tick protection covers.
The first time I brought my dog to France I was in for a bit of a shock. I didn’t know that they have some very aggressive ticks, sand flies and other bugs so I had only used the normal tick protection and I assumed I had it covered - not so. A few days into the trip and my dog got bitten by a large tick that crawled into its ear. Needles to say my dog was scared and screaming in pain and I definitely learned my lesson.
Always, always, always Google potential bugs wherever you travel and make sure your dog is adequately protected (This is true for travel between the US states as well as international travel)
Find Local Vets
This is another lesson learned from my trip to France. It’s so much better to pre-check vets in the areas you will be visiting...it’s so stressful being in another country and not knowing where a vet is if you need one or if the vet can be trusted.
For me, it’s extremely important that I know a vet is trustworthy, capable and gentle. I need to know my dog will get the best care whatever the circumstances.
Before any trip, I Google vets in the area and read through their reviews. I always print a copy of the best 5-10 vets and bring it with me as well as save the info on my phone. It gives a super worrier like me peace of mind wherever I travel.
Booking accommodation
Whether you choose to book a hotel room or an AirBnB there’s a few steps I always like to take.
I always book through larger websites like airbnb.com or hotels.com because they offer protection for you as a traveler and make traveling much easier.
Rental Properties
If I plan on booking a rental property I always write the owner before booking to make sure I am allowed to bring my dog. It’s always best to check, even if the website states it’s a dog friendly rental. Getting confirmation protects you during your stay as well as making sure you don‘t end up losing a deposit because the property owner has breed restrictions or other issues.
Hotel Rooms
Just as with rental properties, I always write the hotel to get written confirmation that I am allowed to bring my dog. I always print the confirmation and bring with me just in case (I’ve never had a problem but I always like to be on the safe side).
Airline regulations
Each Airline has their own set of rules and regulations for bringing a pet on board. The dimensions on the dog carrier has to be taken into consideration as well as any other requirements. Most airline approved carriers will work for a majority of Airline companies (you can check my other blog post to see my favorite carriers and other travel items). It's always necessary to check the rules though and book your pet on the flight as soon as possible after you make your own reservations - generally, airlines only allow a limited number of pets onboard each aircraft and you want to secure a spot quickly.
You can check the specific rules and regulations for bringing your dog onboard a plane as carry on at the individual Airlines website. You can also check pettravel.com and find a reference to most major Airlines pet policy.
Food
Another important tip for traveling with your pet is about food. Depending on where you're going, you may not be allowed to bring specific types of dog food, natural treats and so forth with you. Some countries have very specific regulations regarding food; If you're traveling from Europe to the USA you're generally not allowed to bring any type of food or treats with you and the same can be said for traveling to certain European countries.
That's why it's always best to check ahead and plan accordingly. I like to Google all nearby pet supplies wherever I go so I'm always sure Lovebug gets everything she needs.
That concludes my favorite travel websites for planning a trip with your furry best friend and my top tips. This may sound like a lot of research but actually it's easy once you know the right places to find the information you need.
When I first started planning trips I would write long checklists, print them and check everything off as I got it done. Now, it's second nature and I can research and plan a trip pretty quickly. It's all about practice.
Just start planning your next trip with your best friend and have fun with it.
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