Travel Fit and take your dog
If I could, I would take my dog, Tess, everywhere with me. She’s a great companion, even though she sleeps most of the time … which makes her an even better companion. She doesn’t argue, complain of boredom, or insist on finding a restroom in the middle of nowhere. She loves walking on land and walking in water and doesn’t mind getting dirty — in fact, she relishes it. She travels light and doesn’t need to take 10 pairs of “fashionable” shoes on vacation. But she’s a dog and comes with canine baggage.
She likes to chase rabbits, cats, and squirrels and to my dismay even caught and ate a bird once. She snacks from the catbox and drags litter all over the house. She lounges on the furniture and leaves pieces of herself everywhere she goes. She also manages to ooze herself onto every available inch of bed, which leaves my spouse and me clinging to the edges without covers and trying to move a very solid dog toward the center. For an animal with motors skills, she isn’t very mobile when it comes to bed space. She has substandard table manners, and although she won’t take food from plates unless offered, she salivates at the mention of a dog cookie. She’s a typical dog. Therefore, there are few considerations that need to be met before traveling with her or any dog.
Dogs are not allowed in restaurants or grocery stores unless they are a service dog
This should go without saying, but I’ve witnessed some blatant disregard of this rule. Buying a service dog vest online and pretending is only going to make matters worse for those who legitimately follow the rules. I’ve seen a woman feeding a small dog in her purse in a restaurant, dogs fighting and barking at Home Depot, and a “service dog” peeing on the floor in Wal-Mart. The pet parent rushed the dog out of the store without even bothering to mention the incident to employees, or trying to clean up.
Service and therapy dogs are well trained and will not exhibit any of these behaviors in public. Some restaurants will allow well behaved dogs on outside patios, but do a little research ahead of time to determine which ones they are.
Always have cleanup bags with you, and be willing to clean up after your dog
It’s surprising how many pet owners blatantly disregard this common courtesy. It should go without saying that each of us should be willing to clean up after our pets and children.
Never leave your pet in a hot car
If it’s even just warm outside, and especially if it’s sunny, a car can heat up very quickly, and your pet can die a miserable death. Park in the shade, roll down windows enough for circulation, leave water, and open sunroofs or back windows in a truck or leave the car running with the air conditioning on if you will only be a few minutes. It’s much better to leave your pet home with a sitter if you have plans that your pet can’t participate in. If you stop at a business that allows pets, take it inside with you. If you want to stop and eat, stop at a grocery store, take turns going into the store to buy food, and find a pet-friendly park and nosh there. I would much rather dine with my dog than most people, even though her manners aren’t that great.
Find a pet-friendly hotel
Yep. They do exist and they are becoming more common. Just look online for “pet friendly hotels” in the area you are visiting. You will probably get one of the most worn rooms and may have to pay an extra deposit, but from my perspective, it’s worth it to be able to bring your best friend along. Don’t ever leave your dog alone in the room. We had a rescue dog who had been abandoned. When we left her alone in the hotel room just long enough to retrieve our bags from the car — about 5 minutes — she freaked out. It’s much easier to plan activities around your dog than to deal with a psychotic episode.
If you need to rent a car or get a ride, mention that you have a dog with you
Some car rental companies will allow you to bring your dog as long as you leave the car clean and free of dog hair. Enterprise is one. Again, it’s a small price to pay for the privilege of taking your friend. An Uber or Lyft driver might be allergic to your dog or be afraid of or dislike animals. I would not want to be in the car with someone driving who might puff up like a blowfish, cause an accident, or try to harm me or my dog because he is afraid of a passenger, whether canine or human.
Always keep your dog on a leash when exploring new areas on walking them in unfamiliar territory, and always make sure your dog has ID
Nothing will ruin your vacation more than losing your dog while on vacation. It’s a good idea to find a vest with pockets and let your dog carry some of his own stuff — such as clean-up bags, collapsible water bowls, treats, ID, an extra leash, and a first-aid kit. It’s much easier to take clean-up bags and snacks if you don’t have to carry them yourself.
Respect hotel rules in regarding your dog, and be willing to pay a pet deposit
Most pet-friendly hotels have a pet policy, which includes such bold rhetoric as “dogs are not allowed in hotel lobbies or pool areas.” So unless you have a legitimate service dog, adhere to the rules.
Learn to assess your dog’s moods and signals
One of my friends has a former service dog named Larry. Larry knows the rules and is very reluctant to venture outside of his comfort zone, even though he is no longer considered a service dog. He is very patient and thoroughly considers every situation. He decides if it’s a risk he’s willing to take. Larry has to be apprised of all plans involving him. When he is done visiting other life forms, he will sit patiently by the door until his humans are ready to leave. Larry has figured it out. We humans should be as insightful as Larry. Just saying.
