Traveling with your dog? These tips can make it easier
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Traveling with your dog? It can be fun, of course, and who doesn’t love a good doggie nose print on the car window?
It can also be dangerous, though -- a recent American Automobile Assn. survey reported that unrestrained pets cause more than 30,000 vehicle accidents every year. Our colleague Rosemary McClure at the Daily Travel & Deal Blog recently attended a pet travel seminar at Recreation Dog Park in Long Beach and offers these tips from dog trainer Sierra Smith:
Her top recommendation: Crate your dog while it’s in the car. Other tips include never letting pets ride in the front seat, confining them to the back hatch area (if it’s roomy enough), using harness restraints that clip to the back seat belt or a back seat zip line (optional equipment in some vehicles [including the new Venza]). Also always make sure your dog’s ID is up to date and lists your phone number and bring along a copy of your dog’s vet records when you travel. If you use a correction collar on your dog, never leave it on while in the car. And remember to give your dog breaks every two or three hours while traveling and never leave your pet in the car on a hot day.
Once you get to your destination, you’ll need a place to stay and things to do, and several websites offer listings of pet-friendly accommodations and attractions. A few are BringFido, PetTravel and DogFriendly. Happy trails!
-- Lindsay Barnett