Pet Friendly Hotels Aren't Enough For Travel

If you're planning to take your dog with you on vacation, you're likely looking for pet-friendly accommodations, but it's likely that should not be the end of your travel plans for your dog. Use the suggestions below to make sure your dog is cared for while it's on vacation with you.

Don't plan on having your dog on your lap when you drive because it's dangerous. Instead, make sure that you have a space for your dog where it can be on a seat in the car during your travel to your vacation spot.

Your dog's "luggage" is going to be part of what you need to make room for when you travel. If traveling by car, make sure you leave room for dog beds, blankets, food dishes, leashes, toys and food or snacks you'll want to bring along.

Don't plan on leaving your dog unattended for hours at a time even if you aren't worried that your dog will chew on something and cause damage or have an accident in your pet-friendly room. Dogs that are cooped up alone in hotel rooms can also become problems if they bark too much while you're away. Make sure that your hotel desk has your cell phone number to reach you anytime you're not in your room.

Ask the pet-friendly hotel if it has lists of recommended pet sitters. While you're bringing your pet with you, it's likely your pet won't be welcome or you won't want to bring your pet on every outing you go on while on vacation. If a hotel doesn't have a list of pet sitters, consider calling larger chains such as pet stores to see whether they have affordable doggie day-care options available for you.

Make sure you get contact information from your pet sitters. If someone else is going to be watching your pet, try to get a direct line for that person.

Plan out places where you can take your pet on long hikes by making sure that trails or parks near your vacation site allow pets. You can also look at street maps and plan out morning and evening walks for your pet.

If you're going to a highly congested area you must make sure that your pet doesn't get spooked by being around additional people and that the people around you are safe from your pet.

If you must walk your dog on a crowded street, make sure that you bring a leash option with a harness or other means of keeping your dog safe and people safe in more populated areas.

Try to stick to your usual schedule of walking your pet by noting the times of day that your pet usually wants to go out and arranging your schedule while you're away so that your pet can go out when it needs to.

Pet-friendly hotels can be a great help in arranging for vacation and not having to worry about where to leave your pet, but there are other aspects of your pet's care that you'll have to consider. Use the suggestions above for arranging your vacation with your dog so that you both have a good time.