Who’s up for a summer road trip with Fido?
More and more Americans are making their travel plans with their beloved canines. Big or small. Young or old. It’s imperative that you plan your trips properly. Other than food and water accessibility, one of the main supplies you should travel with is a well-stocked First-Aid Kit. Here are some great tips on prepping for your canine adventure from our friends at Happy Tails Tours.
Know Your Dog’s Health Status
First, make sure your dog is in good health, especially for air travel or any extended journeys. If your dog is on any kind of medication, make sure to bring enough. If you are going on an extended journey, talk to your vet before departure to find out if you can get prescriptions that you can fill along the way with other vets. Most veterinarians are super accommodating and will fill a prescription from another vet…just call and ask.
Don’t claim “the dog ate it”. Do your own research and be thorough.
Have Good Paperwork on Vaccinations
It cannot be overstated. Make sure your beloved canine’s vaccinations and immunizations are up to date. Make sure flea and tick and heart-worm treatments are current. Carry copies of the paperwork with you in some form. You can scan or take a photo on your mobile device and store in a cloud so they’re always accessible for any emergency…including if you need to kennel your dog, fly with your dog or if you have an actual veterinary emergency. Get any necessary paperwork for flying or international border crossings in advance and check the rules thoroughly.
Be prepared with a Dog Aid Kit.
Stocking the First-Aid Kit
You can use a first-aid kit that works for both humans and dogs, but there are a few things that are specific for dogs. For example, you can’t give a dog standard, over-the-counter pain medicine such as Advil or Aleve. They can be deadly. So make sure you have the painkillers specific to your canine. To facilitate giving meds, it’s a good idea to carry an adjustable muzzle and enough ace bandage to physically, but gently restrain your dogs legs or any part of its body if necessary.
A Way to Calm Fido
It’s also good to carry something to calm your canine, such as Bach’s Rescue Remedy or a dog specific herbal or flower oil for calming. There is a version of Bach’s without alcohol that you can spray in their mouth or use the regular version on their ears and the pads of their feet. Another great calming tool is a compression shirt. One version that is commonly known is called a Thunder Shirt. It doesn’t work the same for all dogs and for some it doesn’t work at all, but when it works it’s amazing. A simpler solution with regards to storage space is to do a Tellington Touch body wrap using an ace bandage.
One thing is for sure. Traveling with your dog is not just a passing fad. It’s a great way to approach your Summer and Fall Road Trips. Start planning now as Summer is coming…or better yet, jump in for a weekend trip during Spring Break. Starting with a short trip with Fido may help you overcome any fear or anxiety about longer journeys.
The team at Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training is always here to help. And, we’re super excited to partner up with the husband and wife duo who own and operate Happy Tails Canine Adventures. They have great adventure trips planned with other like-minded, canine-adoring folks. Check them out and let us know what you think.
Happy Trails…
