Tips For Traveling With Your Hunting Dog
October 30th, 2010 by KittyKitty
Does your dog get excited when you say the word, “ride”? Traveling with your dog can be lots of fun if he enjoys it. All those new smells, sights, and sounds are very exciting for a dog. But it can also be challenging, especially if your pet does not like it. For some dogs, those same smells, sights and sounds can be scary and overwhelming. If your properly prepared, though, your dog can learn to at least tolerate travel.
Short car rides can be much easier to deal with than long trips. Acclamate your dog by regularly taking him to a nearby dog park, a pet store, or any place where pets are welcome. Make doggy playdates with friends that have dogs. Having a destination that your dog can look forward to will make it much easier on your dog. Remember to always keep water on hand. You can find collapsible travel bowls at most pet supply stores.
Proper car safety for dogs is very important. Just as you would use your seatbelt, or make sure that your small children are properly restrained in a car seat, your dog should be restrained too. Seatbelt halters are a great idea, especially if there is a car accident as they minimize injury. They also keep him from jumping around the car and distracting the driver. Though most dogs love to stick their heads out of the car window in order to smell the outside world, it’s really not a safe thing to let your dog do. Rocks or debris from the highway can be kicked up by cars in front of you and pose a danger to his head and eyes. If the window is open too much and your dog is not restrained, your dog could easily fall out as your making a sharp turn. Finally, never leave your dog alone in a hot car for any amount of time. Dogs can easily suffer heat stroke or death.
One thing to remember, even though you might be able to go several hours driving, it’s not a good idea to keep your dog cooped all that time. Make sure he will be comfortable during a car trip. Stop often, let him run, let him go to the bathroom and of course make sure he has plenty of clean, cold water as often as he needs it. If your dog has a favorite toy, blanket or bowl, don’t forget to have it on hand. This can help keep him calm while traveling. Make sure that you have plenty of food on hand as your dog will be hungry even though he is riding in the car.
Plan ahead for long trips. Make sure your dog has been seen by a veterinarian before you go. Have copies of his up-to-date vaccinations and check-up with you. If you know he’s healthy before you leave, the chances that he’ll get sick on the trip will be slimmer. And, interrupting your trip in order to find a veterinarian in a strange city is no fun. Always keep identification and rabies tags on your dog on a strong collar. If for any reason you get separated, these are essential for people to contact you. A micro chip implant is also a great idea.
Before you plan your airline trip, make sure you check with the carrier to see how they handle pet travel. First you will have to verify whether they require a special carrier and you will need to determine if they have any special requirements regarding sedation. Remember, most airlines do not allow your pets to travel as a ‘passenger’ but instead as ‘cargo’. Verify any weather related rules as well as most airlines require that the temperature be below 80 degrees during the entire flight.
It is not difficult to have fun traveling for vacation with your dog. For you this means a little pre-planning to find a pet friendly hotel, park and other recreation areas that will allow your dog on the grounds. You should also look into pet sitters and other facilities in the event you need to leave your dog for any period of time. Your dog is part of your family – have fun making him part of your family vacation.
Owning a hunting dog is a huge responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Making sure you are properly prepared for travel is very important, but so is the training equipment that you have. There are certain things you should consider buying when you have a hunting dog, some of the possibilities are dog tracker units, Innotek IUT-302, or Innotek ADV-1000P.
- No Comments »
- Posted in Dogs



