A road trip with your dog can be a delightful excursion or a disaster, depending on your safety preparation and destination.
Instead of having a friend or neighbor watch your pet, or turning to a fancy dog hotel to care for your fur-covered friend, find a place where your pup is welcome! We’ve got plenty of tips on where you can enjoy a bounty of vacations with your pup.
While a trip to Vegas or Miami may not be the right venue for your canine, there are many cities around the country where you can have a ball with your furry buddy without bending the rules or compromising your fun.
Imagine your happy dog, ears blowing in the wind, people-watching with you, and spending quality time with their very best friend anywhere–that’s you! If you’re taking a long trip and want to stop overnight, you can make an outdoorsy time of it by finding campgrounds that welcome dogs on bringfido.com’s list . And if you prefer to connect with the earth without actually rolling in it, check out this list of glamping (glamorous camping) sites that allow dogs on glampinghub.com .
There are also some big cities that make it easy to vacation with your dog. Orlando, known for theme parks and gators, is surprisingly dog-friendly. Disney World in Orlando will actually pet-sit your dog while you ride the teacups, according to animalplanet.com . The site also suggests San Diego as a pet haven where dogs can stay with their owners in the rooms at Ocean Villa Inn and enjoy dog ice cream and birthday cake at Otay Ranch Town Shopping Center’s dog bakery, Paw Pleasers.
Whether you plan to rough it in the woods or lounge at a hotel, you need to have a safe journey to your destination.
First, you should make sure you’re the safest driver possible by taking a simple class , especially if you’re going to be driving on unfamiliar new roads.
Next, learn about ASPCA’s tips on car safety at least a week before your trip so that you can prepare with supplies. Simple things like making sure there will be vet offices near your destination and along your route is key.
To make sure your dog is safe during transit, ASPCA suggests using a dog seat belt for your dog, and always buckling your dog in the back seat. This is because your dog could be severely injured if the airbags in the front deploy during an accident. Particularly if your dog is small, it might be a great idea to get a crate to prevent them from flying around the car in case of an accident or if you have to brake suddenly. Remember that your dog is depending on you, so drive safely and get the proper behind-the-wheel training to ensure your safety and the safety of your little co-pilot.