Travelling with children and dogs can be a stressful experience. There may be extra costs, the time spent travelling will increase and difficulties can arise when deciding how to manage both children and dogs. Here are some tips on travelling with your baby and your pet that will help make the travel easier and less stressful!
Consider What Dog You Have
Before you start planning your family vacation, it is a good idea to keep in mind what type of dog you have. If you have a large breed dog or your pet doesn’t get along well with other animals – consider arranging for someone to look after your dog or hire a pet-sitter. If you have a Sheepadodle, consider looking at a Shepadoddle Guide for travelling to see what issues might arise with that specific breed. Different dog breeds will act differently on trips, and it’s also important to consider how they act generally around kids and how you trained them.
Packing Items
Pack a variety of travel items to keep your dog happy and healthy. You can pack a few water dishes, leashes, food bowls, towels, and some chew toys for your dog. If you have a different type of bowl for home and while travelling – consider packing some additional ones just in case one gets lost or is dirty after being used. Make sure you have a towel for each dog so they can wipe their paws after coming out of the crate or potty area. Depending on your form of transportation – be it a car, train, boat, etc., you can pack a water bottle and food dishes to make feeding time easier. Make sure that for your baby you have a car seat and that at least one adult is between the car seat and the dog, especially when turning the car because the dog can bump into the baby.
Keep Your Dog’s Nails Trimmed
One of the things you will want to consider is keeping your dogs’ nails trimmed as long nails can be problematic, especially if your dog is a puppy. Long nails could get stuck in airline or car carpeting and cause injury, not just to your pet but also to you or other passengers, and what is most important, your dog might harm your baby with long nails unintentionally. If they are not cut at an appropriate length, they can also cause discomfort and deformation of the paw. Also, keep your pet clean so they don’t touch the baby dirty and spread some diseases that can be harmful.
Confirm with Airline Staff About Pets
One of the most important things to do is confirm with airline staff about pets travelling. Most airlines allow cats and small dogs but not large dogs or other animals. Check their website for such rules and regulations such as weight and breed limitations, and also if your pet is allowed to travel in the cabin with you or must travel in cargo. You can call ahead to find out more about their policies on pets so that you are not surprised when it comes time for travelling.
Make Arrangements and A Schedule
You don’t want to travel alone with your dog and baby. Always travel with someone so you can take turns taking care of both of them. Additionally, you want to ask hotel and accommodation staff in advance if they allow pets and figure out what their pet policies are. Ask in advance in case your dog barks in the room or makes noise while you are out at dinner! You want to make sure that both the needs of your baby and the dog’s needs are met, as well as your own. When travelling, you should never leave your baby or your dog alone for long periods. Make sure you have a schedule for feeding and walking them so that both of their needs are met and they aren’t alone for too long! When it comes to your baby, always stick to their regular schedule. However, when it comes to your dog, don’t feed it right before a flight or ride even if it’s in their schedule because you want to prevent accidents.
Children and dogs can be a lot to handle while travelling. Be prepared for each trip with items such as leashes, bowls, towels, toys, dog treats/food, water dishes, etc., so everything you need is together in one place. Also, make sure to hire someone to watch your pet at home if you’re gone for an extended period. And if you’re travelling with a baby and a dog, make sure to check in advance that the hotel or accommodation allows dogs and what their pet policies are. Also, never leave your dog or baby alone for long periods while travelling!
