Should Your Dog Travel? Dog Travel Tips

Who wouldn't love to see a dog happily running along the beach or trotting through the trails while on holidays with his family? As great as it is to vacation with your dogs, it's not always appropriate to bring them with you.

Dogs should not travel if they:

Have health issues that requires close veterinary care, or that may prevent them (and you) from enjoying the holidays.
Find travel stressful or simply don't enjoy it.
Are incontinent or have other housetraining issues.
Are barkers. Excessive barking is one of the biggest problems in dog-friendly hotels because it disturbs other guests.
Are anxious in unfamiliar surroundings, or around people or pets they don't know.
Are too young or rambunctious and do not respond to commands to settle down.
Are aggressive to other people or pets.
Young puppies who are not up-to-date on vaccinations.

Dogs that are good candidates for travel include dogs that:

Travel well.
Are calm and relaxed in new situations, and around new people and other animals.
Are reliably housetrained (of course!).
Are generally healthy and enjoy travel.
Are well-socialized.
Are quiet, or will be quiet upon command.
Have good house manners.
Walk politely on leash or can be carried comfortably in a crate while moving through public areas.

Another thing to consider is what you want to do on your holidays. If you're going to be checking out local attractions or indulging in the local cuisine and your dog can't join you... then it may be best to leave him at home with a friend or pet-sitter he loves. But if your idea of a great vacation is to relax by a lake or explore the local trails and parks, then bringing your dog along can be great fun.

Some dogs would genuinely prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes, or at a great boarding facility. But if your dog loves road trips, is in good health, is well-socialized and has great house manners, then why not enjoy a holiday with him? Many types of hotels and vacation accommodation now say, Dogs Welcome!