In this week’s blog I want to shine a light on travelling with dogs. Now that travel restrictions are easing there’s a pent-up demand to get away and a lot of people are planning to do that with their canine companions.
Many of my clients are working through problems with their dogs so when it comes to going on holiday it can a little tricky for a friend or family member to dog-sit. For some it’s more of a case of the dog is a member of the family so the owners want to go on holiday as a family. Or you might have a dream to hike with your dog in snowy mountains or swim in the sea and run on the beach. Travelling with your dog should be a great experience for everyone, and it will be if we do some careful planning to make sure that everybody’s needs are met so we’re all comfortable during the journey.
So, what are the steps we should take to make sure everyone is happy? If you’re travelling with a dog you’re probably going by car so I’m going to focus on that.
Dogs and Cars
Think about how your dog will feel in the car. Where in the car will your dog be sitting? The more space they have the better. They should be able to stand up and turn around. For a journey of more than an hour they should have a comfortable bed to lie on. You’ll need a bed wherever you’re going in any case.
If they can see out of a window most dogs will feel better physically and mentally.
On the legal and safety side, there should be some kind of restraint to keep everyone safe in the event of an accident. This might be a guard to keep the dog in the boot, or a seat belt attached to a harness which the dog is wearing. Some dogs aren’t keen on the harness system or get tangled when they move so choose what works best for your dog. Another option is to have the dog in a crate and to secure the crate to the car. It’s best not to crate the dog if they aren’t already comfortable with being in one, this could cause a negative association with being in the car. In the UK some kind of restraint is a legal requirement.
I think that airflow is possibly the biggest factor in how your dog will feel. Your dog needs to remain cool, how cool depends on the dog – a big long haired dog will feel the heat more quickly than a small short haired dog. Dogs keep cool through breathing so a supply of fresh air is what they need to help maintain their temperature at a reasonable level. If you can have a window slightly open to keep a little fresh air getting to the dog this will help enormously. At least open a window once in a while. It’s worth remembering that the car’s air-con and ventilation fan won’t normally reach the boot, so don’t rely on this to keep your dog cool and comfortable.
Planning
I think it is fair to say that dogs are not designed to be in cars. Sure, many dogs are fine with the car, they are used to travelling the twenty minutes to the park and they might show no adverse effects, but a multi hour journey to go on holiday is a different proposition and we need to break that down a bit more to keep everyone safe and happy.
Firstly, do all your planning up front. Where you will stop for breaks, a bottle of water and a drinking bowl, and of course, treats. Organising on the go is stressful and your dog will pick up your stress.
Secondly, take regular breaks. To make sure that your dog is as comfortable as possible we want to take regular stops to let the dog out of the car and let them have a short walk of five minutes or so, offer them some water to drink and give them time to take a toilet break. The motorway service station might be okay for this, it depends on your dog. For a dog that has no issues around people, cars and other dogs then a busy motorway services should be fine. For a more reactive or nervous dog you might need to have a plan to find somewhere a little quieter, maybe a bit more rural. Planning your journey on Google is great for doing this. It is the perfect tool for finding a spot that’s ideal for your dog’s needs. For example, since I have larger dogs with long coats I’ll use Google Street View to find spots where there is access to water so they can swim to cool off.
Thirdly, have a think about feeding your dog. I always tell people that it is best to feed your dog following work or exercise. This mimics the natural state of things – a dog has to work hard to catch or find food. When we’re travelling with ours dogs it’s a good idea not to give them a large meal before or during the journey. Even if your dog is used to being in the car and travels well it is never a good idea to attempt a long journey on a full stomach, the results can be uncomfortable for the dog and messy for the car. You can give small treats along the way every time you stop. Something to keep your dog ticking over is fine, but don’t give them their main meal until you have reached your destination and stopped for the day.
Once you arrive take your dog for a another walk. It doesn’t need to be a long one, maybe 15 or 20 minutes so they can decompress after the journey and stretch out any stiff joints.
International Travel
For a lot of people going on holiday means travelling to the continent. You can take your dog on a ferry or the Eurotunnel to get across the Channel. I always opt for the Eurotunnel for three reasons. I’m not great with boats, the train is a lot quicker, and more importantly, I want to be with my dogs to make sure they are okay. Overnight ferries can allow you to take your dogs out of your car but most ferry companies stipulate that they must remain in the car for the duration of the crossing. This is going to unsettle a lot of dogs, probably most dogs that I know. The train seems a lot easier to me which is why I use it every time I need to get to the continent.
The process of catching the Eurotunnel is really just a glorified rest-stop. It’s an opportunity for everyone to get out, stretch their legs and go to the toilet if required. The one point of business which needs to be taken care of is that you need to declare your dog so that their paperwork can be checked. This involves walking your dog into the pet reception centre along with everyone else with their dogs and standing in a queue. If your dog is reactive around people and other dogs then this might be problematic. What you can do instead is to take your dog’s paperwork and your booking details into the office, explain that your dog can be a bit reactive and the staff will come outside and scan the dog’s microchip away from everybody else.
Getting hold of the right paperwork is a little more complicated than it used to be before Brexit. At the time of writing (May 2022) a dog needs to have either a pet passport issued in the EU which contains a valid rabies vaccine, or a UK issued Animal Health Certificate showing the rabies vaccine details.
Let’s deal with the EU passport first: A UK rabies vaccine in an EU pet passport is valid if it was given before Brexit but within the last three years. A rabies vaccine given in the EU is valid if it was given in the last year. The vaccine must have been given at least three weeks before travelling.
If you don’t have an EU pet passport you’ll need an Animal Health Certificate issued by a UK vet. This details that your dog is fit to travel but mainly it is proof of their rabies vaccination. If you are organising this for the first time you need to have had your dog vaccinated more than three weeks before you travel and then return to the vet within ten days of travelling to have your dog looked over for the Animal Health Certificate. You’ll then need to return to the vet a third time to collect the certificate. It will take the vet about an hour to fill in the paperwork which is why they don’t do it while you wait and you can expect it to cost between £100 and £150.
I hope this gives you the information you need to travel with your dog with confidence. Take your time, think about what your dog needs, and you’ll have a great time.
Until next time, enjoy your dog.
