Traveling with your Beloved Furry Friends…

Written by Julia Marques (Travel Consultant)

Ask anyone that knows me what my biggest obsession is and they will tell you that it is my dog. He is, not for lack of a better term, our baby. And no, before you even ask, we do not have any children of the human kind. Which for right now is fine by us, considering that our biggest expense for our baby will hopefully be the vet bill he incurred when he ate a piece of plastic toy and we had to have it surgically removed. Harvard is not in his future.

In light of what we consider a completely normal attachment to our furry son, we were faced with a whole litany of new challenges. Neither of us had ever had a dog before, so we were clueless about how it really does change your life. Going "out" became a whole new ballgame- and forget considering a vacation-what would we do with our puppy? You can take a baby almost anywhere with you. But what about the pooch? Not everyone loves dogs as much as we do and not everyone welcomes them with open arms.

We decided early on that he would go everywhere he could with us. So began the research. Our first opportunity to travel with our dog actually happened to be a wedding-at the beach. The couple getting married considers their dogs as much a part of the family as we did, so they made it easy and held the reception at a bed and breakfast that had a dog-run on site. GREAT! He was definitely coming. But now-where do we stay? The bed and breakfast was full with the wedding party. I called the different hotels on the list and wah-lah, one allowed pets. How easy, right? Not so much….

Staying on land…

First, finding a pet-friendly hotel might not be that easy. Here is a website that can help you find what you are looking for (http://www.officialpethotels.com). And here are a few things to consider when you are going to be staying at a pet-friendly hotel. There are going to be other dogs there. Not all other dogs have been properly vaccinated or are up-to-date on flea and tick prevention, heartworm medication, etc. It is very important that before you travel anywhere with your pooch that you have them properly vaccinated and do not forget to include a Bordetella vaccine to the list. Bordetella, otherwise known as kennel cough, is contagious and can take a very long time to get rid of. There are lots of different types of Bordetella, but the most severe cases can be prevented by the vaccine. Also, make sure that your dog has had their most recent application of flea/tick prevention and heartworm medication.

One of the most important things to think about is to MAKE SURE your dog's license is up-to-date, rabies vaccine tag, and a tag with their name and your mobile number on it. You might even want to think about getting one of those chips put in your dog, so if they did get lost and are found by the police or a shelter they can scan the chip and get your dog back to you! (http://www.homeagainid.com) It is also wise to take a current photo of Fido with you in case he/she does get lost, you would have something to show people in your search.

I would also do a little research about the area you will be staying in. Find a local vet, or clinic, and an emergency care facility that is open 24 hours-just in case.

For those dogs that have to travel with a front row seat, you might want to consider a harness that attaches to the seatbelt in the car. You can talk to your vet about it if you aren't sure what kind, if any, would be appropriate for your size dog. And for those dogs that can't resist the cool breeze in their face and bugs on their tongues, you might want to consider keeping their head indoors for a long ride on highways and freeways. Sudden impacts can be very harmful, not to mention how dangerous getting sideswiped can be to an animal with their head out the window.

Here is a tip that I found out about the hard way. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, consider bottling water from home. If you use tap water in their bowl or water from a cooler, take some with you to give to them. Changing the water source suddenly, combined with a change in atmosphere, can make for a "runny" situation, if you catch my drift!

Here are a few other things to think about:

• Make sure you have enough food, you never know what can happen to delay your trip, and you wouldn't want to run out of grub!
• Pack all current medications or medications they might need (our dog has allergies so we have to take "doggie Benadryl" wherever we go)
• Make sure you pack an extra toy in case you lose one or it gets destroyed.
• An extra leash and collar can come in handy-you never know!
• Take a can of Lysol disinfectant spray. Let's be honest, there have been other dogs in the room before yours and they may not all be as well groomed!

