You may want to travel with your pets for many reasons, whether you're looking to make memories with them or avoid paying a pet sitter. Regardless, embarking on a dog-friendly road trip — or one with any pet — can be both fulfilling and stressful. Use these tips as a pet-friendly road trip planner before taking your animal friends on the road!
Get Your Pet Comfortable in the Car
Traveling with your pet is much more enjoyable when they're comfortable in the car. It's common for dogs and cats to get anxious or car sick while traveling. Leading up to your road trip, work on getting your pet more comfortable in and around the car. Desensitizing your pet to the car and related sounds and movements helps them feel more comfortable. Start slow and use positive reinforcement like treats so they know something good comes from the car.
For example, associate car rides with positive experiences — if the only time your pet rides in the car is to the vet to get shots, they'll associate the car ride with that negative experience. Taking your pet to the park or pet store occasionally shows them that the car is also for good experiences.
Pack the Essentials
While you likely don't have room to pack up all your pet's belongings, you should pack these essentials for road trips with dogs or other pets:
- Food and water: Pack enough food for your entire trip. Your pet also needs fresh water along the trip, so a spill-proof water bowl can come in handy and allow your pet to get a drink whenever needed.
- Treats: Training treats are smaller, so they're ideal for rewarding your pet when they're behaving well or do something you ask, like peeing at a rest stop.
- Collar, harness and leash: Most rest stops and destinations require animals to be on a leash, so this is a pet road trip must-have.
- Vaccine records: It's better to travel with your pet's vaccine and health records to be safe rather than be stuck without them in an emergency. Some hotels require proof of vaccines before allowing animals to stay.
- Pet insurance information: If you have pet insurance, have your policy details on hand in case of an emergency.
- Poop bags: You can never pack too many poop bags if you're traveling with a dog. You'll likely use more than you think. Some pet-friendly road trip stops offer complimentary poop bags, which you could take advantage of when available.
- Pet bed: Whether it be in your car or hotel room, creating a comfortable space for your pet to lie down and relax makes your trip much more enjoyable.
- Towels: Your pet may get dirty while traveling. Use towels to wipe off their paws before reentering the car or to dry them off.
- Toys and chews: Bring your pet's favorite toys in the car and long-lasting chews to keep them entertained.
Make Frequent Bathroom Breaks
A good rule of thumb is if you have to go to the bathroom, so does your pet. You may have to stop more frequently than you normally would to allow your animal friend to go potty. Never expect them to hold it for long durations in the car. You may have to stop as often as one to two hours, while others may be able to hold it for two to four hours in the car.
The frequency of your bathroom breaks will also depend on how well your pet is potty trained and how used to long car rides they are.
Let Them Stretch and Release Energy
While you may want to make quick stops few and far between, remember that your pet also needs opportunities to stretch and release their energy. Look for rest stops or parks with space to walk around or play before returning to the car. If you're traveling with a dog, bring their favorite ball or frisbee and play fetch for a few minutes to let them run.
If there's no space to let your dog run, try walking them around on a leash or playing tug-of-war beside the car. Any way you can give them a little movement will help.
Provide Mental Stimulation
Mental stimulation tires your pet's brain, similar to how you may feel after a long workday. Mental stimulation makes your pet think, which is just as important as physical exercise. Providing mental stimulation for your animal friend during your road trip can help tire them out and relax in the car.
You could put their meal on a snuffle mat or in an enrichment puzzle so they have to work a little harder to get it. Lick mats or KONGs are great options for dogs to have while you're driving. Your pet can enjoy these enrichment treats in the backseat while you drive, and they'll likely fall asleep after it's finished.
Stay in Pet-Friendly Hotels
Unless you're traveling in an RV or sleeper van, you'll need somewhere to stay overnight on your road trip. Pet-friendly hotels allow your pets to sleep in your room with you. If your pet struggles to settle into new or unfamiliar spaces, bring familiar-smelling items like their bed or blankets into the hotel with you to help make them more comfortable. This is also a great opportunity for dogs to get a bath after being on the road.
How to Find Pet-Friendly Hotels on a Road Trip
Not all hotels allow pets to stay overnight with you, so you'll need to find pet-friendly hotels along your route to accommodate your pets. You can typically filter your hotel search to only show pet-friendly hotels, and the hotel websites should indicate whether they're pet-friendly or not.
Be sure to read the fine print before booking, as some hotels have restrictions for how many dogs are permitted and the dog size, or they charge an extra fee for bringing your dog. If you're traveling with an exotic pet, you may need to call the hotel to confirm if your animal friend can join you on your stay.
Practice Pet Safety on the Road
Keeping your pet safe while traveling is crucial. One of the best ways to ensure their safety while driving is by strapping them into a crash-tested harness or kennel. Other ways to keep them safe include keeping the windows rolled up and keeping them on a leash whenever you're outside the car. You should also pack a first aid kit with items like gauze, antiseptic wipes and tweezers to treat any minor pet injuries.
Prep for Your Pet-Friendly Road Trip With AAA
Whether you're traveling a few hours from home or embarking on a multi-day road trip, AAA ensures you're effectively prepared for anything. With our roadside assistance program, you can travel confidently, knowing we have your back. With a membership, you also have access to our travel advising services. Whether you need help finding dog-friendly hotels along your route or want to schedule a pre-planned trip, our travel advisors are here to help.
Learn more about our travel advising services, or sign up for a AAA membership today!
AAA Cares about our local Animals!
Whether it’s your fur-babies at home or our furry friends in desperate need of a loving home, AAA cares about animals in our communities. Stop by your local AAA Central Penn branch throughout the month of May to show your support and pick up your Thank You Gift. Click the image above for more information.
