Page 13 - Dog-Harmony Life Summer 2021 V3Q2

“From a dog’s Car or Plane?

point of view, You’ve selected the perfect location, filled with all

being with their sorts of activities for you and your furry friend, but
how do you get there? Well, it depends on your dog,
what you and your pet are comfortable with and
people is the best how far the location is from your home.
While airports are becoming increasingly more
vacation of all.” pet friendly, airline travel for pets has been limited
due to COVID-19. Still, most airlines accept pets
up to 30 pounds. However, the number of pets on
board is limited, so be sure to make arrangements
early. For those over 30 pounds, flying is a bit more
of a challenge.
“I am not a big fan of flying dogs in cargo on
commercial airlines,” said Eisenstadt. “If you want
to fly a dog to your vacation destination, there are
airlines that specialize in pet transport where they fly
in specially converted cabin areas.”
Eisenstadt suggests car travel for most of her clients
when booking pet-friendly travel, usually including
one or two overnight stops in dog-friendly areas as a
part of the whole trip.
“Dogs usually love cars,” Eisenstadt said. “Planes,
not so much.”
She does, however, note that a five-hour car ride
should not be your dog’s first trip in the car. Quick
trips in your community will help your dog get used to
the car, and it’ll let you know if your dog suffers from
motion sickness or not, giving you time to chat with
your vet well before you’re stuck on the side of the
road cleaning up dog vomit two hours into your trip.
You should also outfit your car with some sort of
safety measure for your dog before you start your trek,
according to Eisenstadt. From a harness that works
as a seatbelt or a doggie car seat to travel carriers and
safety barriers that keep your dog contained in the
backseat, there are a variety of options to choose from
to keep your dog—and yourself—safe.
“[These tools help keep your dog] secure in case
of an accident and prevent [your dog] from jumping
around, distracting the driver,” said Eisenstadt.
And, make a plan to stop every three to four hours
to give your dog a chance to potty and stretch.

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