My dogs are my life. They really do mean the world to me, and even in my moments of frustration, I can't imagine a life without them. I talk to them like they understand me, and completely believe they do understand me by the way. Once, when I moved Jazzy's bed, I gave her directions of two different ways she could get to the new location, just so she knew she had options. There is a pretty incredible story about Cody too but we will save that for another day, you wouldn't believe me yet.
When we decided to live a year as nomads, our biggest concern was the pups. Would they be able to settle? Would they be constantly anxious, scared, and feel like they didn't have a home? Would they hate the long car rides? Would they decide to run away the first chance they got to join a family with less crazy parents? I guess since they've all stayed with us this far, we are probably ok on that last one.
Overall, I thought they would love it. I mean, all they really want is to be with us and eat all our food, right?. Case in point in the picture below. I couldn't sit alone if I wanted to, and believe me, I don't.
So, how does it work when you decide you want to bring three dogs on a road trip around the country?
Here are five tips. Listen up!
Five Tips for Long Trips with Pets
Prepare. And start early, no matter how much you don't want to. Any major life change is stressful. Are you doing the right thing? Will you regret this later? How will you ever get everything done you need to get done?! Don't get me wrong, there will be stress. But, the earlier you start and the better you plan the less stress there will be on you and your pet. They feel what you feel. Less stress on you? Less stress for your pet.
Have the right set up. Does your pet like the car? Do they get nervous? Do they have a favorite place to sit? If you don't want your pet to have free reign of the car, you can buy a soft crate. If you are concerned for their safety you can buy either a car seat or a seat belt. For us, it's a mix. Emma loves the car and falls asleep almost immediately. We let her have free reign of the back seat so she can stretch out. Cody has determined that he needs to be on my lap at all times so that's where he goes. Jazzy gets nervous so she either shares a dog bed with Cody on my lap, or she gets strapped in with a seat belt in the back to hang out with Emma. Emma prefers Jazzy upfront and Cody prefers her in the back. Poor Jazzy. You'll also want to have water for them handy. There will be random spouts of dragon breath at you. Probably for attention more than the need for water but water helps. We bought this travel water bottle and it has been incredible. And treats! Don't forget the treats!
Bring some of their favorite stuff. This one is pretty obvious but towards the end of getting ready, you are over it and all rules are out the window. You've run out of space, time and patience. Chuck everything!!!! In the pile of what you are running to the nearest dumpster so you don't have to think about it anymore, don't toss the pet stuff. Snacks, beds, blankets, shirts that smell like you, that old toy that has one eye and a dead squeaker but they just can't stop playing with it. Bring it, and have it in close reach.
Build in frequent stops. Not just for pee breaks, also for leg stretches and smells. There are a few apps for rest stops but we have found that Rest Stops Plus is great, as well as iExit for finding close gas, food, etc. Wherever you stop, just make sure you are in a safe, well-lit area, esp if you are alone. Ladies - carry mace everywhere, EVERYWHERE.
Give them a break, be understanding with them It's a lot for you; it's more for them. Yes, they are happy to just be with you but they didn't initiate the change and can't fully understand it. They don't know what is going on. Patience and understanding will help make the trip much better. Trust me, we just did 16 hours in the car in 2 days, twice.
Bonus Tip: Don't throw away their toys in front of them. Maybe my bunch are just a group of nutcases but man, we went through the toys, deciding what to keep with them and was that a mistake! They were crying and then ganging up on me. One would grab something and run while the other went in the trash to pull out toys. Next time, we do it without them.
At the end of the day, you know your pet best. Lots of snuggles and patience will get you all through this!
Got any other tips? Leave them in the comments!
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