The mile high club-for dogs…

I will never have the pleasure of taking a flight with my dog. Unfortunately for Bulldogs, just like Pugs and other short nosed breeds, flying is not recommended. This is a great site that includes airline regulations and tips from rescuers who fly dogs all the time. (http://www.bcrescue.org/flying.html) You can also visit http://doglaw.hugpug.com/index.html which has not only good tips for traveling with your dog but other valuable dog information. The AKC is also an extremely valuable resource for all things dog, www.akc.org. If you are considering flying with your dog, make sure that you do your research and are aware of all the airlines regulations and policies. Also, whenever possible, consider taking a direct flight. It might cost you a little more but will cause fewer traumas to your dog, and present less opportunity for something to go wrong with the transport of your pet.

Hitting the high seas…

While most bus companies and Amtrak do not allow dogs, with the exception of service dogs, you can take pampering your pooch one step further and take a luxury cruise on Cunard line, "Queen Mary 2's kennel program is available on all crossings between New York and Southampton in either direction, and is overseen by a full-time Kennel Master who takes care of responsibilities such as feeding, walking and cleaning the ship's 12 spacious kennels. Travelling dogs and cats also receive a complimentary gift pack and other animal amenities. The kennels and adjacent indoor and outdoor walking areas are open throughout the day, enabling passengers to spend significant time with their pet. Reservations for the kennels may be made at time of booking, and are based on space availability. Contact Cunard for fees and additional requirements. For more info go to www.cunard.com.

So the moral of the story is if you can take them with you-great-just follow the Boy Scout motto and always be prepared! If you can't take them with you, make sure you choose the best accommodations for your dog's health and for your mental well-being!

Happy traveling!

What happens when you can't take your furry friends along…?

I know there are times when you just are not able to take your 'baby' with you. And in those cases we have been very lucky that we have found willing participants in the pampering of our pooch. His grandparents love him like, well, grandparents! So they have taken him for a long weekend here and there. But we have been itching to go on a real vacation for more than 3 days, which we haven't done in years. We began a search for a kennel. We checked a few different ones out and I just couldn't imagine my spoiled, needy, shadow of a dog staying in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. None the less, the time came to test one out. We picked one on a recommendation from an acquaintance and we went away for one night- just to see how he would do. When we went to pick him up, he ran so fast to the door he left a trail of smoke behind him. Unfortunately, that was not the only way his high stress level came across. The first time he went to the bathroom, there was a large puddle of blood and his fur fell out for days. So that was his first AND last time at a kennel. Back to square one.

We researched all kinds of options: hiring a pet/house sitter (ok, but you really have to find a person you trust), cage free boarding (great- if you have a dog that is not crate trained), hiring a dog walker (also great if your dog is not crate trained and doesn't require constant attention), etc. Just when I was at the end of my rope, thinking our romantic vacation to a paradise island had no possibility of coming to fruition for 10-12 years…we hit pay-dirt! Out for a stroll at our local outdoor mall, my pooch and I met Lacey. Lacey is also a typical high maintenance bulldog. Lacey's dad told me about this new daycare that she goes to, appropriately named "A Furry Tail Come True". I felt like I was dreaming as he told me about this place where your dog can go and play all day with other dogs and the people and then go in their crate at night-the perfect combination for a crate trained dog. I hate to admit it but it sounded almost better than being at home. And as it turns out, there are days that my dog feels that way and he doesn't want to leave!

Life changed when we took him for his test session and he passed with flying colors! Woo-hoo! We must have done something right! He started going one day a week to get used to the other dogs and the people. Then came the first weekend stay, drum roll please…..he loved it! He got to play all day, eat his food at the normal times he eats, get attention from the people, and sleep in a crate at night-on his blanket with one of his toys! When he came home, he kept all his fur intact and his poop was normal as poop can be!

I am so relieved to have found this place that I can actually start planning my dream vacation knowing that while I am away, I won't have to worry about my baby. I am sure I will miss him like crazy but I know he will be in good hands! I will end my shameless plug for this dream come true boarding facility by giving you the web address so if you do live in this area you can consider it for your baby(ies)! (www.afurrytailcometrue.com).

Whichever option sounds like it might work for you, you can find all kinds of places on ol' faithful www.google.com. I would highly recommend that you ask for references from the clients of the facility or care taker that you choose. If you can talk to other people that have been having their dogs cared for by those places or people, you will get a better idea of what to expect and what goes on when you are not around.