Emma in Arches National Park
Mike and I have taken quite a few long road trips. I adore road trips. While they can be stressful and tiring, the pros definitely outweigh the cons for me. They're refreshing & it's nice to be in places that I absolutely love.We've taken Emma along on our trips since we adopted her, which have been the last four trips. Twice to Tucson, once to Moab and once to Boulder. So, we've become pros at what needs to be done as far as being prepared and making things comfortable for her during the entire trip.
I'd like to share what I've learned throughout the years as far as traveling with a dog goes. First, you need to prepare for the trip, of course. I have a checklist of things we need to bring with us that's saved on my computer. That way, I have time to think of anything I miss and have that list to reference when the time comes to pack. Here's a list of things to bring along, most of which we bring for Emma & Rowan-
- Food, water, snacks & bowls- Bring enough food to last for the entire trip and don't try to give your dog new foods. Likewise with water. Bottled is the way to go, or bottle your own. Dogs can be sensitive to changes in their food & water, so you want to make things as familiar as possible for them. We bring a cooler with us to store water in along with celery and sliced bell peppers for snacks. They're healthy and hydrating, which is perfect for road trips. Plus, they're two of the girls favorite veggies!
- Blankies & Pillows- Emma & Rowan each have a blankie and pillow to keep with them in the car and hotel room. We lay with them on the couch at home as well as sleep with them the week before we leave so that they have our home's scent on them. This can help soothe their nerves. Plus, it makes them comfy!
- Supplements or Meds- If your dog takes any.
- Car Safety Gear- I posted about this here. There are a lot of ways to keep them safe and comfortable at the same time. Letting dogs loose in a car can be extremely unsafe.
- Blankets, towels, rags and/or paper towels & Nature's Miracle- Dogs may get carsick, drool a lot or have other accidents. Be prepared by having things you can clean up with. The Nature's Miracle will come in handy for stinky accidents. You don't want to be driving for a long time breathing in a funky smell!
- Poopie bags- For obvious reasons, you want to be prepared to pick up after them.
- Grooming supplies, like brushes, toothpaste, toothbrushes & coat spritzers (for both freshening up and repelling pests)- Just like humans, freshening up on a daily basis when you're on the road can make you feel like new! Plus, you want to have something that will repel pests like fleas, ticks and mosquitoes so that you don't bring home any unwanted guests.
- Vaccination papers- These can be very important when in other states, especially if you get pulled over or are planning on going to dog parks.
- ID Tag & microchip- We have our girls microchipped, but also make sure to have their ID tags on them every time they leave the house, just in case. Not all places scan for microchips if they get lost. On their ID tag, put your cell phone # on it, if you have one. It's much better than a landline phone # since you'll most likely have your cell with you. Also make sure to check that their microchip information is up to date.
- Emergency ID Cards- This site has some really nice ones that you can print out and keep in your purse/wallet and glovebox.
- Night Blinkers or Reflective Gear- If you might be walking at night, it's a good idea to put something like The Beacon on their collar or harness or Bright Steps on their legs. Being visible, especially in a place you're not that familiar with, is always a good thing.
- Toys- We bring a few along for our hotel rooms. That way there's something familiar and fun around.
- First Aid Kit- Yes, they do have them for dogs! You can also put together your own. Check your local Red Cross facility. They usually have a small class on first aid for companion animals. Emma's nose and paw pads can get very dry and irritated, so I also bring along nose and paw pad balms as well as a balm for any minor ouches they may get. Another thing we make sure to bring along in the kit is booties. We've been in areas that can be very rough on their paw pads, like slickrock in Utah or hot pavement in Arizona, so it's good to keep them with you, just in case the need arises.
- A fun road trip collar- While not a necessity, I do think that collars like this and this are perfect for a road trip!
- There are a few other things we bring along, which aren't necessities, but do come in handy. You can find my reviews on them here, here and here.
Arriving in Colorado
There are other preparations you can make for your trip, too. One site that has been extremely helpful to us is Dog Friendly. You can look up any city and they'll have all of the dog friendly places listed, complete with addresses, phone numbers, web sites and other helpful information. They list it all, too- lodging, parks, restaurants, stores and more. We've found a lot of places to visit through this site. There are several more helpful sites that I have listed in my resources section and I've made several posts on dog & vegan friendly travel destinations along with travel product reviews in my road trip posts.
As far as lodging goes, there are four hotel & motel chains that, for the most part, allow dogs to stay in their rooms- La Quinta, Days Inn, Red Roof Inn and Motel 6. Always check beforehand, though, because a few of their places may not allow dogs and a lot of them require you to pay a small extra fee along with signing a policy. La Quinta is our favorite. We've never found one that has turned away dogs and their rooms usually have mini fridges in them, which can come in very handy. Some even have dog runs on their grounds, like the one in Moab, Utah.
