During long road trips, your pet will need a few things to keep them occupied. Animals need to be distracted so that they aren’t distracting you. Here are some tips we picked up while traveling with our pets. The first tip is to learn where your pet most prefers to be on long drives and work around him. According to the survey by Kurgo, these are the preferences that most canines have:
No matter where you place your pet, ensure they are secure, safe and comfortable. These are a few of the considerations you need to make:
- Containers for Water: We prefer the collapsible, easy to store Sturdi-Box containers for our vehicle. They don’t tip over, are very sturdy, easily washed and can be purchased in many sizes. (Hint: The larger sizes can also be used as a litterbox if you’re traveling with a cat.)
- Comfort: Cheiss prefers the Kurgo Wanderbed while traveling. It’s very thick and comfortable, easily cleaned, and the bottom of the bed is lined with rubber to keep the bed in place while driving. Within minutes, Cheiss is down for a nap or watching a movie with the kids. The Wanderbed is particularly nice as it can be rolled up to conserve space.
- Toys: Cheiss loves his Kong Ball and we have to take that everywhere we go. We also like to keep a few chew toys around for him (his favorites include the Agi-lite tug toy and a “no stuffing” squeaky toy).
- Food & Treats: If you’re planning on a picnic or BBQ once you reach your destination, be sure your food is locked (yes, locked) in a cooler. We can’t tell you how many steaks we’ve lost on the way to our destination! The same goes for pet food. We place it in a zip lock bag and generally put into the locked cooler until we reach our destination to avoid tempting our pets. For treats, we prefer the all-natural salmon or beef liver licks from Stella & Chewy’s. Whatever your pet’s favorite, be sure to keep them properly sealed or you could be faced with a very unpleasant situation upon your arrival.
The goal is to keep your pet’s attention focused on something other than mayhem and destruction. While many of our pets are fantastic travelers, it’s a trait that needs to be learned. Take your time, be patient with your pet, and make sure everyone is safe during the training process. Before long, your pet will become a happy traveler – one that is well-adjusted, a pleasure to take on trips, and the envy of many other animal lovers!
[Part One: To Grandmother’s House We Go] [Part Two: Restraining Pets for Travel] [Part Three: Creature Comforts] [Part Four: Polite Guests, Not Pests ] [Part Five: Checklist for Pet Travel Success]