Traveling with a dog can be a challenge. But with a little help, it becomes a lot of fun.
It sounds trite, but it is and remains the truth: Holidays are the best time of the year. Unfortunately, since we will probably have to cancel the really big long-distance trips this year or postpone them to next year, many holidaymakers are exploring Germany and the surrounding neighboring countries and relying on the car as a means of transport. As is well known, you don’t get from A to B as quickly as with a holiday plane – but this type of travel has one big advantage: you can take your beloved four-legged friend with you without any problems. Traveling with a dog – a dream.
Traveling with a dog: This is how it becomes a complete success
Well, mostly at least. Because here comes the but. Much like a toddler, man’s best friend needs all sorts of luggage. While the leash or the harness take up little space and – usually – not a mountain of clothing has to be packed, there are other things that you have to think about when packing your suitcase. For example, does your four-legged friend only eat a very specific food and do you get that in your holiday home? Toys, place to sleep, food bowl – what to take with you; what fits in the car?
We don’t even want to start with the question of how we can get the car clean and free of dog hair afterwards. (Yes, we have to, but not until later!) So that nothing stands in the way of our and your enjoyment of traveling with a dog, we took a look around and considered: What does the dog need at the holiday destination? How does it survive the journey safely and as stress-free as possible? Are there cool toys that don’t sink in the sea if possible? And yes, we’ve also taken care of cleaning the car for you – so you don’t have to.
What to take? What do you need to travel with a dog?
Depending on the time of year or the region you want to travel to with your animal family member, the demands on your luggage will of course vary. Logical! If you go hiking in the mountains with your dog in autumn, you obviously don’t need sunscreen for dogs, which can be a good idea when visiting the Baltic Sea or North Sea in the summer months. Especially if you are planning or at least considering entire beach days with him. But we still haven’t arrived at our holiday destination.
The route is the goal
We will agree on one point: safety on a (car) trip always has top priority. This also applies to your dog. Apart from legal regulations, it all depends on the breed of dog and the car when it comes to the right mode of transport. You can choose from here metal mesh boxesspecific seat belts for dogs or also transport bags.
If the dog is allowed to make itself comfortable in the trunk, one is also an option divider grid so that it doesn’t jump over the backrest of the rear seats while driving or – let’s hope not – fly through the car in an accident.
Tip: If you buy a new means of transport for the journey and the animal no longer has a chance to familiarize itself with it, it is best to put its unwashed (!) comforter in it. This gives him a familiar feeling and makes the journey much more pleasant for him.
Dog hair in the car? Never!
If you want to save yourself the big cleaning action after the trip, there are special ones for you documents for the trunk, mats, baskets and blankets. These line the trunk or the dog’s seat ideally and can be cleaned much more easily after the holiday.
And if your car does have a bit of dog hair afterwards, then there are special ones, for example Mammalwho should be fine with it. Traveling with a dog should definitely not fail because of that, should it?!
A little hint: If your dog is not yet used to long car journeys, it is better to prepare the holiday longer and go on one or the other trip with a longer journey beforehand.
This way, the holiday doesn’t become a stress test
However, if your dog seems nervous while driving or if it has general problems getting used to unfamiliar surroundings, then many dog owners will use one chewing bones. Because chewing calms the animal down; it relaxes him.
Of course you can do the whole thing with one Wooden chewing bones accomplish. The advantage: the sometimes unpleasant smell of the fleshy chewing bone does not accompany you throughout the journey in the car. In the holiday home you could of course also change and treat your dog to the “real” chewing bone.
Also special drops with Bach flowers can give your dog the necessary peace and serenity for such a journey. These are simply added to the feed or drinking water.
No matter whether during a car journey, a stopover or during an excursion: With special dog drinking bottles you don’t have to worry about your companion’s liquid supply when traveling with a dog.
Arrived at the holiday destination at the latest – depending on the route, of course also during the journey or during the breaks – it’s time to grab food, stretch your legs and feel at home. This applies equally to humans and animals.
It’s nice when everything is quickly to hand and, ideally, takes up as little space as possible in your luggage. These criteria are met above all by the foldable and thus space-saving ones bowlswhich come in a double pack – once as a drinking bowl and once as a feeding bowl.
Arrived – and now?
Let’s go to the sea first. The sun bangs from above; the sand is hot. Sure, even your dog should cool off for a moment by jumping into cold water. But that won’t last long and doesn’t protect him from the sun’s rays either. It’s better if you’re prepared. What works for people can’t be wrong for dogs either: sunscreen and a shady spot. sun protection is a good idea, especially for dogs with less dense fur.
Also one headgear can be an alternative. This may not be to everyone’s taste, but it offers your (small) four-legged friend additional protection on particularly sunny vacation days.
With a foldable, lightweight pet tent or a conventional one beach shell you offer your darling a retreat when it gets too sunny for him. In addition, the sand does not heat up so much at this point – good for his paws.
We have an extra tip for the paws. Not only on the hot sandy beach, also when hiking in the mountains, on winter holidays in snow and ice – paw pads are a valuable investment and help in addition to special Anointto protect the paws.
But of course the fun should not be neglected when visiting the beach. With a floating water toys this is guaranteed without any of you having to go to the diving station.
After cooling off in the sea or a lake, we humans like to wrap ourselves in a cozy towel. Especially when the temperatures are a bit cooler or when you want to go back to your holiday home quickly. Treat your dog to the same fun with a special one dog bathrobe. Nice side effect: It just looks cute.
A few things for the first-aid kit
If you are not just planning a city trip, but want to be out and about in nature a lot, then your dog may come into less contact with other dogs – but maybe with all sorts of small livestock. We’re talking about ticks and co. Not a particularly nice holiday acquaintance for your four-legged friend. But luckily you can take him with you tick sprays protection.
Should you nevertheless discover a tick, it is advisable to have one for such cases tick tongs ready to hand in your first-aid kit.
It could also be useful to use a remedy that gives your dog a little relief if it is itchy or something, for example if it is/was infested with vermin. A skin care spray promises a remedy.
Long ways, short legs?
We have another tip for you if you have a puppy or just a very small dog with correspondingly short legs. Long hikes or hours of sightseeing on a city trip could be excessively exhausting. Especially if he’s not used to it. If you still don’t want to leave him at home or in the holiday accommodation, we offer tote bags or backpacks for dogs on.
If it gets too much for the little one or if he runs the risk of being overlooked in the hustle and bustle of the big city, you can simply strap him to your chest or back. So he also enjoys the view from above. He should like that.
Traveling with a dog – are you ready?
The most important thing for a relaxing and enjoyable trip with your dog is good preparation. Because it’s a bit like with small children: You should always be prepared for all eventualities – then nothing can faze you so easily. So think carefully beforehand what you or your dog will need on the trip, what regulations (e.g. a muzzle obligation) apply locally.
A little reminder: You should think about these things as early as possible
We have put together a few tips for you – in addition to the equipment. So nothing stands in the way of your holiday fun.
- It is better to plan your trip further in advance if you are not yet a pro at traveling with a dog. This gives you enough time to check all the important factors and to collect the most important utensils.
- A holiday with a dog is something wonderful. Also for your dog? However, under certain circumstances (illness, too much stress, etc.) it is better for the animal to stay at home. A bitter pill for loving dog owners. But please swallow it when it comes to the well-being of your loved one.
- A car trip usually makes the most sense, because here you can decide for yourself how and when to plan breaks. Active dogs in particular will thank you for the regular opportunities to exercise with satisfaction and balance. So take a look at the route early on and consider whether one or the other stopover away from the motorway service area is possible.
Happy holidays to you and your dog!