5 Travel Tips for Bringing Your Dog on Your Summer Adventures
For many of us there is nothing better than having our dogs by our side during our summer fun. For many others that sounds dreamy in theory but our dogs may not be able to handle the stimulation, stresses and newness that come with travel. I want to recognize these folks and their pups first. For many with a reactive or highly fearful dog, travel may be totally out of the question. My hope is that these tips are helpful to a range of dogs and situations while honoring the folks for whom a vacation with their dog (or even finding someone to look after their dog while they are away) is nigh impossible. You are seen and I welcome questions from you too.
Travel with any dog has its elements that are joyful and those that are stressful too. While having our buddies at our sides can be wonderful, there limitations in modes of travel and places to stay, eat and recreate can be limiting. I want to also remind you: its ok to leave your dog at home. This can often be the best and least stressful option for all parties. But should you choose to bring your furry friends the following points can help smooth your journeys.
Quiet Down Time is Essential
New experiences, smells and interactions are highly stimulating and enriching for our dogs, which also means very tiring. Layer on some heat and you have one pooped pooch. Provide time in the day for your dog to truly nap in a place where they feel safe and not where they might get bumped or nudged or feel they need to hop up because you are walking away. Sometimes this looks like leaving them out of an activity and behind in your room, a crate, tent or the car (only if it is not hot at all!) so they can turn off and just snooze. This may also look like having a team naptime together if separation is an issue. (A great excuse to take an hour to yourself too!)
Management is Your Friend
Expect less of your dog on vacation. Even behaviors that are well rehearsed and strong at home can be challenging when you add new distractions in new locations or are a little hot and tired. Their recall may be less strong the first time they are at the beach or they smell a new scent. They might be grumpier around other dogs when they are a little uncomfortable in a new setting. Anticipate these things and use tools such as tethers in the yard to keep them near or baby gates in the house to separate dogs that are not pals. These tools can make your vacation more mellow by allowing you to decrease your vigilance a little and to prevent your dog from making mistakes. You didn’t go on vacation for a dog training opportunity, it is totally appropriate to use management to support your dog for now.
Longlines are Your Friend
If I brought one dog accessory during travel it would be a longline. They are a great training and management aid to give your dog more freedom to explore while staying in control in places where you might not totally trust their recall or other factors. They also work well dragged (in places where this isn’t endangering others) in locations where you want to let your dog run around but also want to be able to catch them easily. They function great as tethers that also give the dog some space to move while keeping them near so you don’t have to watch them quite so closely while you relax. They can also be a good tool to use while introducing two dogs for the first time so that you have some control if needed but can let them meet on a totally looks leash reduce tension.
A Bed Is a Great Tool
A bed, blanket, even towel that when placed on the ground indicates to the dog “this is your place to chill” can be a great way to give your dog something to do in a room where they are unsure of their spot and a good thread of familiarity from location to location. Asking a dog to go lay down in their bed can also be a great alternate behavior to begging at the table, rushing people at the door, barking at things, when kids are around and more. A stash of food-stuffable chew toys or raw bones can be super activities to give your dog while they chill in this spot and you can also reinforce them staying there just with their own meals If I brought one food dispensing toy with me that it would be the quizl made by West Paw. A wide variety of food, treats or spreadable things can easily go in it.
New Dog Companions- Coexistence is Fine
Navigating the politics of dog meeting can sometimes be one of the trickiest parts of a visit with friends or family especially when one dog doesn’t love other dogs or has resource guarding tendencies. Remember again that management is always a great option. It’s ok to avoid introducing them all together or limit interactions to certain contexts by taking turns with who is in a space, dividing rooms with ex-pens or baby gates and making sure feedings occur separately. When introducing two new dogs try to do it in neutral territory off leash or on a long line and remember that it doesn’t have to happen immediately. Sometimes it can take a few tries and many times it is better after some managed coexistence at a distance. For example go on a tandem walk together and start to build good associations with the other dog by rewarding even a look towards them. As their relationship evolves remember that dogs argue just like humans and squabbles are ok. It is injuries that are not. Keep high value chews and toys out of the picture when they are in the same space and use them as entertainment and management when you may need to put them in their own zone for a rest.
I wish you a summer of low stress dog time wherever you choose to wander together, whether for a day or a few weeks. Enjoy your time with your dog pals and please reach out with any questions!
