Think about your pet before you decide to bring him along on vacation.
Ask yourself this – what is really best for your pet? Riding in the car with you only to get dropped off at a strange unknown place? Or staying home and being left in familiar place?
I sat down with local dog trainer and owner of MySham Training and Care, Gail Hawksworth, and this is what she had to say about taking your pet on vacation.
THINK OF YOUR PET NOT YOURSELF
If you are thinking about taking your pet with you on vacation, first check to see if your destination is pet friendly. Just because your hotel accepts pets doesn’t mean every stop on your vacation will be as friendly about your pet.
So from your furry companion’s point of view, will this be more stressful for you or you him?
Do you really want to leave your pet sitting in the car while you and your family are out having fun?
Will having your pet with you prevent you from being able to take advantage of spur of the moment vacation opportunities?
What do you do with him while you go to dinner?
If you get to your destination and find that you need to board your pet, a couple of good sources to get referrals are local veterinarians or pet groomers. Grocery clerks are actually a good resource as well because they meet a lot of people.
Always make sure you take your pet’s vaccination records with you just in case you run into a problem.
WARNING — if a care facility does not require proof of vaccinations, well, lets just say I would not leave my pet there.
Should you decide to leave your pet at home while you are on vacation here are some tips:
1. Search out facilities in your home town.
2. Start conditioning your pet by taking him to the facility you have chosen for a few hours at a time-prior to your trip. This will help him become comfortable away from you.
3. Consider a house sitter so your pet will be in his own environment.
Socializing ahead of time is a good way to ensure that should an emergency arise you can leave your pet and not have to worry.
