You, your family, and your pet should all have fun during the winter holidays. It’s a time to get together with friends and family you haven’t seen. You might even do something really fun, like go sledding or hiking as a family. Everyone thinks of their pets as part of the family and wants to bring them with them on their winter travels, even if it means going a long way, especially if your family lives in a different state or county.
Most long-distance holiday travel is often done by car. Most of the dogs are very excited to travel and jump with joy when it comes to car rides. However, it’s not always easy to travel with pets, especially if the family dog or cat is afraid of travel or gets sick when moving around.
People are not willing to spend their winters sitting at their homes and want to take their pets along. According to a recent study on seasonal travel, more than half of Americans (59%) are planning to take a winter trip. The United States has the highest number of travelers (93%) who reported planning more trips than last winter. While you’re busy making plans for that family vacation, here are some things to consider if you want to bring your pets.
Make Sure That Your Pet Can Travel
Before you plan a trip with your pets, check with their vet to ensure they are healthy enough to travel. You can also carry their medication along if they are not too sick. Products from PetRx are the best in such situations. You can pick treats, chewable medicines, tick collars,s and even environmental control spray from a wide range of products. It is always a safe option to keep easy-to-carry pet supplies while you travel so your pet doesn’t face any issues in remote locations.
But the first step is to ensure that they are fit enough to travel. It might be best to leave your pet at home with a pet sitter, at a boarding facility, or at a pet shelter.shelter.
Ensure Breed-Specific Care
Winter care needs to be different for each breed. For example, a Husky or a Saint Bernard might not need as much care during the winter as a Shih Tzu or a Maltese. Give your pet more food in the winter than you do in the summer. For example, outdoor-exercising dogs may need more energy in the winter than they do in the summer.
Pets need more food because being outside in the cold consumes more energy than being inside. Make sure to feed them foods that give them energy and help them grow in all ways.
Make The Ride Comfortable
Make sure to bring a blanket or pet bed that your pet is used to using at home on any road trips. It makes traveling much easier and helps them feel at home in a strange place.
Giving them their favorite toys or snacks is often a good idea on longer trips where they might get bored or nervous.
Bring Things To Keep Your Dog Warm
It’s important to bring warm-weather gear for your dog so that it can travel in comfort. Have extra dog sweaters, boots, and blankets on hand for your pet. If you’re going to be somewhere where it might rain or snow, you might want to bring a water-resistant jacket for your pet.
Some hotels or resorts might not have enough dog equipment, so don’t forget to bring things your pet needs.
Take Care Of The Paws
The dry, cold air, snow, and rain of winter can cause paws to get chapped and skin to get itchy. Keep your nails short and your toenails neatly trimmed. There are also a variety of dog boots that can protect the paws. If you don’t have booties for your dog, make sure to check its paws often when you’re out and about. When you get home, let your dog’s paws warm up in the house or hotel. You could even get a dog paw salve to treat cracks or dry skin.
Your Dog Needs To Be Well Trained
Make sure your dog knows how to do simple things like sit, stay, and come when you call. Before you go on a winter trip with your dog, you should train them well. But even if your dog is good, you should always keep it on a leash. Because they are in new places and want to find out more, they might not listen to commands.
Train your pet to stay in the crate during the trip. Having their own space gives them a sense of security and helps them feel less anxious. Animals can also get car sick, so it is wise to keep wetting pads and extra paper towels to clean up as little as possible.
Keep Your Pets’ Water Bowls When You Travel
Traveling with a water bowl or bottle for your pet is a good idea since they can also get thirsty. Put it in your pet’s crate, so they always have access to water. Before going on a trip, you can freeze the water in the bowl to make it less likely to spill.
If spills bother you, you could stop often to make sure they are getting enough water breaks. Another good idea is to give them moist food, which will help them stay hydrated.
Natural Support
If you know your pet gets car sick or has travel anxiety, or if you’re not sure how he or she will do on a longer trip, giving them travel Anxiety medicine before you leave is a good idea. According to research, pet medicine sales have increased by 13% since the pandemic, which signifies that people have started taking better care of their dogs. Pet owners are now more considerate of their pet’s mental and physical well-being with the help of meds.
These meds can also be used “as needed” for short or long trips and are safe for any pet, no matter how healthy they are or what other medicines they may be on. So, you can give the drops to your pets with confidence and help them feel better if they are afraid of traveling or get sick when moving.
In the last two years, dog separation anxiety has jumped over 700%. You sure do not want your best friend to feel anxious or suffer any trauma. That is why it is always a better option to travel with your pet when you can. If you and your pet follow these tips, your trip will be less stressful, and you’ll be able to enjoy the wonderful winter holiday season.