Dog Travel Tips

More pet owners each day include their pets on vacation. And why shouldn't you? They are a member of your family. Many hotels are stepping up and adding pet friendly accommodations. Pet friendly airlines are becoming common and rules and regulations for crossing borders to new countries are becoming more consistent. Dog travel is becoming a hot topic with plenty of new products entering the market place to make traveling easier. If unable to travel with your dog look into finding a pet sitter from the number one online sitter company in the US.

Flying With Your Pet

For short flights, about 6 hours or less, many airlines will allow small pets to travel in the cabin. They will need to be contained in a pet carrier and fit securely under the seat in front of you. Often pets are restricted to one per passenger and no more than a couple in the cabin during flight.

Larger pets will need to be crated and stored in the cargo hold of the plane. Not always the best place to put your dog as the loud noises, solitude, and scary environment may cause your dog high levels of stress. Of course your dog will be physically safe inside their crate. It is the possibility of emotional trauma that can overwhelm your dog. When your dog does travel on a plane, you will need to crate them inside of a IATA/APHIS regulated crate. If your dog has a history of stressing out in flight then you may need to calm them down with all natural travel medicine. This travel relax aid will help lower the anxiety of traveling for your dog.

When traveling on airlines you will have to fill out paper work on your pet. Depending on the airline and the destination, this paper work can be a long painful process and you risk missing your flight if you have not planned ahead. To skip around much of the paper work you can purchase an airline travel kit ahead of time for under $5.00 and fill it out before you arrive at the terminal.

For those travelers who do not want to subject their pets through the trauma of cargo hold travel there is other options. Pet travel companies have been springing up all over the country. These travel companies will send your pet off in a comfortable environment and meet you at your destination. Your pet will fly inside of specialty designed cabin with temperature control and personal flight attendants to monitor your pet. Pets are never left unattended and they provide the IATA/APHIS regulated pet carrier. If your plane is delayed your pet is kept safe, exercised, walked and relaxed in a waiting area for you to pick them up. No more travel stress for your dog.

Pet Airways has just opened the doors to this new emerging market. Currently they serve five US cities New York City, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles for a fee of about $150. View their website for more details.

Searching For Pet Friendly Hotels

Many major hotel chains are starting up pet friendly hotel brands or updating old brands to accommodate pets. Not all pet friendly hotels are perfect. When booking a room for you and your furry friends, always find out what their pet friendly policies are. You should always call ahead and let the hotel know you are bringing your dog, their size, age and information on vaccinations. Many hotels have procedures you will have to follow when you are staying at the hotel. There are sites on the web that will aid you in your pet friendly hotel search and do the work for you. They will find out information on the policies and procedure so that you can be prepared.

Search for pet friendly hotels with up to date verified pet policies at OfficialPetHotels.com. Similar to regular hotel booking website's, OfficialPetHotels.com will help you book your hotel and guide you and your pet through the necessary steps to take before you travel.

Here are a few great travel tips from OfficialPetHotels.com.

• Before leaving, check to make sure the hotel accepts pets. And check either OfficialPetHotels.com on-line advertisements or directly with the hotel, to find out any restrictions, fees, etc.

• Also find Emergency Veterinary Clinics in the area to which you're headed.

• If the pet travels with you, it will retain a sense of identity. However, pets can become frightened and bolt away from you out of open doors and windows. Keep your pet on a leash when outside your car or hotel.

• Occasionally traveling can upset your pet's stomach. Take along ice cubes, which are easier on your pet than large amounts of water. It is recommended that you keep feeding to a minimum during travel. If you are traveling by car, a light meal for your pet two to three hours before you leave is advised. If you are traveling by air, a light meal four to six hours before departure is recommended. Allow small amounts of water periodically in the hours before the trip.

• Whether your pet travels with you or by another means it should wear a special identification tag in addition to its regular one. Write the pet's name, your name, the person to contact at the destination, their phone number, a destination address, or that of a friend or relative, in case you want to be reached.

Things to Know With Pet Travel

The best thing you can do is chip your pet before you leave on vacation. The microchip is a tiny device that is implanted into your dogs skin. The standard pet microchip meets ISO standard 11784/17785 and is a 15 digit code that when registered is linked to you and your pet. There are other types of chips on the market but this is the most common and used in many European countries.

If your pet becomes lost, most animal shelters have the scanning device to detect who the pet belongs to and where they came from. To make the connection you will need to register your chip number and who you are. Registration is often online and takes place through the company that produces the chip.

Depending on the country you decide to travel to, a pet passport may need to be issued. This document proves your pet's vaccinations and the time they were done. Most veterinarians will have the forms to fill out or can direct you to where you can setup your own puppy passport.

Other documents needed may be an International Health Certificate. The health certificate will provide information about your pet such as color, breed, name size, age and country of origin.

Visual tags on the dog will also be required. There are some companies out there with electronic tags that work along side of the implanted microchip. These chips work great if you have a scanner. For places not in possession of a scanner, there are some companies that offer services with a 1-800 phone line support. By calling the number on the back of a special ID tag your dog wears, you will be connected with an operator. The operator will have the information about your dog and how to get in contact with you. Think of it like OnStar for your pet.

Carriers and kennels are a must when traveling. They protect your dog and provide them a comfortable environment to stay in. Many plane carriers require larger dogs to travel in the cargo hold. In some cases there are travel restriction in regard to weather and temperature. If to hot or to cold, your dog may not be suitable for cargo hold travel and have to wait for suitable weather conditions. There are some companies out there that will transport your dog for you. If you are unable to wait for weather conditions, these companies may work for you.