One of our favorite Doods and his FURmomĀ have agreed to be our guest blogger this week! We are beyond excited to feature her tips on road trips with your pup. HenryĀ and Karley are featured this week with their must-haves and go-to's for road trip season! Now on to the juicy details...
Summer is coming, and what does that mean? Road trip season! If you are like me, bringing your pets on road trips with you is an absolute must! Although the thought of traveling with your pup may sound like the best thing ever, it can also be a bit overwhelming! That is why we are here to provide you some tips and tricks for an enjoyable road trip for you and your dog!
1. Plan your trip in advance! If youāre taking a longer trip, youāll want to plan your route carefully. We recommend mapping out your route and looking for major cities to stop in for play and potty breaks and/or overnight lodging. Once you have an idea of what cities you will be driving through, we like to do a google maps search of dog parks nearby. There is a shocking amount of dog parks right off major highways that offer your pet space to run and stretch their paws. Along major highways, several gas stations/rest areas also may have dog friendly areas to let your dog potty and play a little bit. LovesĀ gas stations are just one example of one that is super pet friendly! For lodging, we recommend planning in advance and searching for dog friendly hotels.
2. Take short practice drives ahead of time! If you know that your dog is particularly anxious during car rides, we recommend taking some shorter drives leading up to your trips to get them more comfortable. We have found it is helpful to practice on short drives that end in positive experiences for your dog. Rides to the dog park, a favorite pet store, or to any fun destination for example, will help form more positive associations with driving. Not every car ride should end at the vet!Ā For anxious pups, bringing a favorite toy or chew in the car with them can be helpful as well. We recommend bringing Farm to Pet Chips along as a must.
3. Invest in a car seat or area for your dog in the car! We highly recommend purchasing a dog car seat that can secure your pup in and make them more comfortable. There are many options available such as a booster type car seat, bench cover, or crate. We personally like using a booster car seat which straps in and using a doggy seat belt for extra safety. HereĀ is one of our favorites on Amazon. Have this area set up on your shorter rides too! Getting your dog more and more comfortable in their spot will make your road trip more enjoyable.
4. Pack your dog a road bag! Whenever we take a road trip, I always like to pack snacks for myself and taking my dog, I do the same for him! We recommend packing a bag of your dog's stuff and keeping it handy to reach into when you stop for breaks. Some must haves for us are food and water bowls, a long line to let your pup run a little bit if you canāt find a secure area, a new and delicious chew, a favorite toy, food, water, poop bags, and of course Farm to Pet treats! It can also be helpful to bring balls or tug toys to wear your pup out on breaks. If going on a longer drive, we also like bringing a small dog bed or blanket for your pup to lay on. Additionally, we recommend bringing pet wipes just in case it's raining, or paws get dirty along the way!
5. Wear your pup out! So youāve practiced with your pup, youāve packed their bag, and you are ready to hit the road! We highly recommend letting your pup run, play, and go potty before hitting the road. We always do a long game of fetch before we head out so our pup is exhausted when we leave. He always falls asleep right away and is ready for a potty break in a few hours.
6. Enjoy your trip! Sometimes we want to just get to our destination as quick as we can but if you have the time, we recommend enjoying the ride! We have found so many fun dog friendly stops on our road trips and built so many memories with our dog at them. Take breaks when you and your dog need them and enjoy the memories! We normally stop every 3-4 hours on our road trips, depending on the circumstances.
Ā
Now that you are all ready to take your first road trip, where are you off to? Let us know in the comments your dream road trip with your dog!
Treat you Doggie Doods next week!