brookcove
Posted : 11/13/2006 6:01:33 PM
Pictures please!
Traveling: Red Roof is GREAT - most of them not only allow small dogs but are enthusiastic about welcoming your pet. Their sister chain Motel 6 is also good. Individual hotels set their own rules though - sometimes it even depends on who you talk to at the desk. Always call ahead both when you make your reservation and as you approach the hotel, to confirm. Emphasize the words, "Small, well-trained pet."
Pack for your dog. I have a seperate kit that goes with me whenever I travel with dogs. Mine is huge because I have tons of dogs. But the basics are:
- First aid kit. I include vet wrap and a wound ointment with tea tree oil in mine, plus an herbal sedative, kaopectate, baby aspirin, hydrogen pyroxide, and charcoal. This is in addition to the items you'll typically find in a prepacked pet first aid kit. Plus, purchase a soft muzzle sized for your dog - the fabric kind with the quick-clip.
- "Dog towels" and cleaning supplies
- Bottled water
- Emergency food. I use cans because they last forever and they are impervious to doggy filching. I used to use expensive freeze-dried food but the dogs kept raiding the dog box - did I mention the food was expensive?[8|]
- Feeding dishes
- A folder with pictures of your dog (side and head), description of your dog including tag#s and collar, copy of medical records, and emergency description of eating and sleeping habits as well as any quirks or medical conditions
- Extra collar and leash
No matter how small or well-trained the dog I have with me is, I also carry one crate per dog if at all possible. Since your dog is small, it will be easy to get a small collapsible crate for him. Hey, they are on sale at dog.com right now! [
] Actually, what you might want, since you are concerned about the cold, is a mesh fabric crate. You can also drape a blanket over the wire crate but I adore my fabric crates for travel - easy to tote around, comfy for the dog.
It's up to you how your dog will travel while you are in the car, but I highly recommend the crate while you are eating or otherwise not supervising your dog. Too many things can happen - including someone seeing your dog and stealing him out of the car!
Cold is not going to be a huge issue. It takes a long time (like a couple of hours) for a heated car to get freezing cold, even when it's well below freezing out. The same technology which muffles road noise also creates a very well-insulated space, in most cases. In a crate, if you line it with a nice sheepie bed with bumpers, your dog can even tolerate freezing temps for short periods (though I'd assume you wouldn't be that long over even the most wonderful meal). Traveling when the temps get UP past seventy is the real problem. I'm lucky in that most places I'm going I can leave the windows wide open on my giant SUV.
Give your new dog some time to relax around the kids. Don't force that issue - let the dog meet them on his own terms. He will after a while. It can take up to two months for a dog to suddenly feel "at home" - sometimes it happens overnight, it seems!