Honestly, when is summer not on our minds? As we reach the midpoint of spring, those warm sunny days of summer are incredibly close. What plans have you made for the good ole American Road Trip? It’s a thought that always crosses our minds… But this year, make it a Dog Road Trip year. Yep, bring our furry family members along and make it a summer of memories for our pets too.
Dog Road Trip Planning Guide
We love spontaneity as much as the next animal lover or dog, but when it comes to some (most) of our National Parks, reserving a campsite during peak times will be a challenge without planning ahead. If camping or visiting a National Park is the main destination or theme, you should check out one of our favorite website resources. Pet Friendly Travel has an in depth look at all of the National Parks and National Forests and what is needed for our dogs to join us as we admire their beauty.
Planning ahead cannot be emphasized enough. One of us here at Advantek recently secured a campsite at Yosemite for Labor Day Weekend. They go on sale five months ahead of time and usually sell out within hours. The more popular destinations, if included on your list, usually book fast and need to be planned out well in advance to secure your time there.
National Parks aren’t on your list of destinations for a Summer Dog Road Trip? No problem. What excites you about the open road? Seeing the largest ball of twine (Kansas) in America? Or a fantastic Route 66 museum (Afton, OK)? How about driving into the never ending blue sky horizon? Or seeing mile and mile of farmland after mile? There’s something out there for all of us.
Sorry, rabbits, but it is not the best idea to take you on a road trip.
Basics First for the Dog Road Trip
- Is your dog road trip ready?
- Does your furry family member suffer from motion sickness? While some dog trips will be on straight roads, some camping adventures very well may be windy.
- Is the documentation in place? License and collar are up to date? Immunization records are taken with?
- Did you use a dog travel packing list? We like to think we remember everything, and maybe we do, but to make it easier here’s a solid list.
- Toys
- Leash
- Blanket or sleeping cushion
- Treats
- Water and Food
- Non spill dishes for food and water
- Pest control (ticks & fleas e.g.)
- Brush
- Poop Bags
- Remember that being able to secure your dog down within the car is a big safety necessity too. The need to stop short or swerve will ideally never come about, but if it is necessary, severe injury can be avoided with the use or a crate or doggy seat belt.
Mother Nature Network has a great snippet on a newer idea, but one that shouldn’t be all too surprising.
They say, “While we’re talking about apps, you probably want to download a few more that will make road-tripping easier. Dog Park Finder Plus is a great app for locating a dog park or a dog-friendly park no matter where you are, and BringFido helps you locate these as well as dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, stores and even events. Basically, if there’s a place that’s dog-friendly nearby, you’ll probably be able to find it with this app. It’s a perfect app when you’re on the road.”
Almost every rest stop along the major highways has a pet friendly area for them to run around and do their business. If you choose to avoid the main roads, please ensure your dogs are getting exercise throughout the day wherever and whenever stops happen.
Go Pet Friendly has a great article about road tripping with our dogs. One of their highlights is, “Keeping A Schedule: Maintaining your pet’s feeding and exercise schedule as much as possible during your trip will reduce any anxiety they may feel about being away from home, so allow for stops along the way to let your pet stretch, run, or burn off some energy – isn’t this what being on vacation is all about, after all?”
One other item to consider is the Advantek Pet Barrier.
The Pet Barrier is a secure way of keep your pet safe during many of your travels.
Go on now! Get planning! There’s so much to see out there and the road is one of the greatest ways to go exploring. Bringing our dogs along to ensure our entire family is along for the ride makes the experience whole.
Let us know where you’re going!
And have fun!
