Have up-to-date dog tags
Have you moved since you got your dog? Make sure your contact info on their dog tag is up to date in case your dog somehow gets away. Same goes with the contact information associated with their microchip.
Bring a copy of your dog’s vaccination record
If you are on your road trip and your dog either gets sick or needs to be boarded for a day, you will need a copy of your dog’s vaccination records. Usually a copy on your phone will suffice, but you can also keep a copy in your glove box for safe keeping.
Give them their own dedicated comfortable space in the car
Don’t pack your car to the brim to the point where you dog has to squeeze between luggage with barely enough room to lay down. Compare that to the middle seat on a 10 hour, oversold flight. No one wants that, and your dog doesn’t either. The more room and dedicated space they have, the better behaved they’ll be.
Use positive reinforcement & reward your dog with treats
A well-trained dog is going to be easier to road trip with than a dog that is constantly misbehaving. We’ve been training Charlie using the positive reinforcement technique. What that means is when Charlie does what he is told, we reward him with a Wellness Core 100% Freeze Dried all-meat dog treat. These treats are 100% raw protein and completely grain and filler free. Charlie is a picky eater….but he especially loves the Wellness wild boar and turkey bites, and these give him a tasty and healthy incentive to be on his best behavior.
For example, when he first jumps up in the van, he gets a treat which shows him that getting in the van without being coerced is what he’s supposed to do. Then if we stop at a gas station, and he goes to the bathroom, he gets a treat. Then when we call him back into the car, and he jumps in, he gets another treat. On the road, if we are eating lunch in the car, and he sits quietly in the back without begging, he gets a treat.
Over time, they learn to simply do that desired behavior, treat or not, but when you first begin to road trip with your dog, positive reinforcement with treats is a helpful tool. One other thing about the Wellness Core 100% Freeze Dried dog treats is that they are bite-sized, so even if you are rewarding your dog frequently, the bag should last a while on your road trip.
Always give your dog access to water
Your dog shouldn’t have to wait until you stop for gas to get a drink of water. Get a small stable water bowl that you can put on the floor by your backseat and let them drink at their leisure.
Don’t ignore their bathroom needs on long drives
If you have to pee, your dog does too. Even if you are in a hurry to get to your destination, you need to take the few extra minutes whenever you stop to let your dog out to do their business.
Keep a chuck-it in your car
If you dog is into fetch, a quick way to get a lot of exercise is a chuck-it ball thrower. You’ll throw the ball much further than you can with you arm, meaning the dog runs a lot further in a shorter period of time. Plus with the chuck-it, you won’t have to touch that slobber covered ball with your bare hands.
Find the local dog park
When you arrive in a new town, an easy way to blow off your dog’s steam is to stop by the local dog park. They will be bursting with energy, and it’s a good way to socialize them as well. Not sure where to go? This website has listings for nearly every town, and I’ve found them to be fairly accurate.
Bring a collapsable crate for your hotel stays.
A crate is a great tool to help your dog feel safe in a foreign environment. If you are staying in hotels or you simply don’t trust your dog to not destroy your car when you are in a restaurant, then consider bringing a crate with you on the road trip. A collapsible crate is best because it won’t take up room in your car when you aren’t using it.
You’ll want to practice with the crate before your road trip (ideally when your dog is a puppy). The key is making the crate feel like their home. You can put an old sweatshirt that smells like you inside the crate, along with a few toys to make the dog feel more comfortable. Then use the positive reinforcement method mentioned above when they get into the crate, rewarding them with a treat. Never use the crate to punish your dog or you will get the opposite result. Here’s a good resource if you are looking for more tips on how to crate train your dog.
Know your car is going to get dirty
Dogs are messy little creatures. Some shed, some slobber, and all of them get dirty. There’s no way around it and the best way to deal is to accept it. Don’t get mad at them for being dirty. Hopefully the dirt means they were having a lot of fun, which is the entire point. If you are worried about your car, seat covers and a good vacuum will go a long way. If your dog tends to roll around in poop or heavy mud, you can carry a short hose in your car and rinse the dog off at the nearest water hookup. Quick dry towels are also convenient for drying dogs off when they get wet.
Know the regulations in your destination
Don’t show up somewhere assuming it’s dog-friendly. Most national parks, for example, have strict regulations about dogs. Pets aren’t allowed on most trails and must be kept on short leashes in campgrounds. If this doesn’t sound like the kind of vacation you want to have with your dog, go somewhere else. The bummer is when you don’t do the research ahead of time and show up after a long day of driving only to find out your dog isn’t allowed.
If you are dead set on a destination that isn’t dog-friendly, look on Yelp for highly rated dog boarding services near the place you are visiting. For example, during our ski vacation in Sun Valley, we dropped Charlie off at doggie daycare for the day while we skied, and it only cost us $20. We came home tired, and so did he.
Don’t leave your dog in the car on a hot day
The inside of your car gets hot when left in the sun on a summer day. Be aware of this and don’t leave your dog sitting unattended for a long time in the heat. If you must leave them for a few minutes, crack the windows and you might even consider putting a portable battery operated fan in your car to keep them cool. Reflective windshield covers also help keep the temperature down in your vehicle.
Pick up after your dog
Don’t be the jerk who doesn’t pick up after their dog. Not only is it gross to look at, or worse, step on, dog poop pollutes waterways. We like to keep a hearty supply of poop bags in the car so we are always prepared to pick up after Charlie.
Be aware of wildlife
We just got back from road tripping in Yellowstone, where it was very important to abide by leash laws at the campgrounds. Our campground host told us that bears and elk often strolled through camp, and the last thing we wanted was Charlie loose and barking at a bear. The point is you should know about the local wildlife and make smart choices so your dog doesn’t end up a bear’s next meal.
Get toys that will last
Toys are an important thing to bring for your dog on your road trip. It keeps them occupied and provides mental stimulation. Charlie destroys his toys pretty quickly. He loves ripping them apart and spreading the stuffing all over everything, leaving a mess for us to clean up. When we road trip, we try to bring toys that are more durable, so they don’t fall apart one day into our trip.