Traveling With Dogs

Traveling with dogs

1. As dogs often get very thirsty when you travel with them in cars, it is a good idea to always maintain a collapsible dog bowl and a plastic bottle or jug of water in your car.  Keep in mind the water contained in bottles or plastic jugs can get either cold or hot based on the temperatures outside the car.  So always keep it in mind when temperatures go below freezing that the water in that container might freeze as well.  Or if the temperatures get really hot, the water in that container can become very warm and not as pleasant for your dog to drink.   Change out the water once a month to make sure your dogs always getting fairly fresh water.
   
   
2. If you live near fun places for dogs to roam, for instance the beach or a mountain stream or dog park or natural place that doesn't really drain very well, then you've probably run into dogs with muddy feet when they come out from playing or come in from that walk that you're taking them on. To accommodate for the mess that the dogs might create we suggest having some old towels in your car and perhaps a soft bristle, handheld brush so that you can sweep off the sand or wipe off mud and clean up their belly from the mud splashes and sticky sand that they generate when they're running through puddles or on the beach. This is an easy way to help keep your car clean and to keep the dogs from bringing the mud and sand into your home.
   
   
3. When traveling with your dogs, always be aware of local ordinances at beaches or in parks for controlling your dogs by requiring them to be either on a leash or allowing off leash dogs. Most beaches allow dogs to be off leash but within voice control all times during the offseason months between Labor Day and Memorial Day holidays. Of course, always be mindful of other guests in those areas and always assume that other people will be uncomfortable with seeing your dog approach them while off a leash, even if allowed at that time and location. Courtesy to the public folks sharing the area with your dog is always a good idea.