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Writer's pictureIan

Taking Road Trips with the Family Dog



Traveling is an enriching experience, and it becomes even more special when you can share it with the entire family—including your four-legged members. We recently added a furry family member to our troop last fall and over the last couple of months have started taking her with us when we travel. So far it has been limited to road trips since she is big enough that she cannot fly with us in the cabin and we are wary about having her travel as "cargo"as there is a level of inherent risk to her. Plus, as I found out during research for my post about airline pet policies, not all airlines allow transport of pets unless they are small enough to stay in the cabin with you.


Practicing Eclipse Safety - Image by Author


The two trips we have taken so far were to Washington D.C. for the Cherry Blossom festival where we stayed for 5 nights. After we returned home our pup had a small surgical procedure on the Monday. Then on the following weekend we headed to Erie for the Total Eclipse. That was an amazing experience I have to say. You can see the short I made of the moment just as totality was starting here.



As much as we planned ahead we had some unique challenges that we needed to resolve, and we also had some amazing revelations about how much fun it can be to travel with your dog.




First the Paws-itives of Road-Tripping with Our Dog


Unconditional Love on the Road

As with life at home dogs love their owners unconditionally and when on the road, they don't complain about the music/podcast choice or ask "Are we there yet?" Instead, their presence adds a layer of joy and excitement to the journey.


Watching her ears perk up at the sight of a squirrel she spied out the window or seeing the sheer joy she got from letting the wind from an open window blow in her face reminded us to really appreciate the simpler pleasures of travel.


More Stops on the Way

I tend to get very destination driven (no pun intended) on road trips which means I have no qualms about pushing hard to make as much distance as possible. For me, an 8 hour drive is just fine. It was easier when our daughter was very young as she'd just sleep most of it but now as she is older it is agonizing for her to be cooped up that long. Having the dog with us meant we simply had to take more stops during travel.


These breaks not only allow the pup to go the the bathroom but also just to get a little exercise in. These added stops truly made the journey more tolerable, if not enjoyable, for my family not to mention prevented me from having an aching back the following morning from sitting in the same position for too long. The stops also gave us the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of the varying countryside around us and just take a breath of fresh air.


Enhanced Social Interactions

As soon as we started walking around our neighborhood with the new pup we suddenly found ourselves chatting with other dog owners and meeting so many more people than. before. I learned that dogs are natural icebreakers, no matter where you go. Dog people tend to be more social it seems and gravitate towards one another just to say hi and let the pets meet as well. Perhaps it's true for animal lovers in general.


This increased social interaction was true for DC in a big way. Our last few trips to DC the only people we ever talked to were retail clerks, bartenders, waiters or hotel staff. This time around we must have met dozens of fellow dog owners walking their pooch and we would sit or walk and chat with them. Not only dog owners but dog lovers sans pet who'd see our fluffy companion and would come over to ask if they could pet her. We didn't do as much in Erie as we were only there for one night prior to the eclipse but it too was much the same. It really was quite an incredible upgrade to our travel experience.


Different Types of Activities

Since we didn't want to leave the dog in the hotel room all day by herself we obviously needed to find things to do that included her. This meant a lot more exposure to places like recreational parks and playgrounds (for which my daughter was very thankful) as well as other outdoor venues like arboretums and nature trails. The tidal basin where we spent most of our time was perfect for strolling with the pooch under the masses of cherry blossoms that still hung in the branches above.


Quenching her Thirst at the Kite Festival - Image by Author

We took her to the Cherry Blossom Kite festival as well where she garnered a lot of attention. In Erie for the eclipse we found a lovely park that had a perfect viewing spot and even got to witness an outdoor wedding that was taking place during the event. On the whole, it didn't mean we couldn't go to museums or other indoor attractions. Indeed, we would find time to do those things as well by leaving her in the room just for shorter periods. She is perfectly fine by herself for 3 - 4 hours.


Chillin' on the Wharf - Image by Author

In DC we found that the area we were staying in, the relatively new Wharf area, was very dog friendly. Most restaurants had an outdoor sitting area so we could bring her along with us to meals. There was a cute French place called "Bistro Du Jour" that had the dog-friendly outdoor seating actually closed in with a canopy so any rainy day breakfasts were always held in there. Their quiche of the day was divine btw.


Several stores in the area also allowed leashed dogs inside. A few we stopped in were"Shop Made in DC", "The Pet Shoppe Boys" and the "Politics & Prose Bookstore". There were a few in Georgetown as well where she was welcomed in. In each of the locations she was met with snuggles and, more often than not, some treats.



