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Top Tips for Travelling With Your Dog

By Angel Moore  •  0 comments  •   4 minute read

Travelling with your dog. | BETTY & BUTCH®

On one of our holidays to Devon, we lost two leads, ran out of food and ended up having to cook for them as they would not eat anything from the local pet shop, oh and we forgot the dog beds. Our last holiday went like clockwork due to over the top planning, so we have put together this guide so you can choose what suits your trip.

OUR TOP TIPS

Start planning for your dog at least two weeks before you leave, last-minute stress could be passed onto your dog. At the end of this article, we will add the current legal requirements for travelling outside the United Kingdom. 

GETTING PREPARED

A suitcase for your dog, totally! 

It may sound a little bit over the top but bear with, a suitcase is perfect for getting ready, you can pack all of their items, including treats and zip it up to keep them safely away. We always start with the essentials, a couple of weeks before setting off. 

 

  • Get microchip tested to make sure it is working correctly
  • Order extra medications if necessary
  • Save phone numbers of Veterinarians in the surrounding area you will be staying.Extra lead and collar (what if you lose one?)
  • Extra dog tag
  • Poo Bags, you can never have too many.
  • Non-spill water bowl
  • Cooling bandana for the car
  • First aid kit
  • Tick Remover
  • Towel 
  • Treats

 

Whether you are only having a weekend break our two weeks in Cornwall, having the right equipment will help you if something goes wrong. We highly recommend that before you travel, find out as much info about nearby Vets and out of service numbers. Your accommodations may have this information to hand.
 
 

 

  • Packing checklist on day of departure 
  • Pet Passport if going abroad (also required for the Republic of Ireland now)  Favourite toys 
  • Bowls and dishes 
  • Bed
  • Dog food
  • Water
  • Poo bags in your pockets

 

 


So it's the day of the journey, how do you plan to restrain your dog? The safest way is to soft crate your dog, but if they have not been in a container before or do not like them, then use an approved car harness. Car harnesses are safer than attaching a lead to your dog collar as your dog's neck could be damaged during impact. Approved car harnesses are more reliable than every day harnesses, due to rigorous testing.Before you set off, try to expel as much energy from your dog and do not feed them more than 2 hours before the journey, it all helps in the end! Have a bottle of water handy and a non-spill bowl in case they start to pant (panting can also be a sign of stress). 
 
Our dog Nuala is a stress head in the car, so we give her a mixture of calm-xtra and calming hemp treats which work for this diva.If it is warm weather, a cooling bandana is a great way to keep them cool; they work with the flow of air and Oxygen-activated.
 
Sun guards are also a good option, and window guards are a must if you decide not to restrain your dog (controlling your dog is now law in the UK)Plan to stop – regular pee stops are essential and also help relieve stress from your dog; most dogs in cars are always wondering what is going on and where are they going. Letting them out relieves this stress, and they settle for the next part of the journey.
 
TOP TIP – attached your dogs lead before you open the car door, so many dogs go missing at service stations. 
 
NEVER LEAVE A DOG ALONE IN A CAR – it only takes 15 minutes for dogs to succumb to heat stroke and less if they are stressed or dehydrated. 
 
Arriving at your accommodation will be exciting or in some dog’s nerve-racking. Let your dog explore the accommodation, so your dog knows there is no danger. Male dogs nearly always have a pee to scent-mark, don’t give out as this can encourage them to scent more. Vinegar spray is the best at destroying the enzymes and stopping recurring marking.TOP TIP – We always go for a long walk when we get to the accommodation to expel their energy, so they settle quicker; we never allow them off the lead on day one until we feel they have got used to the surroundings.
 
Is a Hotel, restaurant or café dog friendly or just dogs allowed?
 
So many places are claiming to be dog-friendly, only to realise when you get there, that they are just dogs allowed. What’s is the difference?Dog-friendly to us is an apparent effort has been made to welcome your dog and see to any needs they may have. Our local dog-friendly restaurant is excellent at this. On arrival they welcome our dogs, bring them their bowl of water and treats, they regularly check on them and make a fuss. 
We have been to so many places that claim to be dog-friendly to find that our dogs are not even acknowledged and more often or not, we are told the rules on having dogs on the premises, this is dogs allowed.Check reviews before you visit. 
 
We hope you have a lovely holiday and don’t forget to tag your holiday photos (of the dog!!) #bettyandbutch 

 

Updated Information, travelling with your dog abroad.

 

Please follow this link

 

https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad

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