Always plan on stopping frequently to give them a potty break. We've found that most rest stops have a special area to let your dog relieve themself. Another good place to stop is truck stops. Since a lot of truckers bring their dogs with them, they'll have ample space to walk around on. For dogs like Emma that are very picky about where they go potty, these areas can be helpful. She seems to be much more willing to "go" where other dogs have gone.
Homeward Bound Sleepy Emma
One thing that drives me nuts is to see dogs left alone in a car. You never know how hot or cold it'll get in the car or if someone will come along and break into your car. So, we never leave our girls alone in the car. If we need to go to a store, one of us will run in while the other one waits in the car. Likewise with hotel rooms. Most have a policy that dogs cannot be left alone in the room, but even if they didn't, I wouldn't do it. It's an unfamiliar place and even if you leave a "do not disturb" sign on the door, you never know if a maid may come in the room. Plus, if they end up chewing up things while you're gone, that could become very costly.
Another thing to research before you go is if any city you'll be in has breed banning. For example, Denver has (sadly) banned pit bulls, so if your dog is all or part pit bull, you'll want to avoid going there at all.
One last thing I have handy is a list of emergency vets in the areas we'll be in. If you have a GPS, it's a good idea to program their addresses in it. Otherwise, have a map handy that clearly marks where they're located. Likewise with stores that carry your dog's food. Just in case you run out of food, it's nice to know where you can get some more.
We've had a lot of fun on our road trips with Emma. She travels well and has been to quite a few places in the first three years of her life. If you're in the Tucson area, I highly recommend Lovin' Spoonfuls. It's a vegan restaurant that we ate at several times with Emma. They have a nice shaded patio area and the food is excellent!
For more pictures of our travels, visit my flickr road trip collection. I also have several posts made from our last trip in August when we went to Boulder, Colorado. You can find them here, here, here, here and here. Happy travels!
There are other preparations you can make for your trip, too. One site that has been extremely helpful to us is Dog Friendly. You can look up any city and they'll have all of the dog friendly places listed, complete with addresses, phone numbers, web sites and other helpful information. They list it all, too- lodging, parks, restaurants, stores and more. We've found a lot of places to visit through this site. There are several more helpful sites that I have listed in my resources section and I've made several posts on dog & vegan friendly travel destinations along with travel product reviews in my road trip posts. As far as lodging goes, there are four hotel & motel chains that, for the most part, allow dogs to stay in their rooms- La Quinta, Days Inn, Red Roof Inn and Motel 6. Always check beforehand, though, because a few of their places may not allow dogs and a lot of them require you to pay a small extra fee along with signing a policy. La Quinta is our favorite. We've never found one that has turned away dogs and their rooms usually have mini fridges in them, which can come in very handy. Some even have dog runs on their grounds, like the one in Moab, Utah.
Always plan on stopping frequently to give them a potty break. We've found that most rest stops have a special area to let your dog relieve themself. Another good place to stop is truck stops. Since a lot of truckers bring their dogs with them, they'll have ample space to walk around on. For dogs like Emma that are very picky about where they go potty, these areas can be helpful. She seems to be much more willing to "go" where other dogs have gone.
Homeward Bound Sleepy Emma
One thing that drives me nuts is to see dogs left alone in a car. You never know how hot or cold it'll get in the car or if someone will come along and break into your car. So, we never leave our girls alone in the car. If we need to go to a store, one of us will run in while the other one waits in the car. Likewise with hotel rooms. Most have a policy that dogs cannot be left alone in the room, but even if they didn't, I wouldn't do it. It's an unfamiliar place and even if you leave a "do not disturb" sign on the door, you never know if a maid may come in the room. Plus, if they end up chewing up things while you're gone, that could become very costly.Another thing to research before you go is if any city you'll be in has breed banning. For example, Denver has (sadly) banned pit bulls, so if your dog is all or part pit bull, you'll want to avoid going there at all.
One last thing I have handy is a list of emergency vets in the areas we'll be in. If you have a GPS, it's a good idea to program their addresses in it. Otherwise, have a map handy that clearly marks where they're located. Likewise with stores that carry your dog's food. Just in case you run out of food, it's nice to know where you can get some more.
We've had a lot of fun on our road trips with Emma. She travels well and has been to quite a few places in the first three years of her life. If you're in the Tucson area, I highly recommend Lovin' Spoonfuls. It's a vegan restaurant that we ate at several times with Emma. They have a nice shaded patio area and the food is excellent!
For more pictures of our travels, visit my flickr road trip collection. I also have several posts made from our last trip in August when we went to Boulder, Colorado. You can find them here, here, here, here and here. Happy travels!
Lovin' Spoonfuls vegan restaurant in Tucson, Arizona
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