The Challenges of Road-Tripping with Our Dog



Finding Pet-Friendly Accommodations

Not all hotels and motels are welcoming to pets, and those that are may charge hefty fees (looking at you Waldorf). Of course this can all be planned for well in advance for the most part unless you are taking a long road trip and decide to stop at the next motel due to being too tired to continue. I don't recommend that approach though and would instead map out your route and have your stops all planned accordingly. This wasn't an issue for us as we were easily within a day's drive of our destinations. If your road trip is a camping trip, you're golden as I'd be surprised to find a campground that doesn't allow dogs.


The cost was pretty good for the hotels we stayed in. They were around $75 (DC) and $50 (Erie) for the whole stay. Bear in mind this cost was a base cost per stay, be it a 5 night stay or a one night stay, at least in most of the hotels I researched. In the case of the Waldorf Astoria in DC however, where I had intended to use my free Hilton night (see how here), that cost jumped to $250 for just the one night. It wasn't worth it to me to spend $250 for one night even if the room was free, so I used it at the Canopy by Hilton instead which still saved us $1000+ due to the fact our stay was during primetime for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Our first hotel stay was at the acclaimed IHC InterContinental and even though I am usually a Hilton fan, this place was incredible. Our view was stunning and the hotel was just wonderful, although it had a few annoying quirks in their policies which I wrote about here.



Comfort and Bathroom Considerations

Obviously it made an impact to our travel having to make sure the dog was taken care of. This meant the extra stops on the road (which were welcomed) and making sure that we never left her in the car. Even then we had a few accidents on the road as she threw up a couple of times on our trip to DC. We'd put her in her travel crate in the back and the motion of the car just didn't agree with her despite the Benadryl we'd given her (our vet had suggested it to help keep her calm). On our return trip we tried something different. We skipped the Benadryl, put her soft plush bed in the back seat, and used her attachment seatbelt to secure her. She was so comfortable on the bed she didn't get sick at all and slept most of the trip. Lesson learned!


Asleep in her crate - Image by Author

We also needed to figure out sleeping arrangements. For our DC trip it was pretty simple, we just put the dog in her travel crate and closed the door to the front entrance hall. She is used to sleeping in it at home (or rather a larger version of it) so for her it was nothing new.


The exception was for the Erie stay. Unfortunately she'd had surgery a few days earlier and, while safe to travel, she couldn't use her crate with the cone of shame on her head. We figured we'd just let her sleep in her portable bed in the bathroom with the door closed and it worked out fine although she whined quite a bit. I am pretty sure it was due to the fact she wasn't in her familiar crate and was expecting to be able to roam around. Anytime we were in the room we let her roam freely and my daughter let her snuggle on her bed, but I didn't want her on mine. She learned quickly which places were off limits.




You also need to take into account the need for bathroom breaks. We had one accident in Erie when she pooped on the floor before we could get her outside one morning but we know it was due to the medications she was on from her surgery. In DC, we needed to make sure we had some green space nearby to take her to go. On the Wharf there was one nice spot right in front of the Canopy Hilton, about 2 blocks from the IHG, that did the trick well. They even had doggie bag stations there to provide owners the ability to clean up if they'd forgotten to bring a bag (which I did one evening).


When she's gotta go, you gotta go. I could tell she was needing a BM so my daughter and I went out for the 2 block walk from the IHG to the green space but halfway she basically said, "Nope, I've held it too long"and dropped one on the boardwalk halfway there. Apologies to the people having lunch on the patio at Kirwan’s Irish Pub who had to witness that moment. We did clean it up of course but still, ew. Otherwise she was perfect.


Food, Dining, and Entertainment

We needed also to find a way to make sure we could take our dog's food with us. Kibble wasn't an issue, nor were any treats, but we also like to give her some fresh/frozen dog food like Farmer's dog or the like to mix with kibble for improved dietary health. This meant we needed a fridge in the hotel room. Hilton had one in the room already but we had to request one at IHG. I was surprised though because I thought almost all hotels had a fridge if only for a mini bar. The IHG did have a mini bar but it was tiny so pretty much useless for what we needed. It actually took a day to get one brought to the room though, so in retrospect I'd have made a special request at time of booking to make sure they knew of the need for one. We did have a small cooler with us for the road and were able to make use of it along with the ice machine for the first night.


