Dog Travels

   As a former military member and spouse (Totally not saying spouses are members, I was active duty and then married to a service member) , I've lived in several states, made enough PCS moves to last me a life time, and have never once dumped a dog to make life easier when travelling. I've driven cross country with dogs, (and even a Chinchilla! Holy cow!) I know it can be rough, but I'd rather deal with the hell than have the guilt of leaving my animals behind.
Our most recent trip was from El Paso, TX, to Glendale AZ, then up to Aurora, CO as our final destination. Five dogs, a toddler and a husband, hooooooooo BOY. It was a crazy trip, but we made it. So, here are some products, and tips for making travelling with dogs easy. (FYI, my longest trip with my pets was a 24 hour drive with two stops.


1) Scout your trip. Find hotels, rest stops, etc along the way that are pet friendly. Not sure how to do this? Check out www.dogfriendly.com and search for the places you'll be stopping for gas, sleep breaks, and food.

2) Check out some restraints for your dog - know where your vehicle's crumple zones are (no idea what I'm talking about? Check out Wikipedia, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crumple_zone) so you know you're not putting your pets in the vehicle's crumple zone!). My favorites are::
Easy Rider Harnesses:
http://www.ryanspet.com/coastal-easy-rider-car-harness-large-pz-C6003.html
These attach to your standard seatbelt and keep your dogs in place, activate the child lock and VOILA! Your pet stays put.
Barriers, my favorite pet supply place sells several different models, I <3 this one because its universal and fits perfectly in my Uplander (Also known as the Crazy Dog Lady Van)
http://www.ryanspet.com/universal-fit-wire-mesh-vehicle-barrier-pz-M13.html

3) Keep them calm. There are a few great products for this, I absolutely love Rescue Remedy, its relatively fast, smells good, and is all natural.
http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Rescue-Remedy-Spray-20/dp/B000YIG5ES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378163896&sr=8-1&keywords=rescue+remedy+spray
We also like Calm K9, which is basically a dog granola bar, and it rocks. It does take longer to kick in than Rescue Remedy, but works just as well: http://www.daleedgarbrand.com/products/calm-nutri-wafer

4) Take potty breaks. If you have to pee, its likely that your dog does too, but always keep them on a leash, never, ever let your pet wander leash free in a strange area, its a good way to lose them forever.

5) Keep them entertained. Stuff a Kong with peanut butter or yogurt or gravy or whatever your dog absolutely loves, freeze it, and give it to them in the car, just make sure you've got a blanket spread out to keep the mess off of your seats. ;) http://www.ryanspet.com/ultra-king-kong-extreme-6-pz-KO11142.html


Above all, remember that your dog is, indeed, a dog, and will probably act like a dog on your trip, be patient, be reassuring, and always, always, be watchful!

All My Paws,

Annie