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A Guide To Taking Your Dog On Your Next Family Vacation
When it comes to going on vacation, 40% of Americans bring their dogs along too as they’re considered an important member of the family. Of course, traveling anywhere with your dog, especially to a different country, does come with some planning and organization to ensure that your dog is healthy, happy, and safe. The whole family and your dog will benefit from routine and familiar belongings brought along to help them settle, particularly if you have a rescue or anxious dog.
Prioritize passports
When traveling abroad, one of the first things you should check is that your whole family has a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after traveling. You then need to look into what vaccinations and other travel documents you’ll need to be able to enter your destination country and stay safe. This whole process also applies to your dog, though of course with some small variations. Check your destination country’s requirements for bringing dogs with you, as well as for the method of travel. You may need to get a travel certificate for your pooch certified by the USDA and it’s essential that you visit your vet well in advance to discuss vaccines and other precautions that may need to be taken to keep your dog safe, happy, and healthy.
Your dog needs ID
Hopefully, your dog already has an identification tag that they wear on their collar whenever you’re out in public. If they don’t, then getting one before going on vacation is the time to do it. Dogs can be curious and their noses sometimes get the better of them, so in a foreign country with lots of new scents, there’s an increased chance of them getting lost. Make sure ID tags have current information on them. A microchip can also be a good idea, and in some places it’s a legal requirement. Between the two, if your dog does get lost there’s a good chance of them being traced back to you.
Keep a routine and bring familiar items
Vacations are a time for fun and relaxation, but there can also be a good deal of stress involved, especially when traveling and navigating a new environment and culture. Dogs can experience stress when traveling too, but bringing along some of their belongings from home and keeping a fairly normal routine for them to help them to settle, as well as benefitting the whole family. Things like toys, blankets, and their beds will have familiar scents on, as well as look familiar. Even if you don’t have a dog who’s usually anxious, it’s still worth bringing these along. Likewise, try to stick to feeding, walking, and letting them out to do their business at the same time you usually would so they know what to expect.
Dogs are part of the family, so bringing them along on your next family vacation is a great way for them to be a part of the fun and will also mean that you won't have to worry about missing them back home.
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