I noted many of the restaurants had an outdoor dining area where we could take meals with the dog but that would not have been a feasible solution in winter so our road trips are undoubtedly only going to occur in the warmer months. We did eat at Hell's Kitchen a couple of times indoors while leaving the dog in the room but the restaurant was only a 3 minute walk from the hotel so we were not worried about being out too long. I am actually contemplating a portable pet cam so that we can log in and check on her from our phones if we do go out.


Fountain fun - Image by Author

As for entertainment, by which I mean making sure our pup did not get too bored, we made sure to have a full complement of her toys, treats and games on hand. We brought the kibble tornado, some stuffies (no squeaky kinds, we had neighbors after all!), chew toys, and puppy teething rings for her.


With all of the added attention she was getting on our walks, she was never bored and just slept in the room whenever we left her. We'd leave her in the bathroom with the door closed and her water bowl filled. With tile floors we weren't concerned about accidents. We did make sure to remove anything (toiletry kits, towels, toilet paper) that she might chew, or at least raise them to a height she couldn't reach.





A Few Tips for Traveling with Your Dog


Pre-trip Preparation

Ensure your dog is comfortable in the car. Take them on shorter trips first to get them used to longer durations. Plan your route and make sure you know the rest stops you will be able to take advantage of. Plan on one stop every 2 - 3 hours of drive time. Scope out the area you will be staying in so you know the green spaces you'll need for their bathroom breaks. Also see if you can find places you might be able to explore with them and look for some off leash dog parks in the area.


Alert any hotels that you have booked that you will be traveling with your pet so that they can make sure they have an appropriate room for you. Many hotels only allow pets on certain floors and, as such, rooms may be subject to availability. Don't arrive only to find that there aren't any pet friendly rooms left. Also make sure to request any amenities that you may need, like the fridge for example.


 If you haven't already done so, get your pooch microchipped and register her in their database so if you do get separated you can make it easier to locate her. A name tag on the pet with contact information is always a good idea too.



Snuggling a Toy - Image by Author

Packing Essentials

Pack a travel kit for your dog including a travel crate and bed, bowls, food, treats, leash, poop bags, and grooming supplies if you are looking at a longer trip. Don't forget to bring some of their favorite toys to give them a sense of familiarity when in an unfamiliar environment.


Healthcare

Bring along any medications your dog needs and make sure their vaccinations are up-to-date. It’s also wise to have a list of veterinarians in the areas you’ll be traveling through. If you are crossing a border into another country make sure that you have checked ahead of time what requirements they may have to allow you to bring in your dog. More than likely a vaccination record (at a minimum for rabies) will be requested.




Summary

While we've always enjoyed traveling, doing so with our dog made for a different and wonderful experience. The rewards of doing so far outweighed any of the small challenges we met when planning and executing the trips. I do wish we could take her with us to Europe when we go there again but those challenges and risks (and cargo costs $1500+) are not worth it given that upwards of 200 dogs have died on planes over the last decade. If we could take her in cabin I would do it, but she is simply too large now. There is always the option to charter using someone like K9 but I, for one, am not willing to drop 20 grand per seat for a return trip across the pond! Not yet anyway.


So, road trips it is, and dog sitters for any overseas trips.


Happy Travels!


Back Home and Worn Out - Image by Author


 


Il Digestivo

Take a look at some of the items we've featured in this post that made travel with our pup a much easier experience.


Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 


Collapsible Pet Bowls

These are the best to have on hand for travel rather than hauling the large ones we have at home. The carabiner on them makes them ideal to attach to a backpack for day hikes and the like.










Outward Hound Puppy Tornado Treat Puzzle

This toy kept her busy for a while and gave her something to do when we were out of the room. Highly recommended to help overcome boredom for active pups.











MidWest Double Door iCrate Dog Crate, Includes Leak-Proof Pan, Floor Protecting Feet

We love this crate and so does the pup. Want proof, check out the video at the bottom of the page. We have two of them actually, one that is a medium size for the road trips and one large one that she uses as her home bed. She is so comfortable in it that one night when I was working late on the computer I went to put her outside and she'd already put herself to bed in the crate. It is her happy place. The two door access is really nice so you can orient it in a room or vehicle much easier and it flattens down for easy carrying.












MidWest Dog Bed

The same company also makes a bed that fits perfectly into their crates. They have elastic straps at the corners that you can slip under the leak-proof pan in the crate to hold the bed in place. 100 % machine washable & dryer friendly. Available in different sizes and colors.













 


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