Our Guide to Traveling With Your Pet


Two dogs sitting in the grass

Texas Ruff House's Tips for Taking Your Pet on Vacation

Going for a trip with your pet sounds like an adventure, right? You may imagine what fun pet-friendly activities you’d do or look forward to just relaxing together in a new setting. When it comes down to it, however, there’s quite a bit of planning and preparation involved. That’s why our team of pet sitters at Texas Ruff House is sharing tips for traveling with your pet and making it a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for everyone!

Dog standing on patio furniture
Time for a road trip! 

If you’re traveling to your destination by car, there are few things you can put in place to make sure that it’s a stress-free ride for you and your pet. If your dog or cat has not done a long-distance drive before, it would be helpful for you to do a few practice runs to see how they behave, as not every pet enjoys car rides! Ensure your dog or cat’s safety by putting them in a crate if they are crate-trained or securing them with a special pet seat belt.

 

Two small black dogs walking on leash
Do plan your rest stops along your route; a general rule of thumb is to stop every 2-3 hours to give your pet the chance to stretch, walk, and relieve themselves. If you do a little research, you might even find dog parks or pet-friendly areas along your route, which makes travel more fun for your pet. Before you get to your first stop, have a plan in place and delegate roles to your passengers to make sure that your pet is secured before anyone opens a door. We hope that we don’t have to remind you to never leave your pet alone in your car. Safety of the driver and all passengers, including pets, always comes first!

 

Speaking of safety, we can’t stress enough the importance of checking that your pet’s identification is up to date. Ensure that their collar tag is legible and has correct information listed for you, and that their microchip is functioning – your veterinarian can verify this. You may also want to bring a copy of your pet's rabies vaccination record and/or rabies collar tag, as this can sometimes be required at an interstate crossings or when entering pet-friendly areas like private dog parks or even public state parks. 

Cat playing with a toy
Here's your pet's packing list:

Regardless of how you travel, it’s important to cover a few essentials you should pack for your dog or cat. Since grocery and supply stores might not stock the food you feed your pet, be sure to pack enough from home to last the entire trip. While traveling, it’s important that your dog or cat stays hydrated and has a water source and drinking bowl. Supplies like your pet’s medications and first aid items are essential too. You may also find it helpful to have your veterinarian’s contact information handy, just in case. In addition to regular supplies you use to clean up after your pet or to groom them, consider what items from home would make them happy and comfortable, like their favorite toys, treats, or blanket.

Book a place that's pet-friendly. 

Finding pet-friendly accommodation isn’t so challenging these days, but you should check for any rules, requirements, and amenities before booking. Hotels and bed & breakfasts may have limitations as to the pet’s size, weight, and a variety of other factors. Some may permit you to leave your pet unattended in your accommodation, while others may require you to crate your pet or bring them along with you when you’re not in your room. There are pet-friendly accommodations that may even provide amenities like a pet bed, toys, treats, bowls, etc. Be mindful of whether your accommodation charges a fee for your pet.

 

Consider how you will make your dog or cat comfortable and help them relax in the new environment. Even if the accommodation is pet-friendly, it might not be a good fit for a pet that’s anxious in new places, or it might not meet your pet’s specific needs. Additionally, if you plan to leave your dog or cat in your accommodation and spend most of your trip in places that don’t allow pets, you may want to consider alternative options that will give you and your pet peace of mind.

Dog relaxing on a patio
Know when to book a pet sitter. 

This is where Texas Ruff House comes in! Our team of pet care professionals would be happy to care for your pet in your absence and make sure that they have just as much fun as you do on vacation, if not more. We offer pet sitting in your own home and coordinate a schedule of activity, exercise, and stimulation for your pet that will leave them feeling fulfilled and relaxed. There are a lot of new pet parents who will be traveling with their pet for the first time this summer. We’ve already had situations where we’ve gotten calls for pet sitting after clients’ vacations already started and realized it was too stressful for their pets. In these cases, it’s likely best to leave your pet at home and let us care for them and update you regularly on how they’re doing! We are accepting bookings for pet sitting this summer in Pflugerville, TX and the surrounding areas of Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, and North Austin.


Location: Pflugerville, TX, USA

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