Stick Your Head Out the Window, It's Roadtrip Time!
Hi All! Bastian here! Holy cow has it been a busy last couple of weeks! Thanksgiving came and went, Tom made his famous stuffing… it’s delicious! He replaces the bread with pork… my favorite! He didn’t get too angry while making that, so it was a good day. Then we packed up and drove out to the Great Kansas City Pet Expo over the weekend. Now I don’t exactly get along with everyone, so I didn’t go to the event itself, but they tell me that Kansas City loved it!
Speaking of travel, the holidays are upon us and it’s an exciting time where weather is in that perfect 40-50 range and I don’t overheat! We don’t have to do a lot of traveling, but usually we’ll load up the Rendezvous (yep, Sarah has a 2002 Buick Rendezvous, it’s kind of comfortable, I get my own bucket seat, but I prefer the bench seats. Sometimes we take Tom’s Focus, Sarah can’t drive it though since it’s a manual. Tom tried to teach Sarah, but that didn’t go very well. Anyway, It’s about a 2 hour drive to Sarah’s hometown and her mom and dad have 3 toy poodles. They are 4 pounds of terror each! I mean, sure I outweigh them by a total of 55 lbs, but there are 3 of them… and they bark! I’m not used to that! Actually, I get along pretty well with my cousins. They’re good pups. I like going out there too, it’s in the country, so no leash required! Nothing like being free to roam around a bit and going to sniff all those country smells in the fresh air.
It’s always an adventure to get there though. A lot of winding roads. We go pretty fast, so I don’t get to stick my head out the window as much as I’d like. With that in mind, traveling safely isn’t as easy as it looks. We turned to vetstreet.com for some words of advice to make us pups comfortable traveling.
1. I know we don’t like the vet, but it’s probably a good idea to check in with the vet for some good ideas from things like car sickness and parasites. Also, be sure to bring my vaccination records along.
2. Taking the Car? You wear a seatbelt, so should we! There are all kinds of different options out there for restraints for dogs. The level of quality varies drastically, so definitely check out safety ratings. Find out more here: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/study-many-dog-harnesses-for-cars-are-unsafe
3. Can’t we all just get along? Much like visiting my cousins, sometimes new places can be terrifying. There are more people, sometimes more dogs, and gasp, even cats! I don’t particularly like cats, so it’s essential to know they’re going to be there so I know what space is mine and what is theirs. If we head to a pet free home, we need to ensure there aren’t dangerous things around. Poinsettia flowers are pretty popular this time of year, they are super poisonous to us so ensure they are kept out of reach.
4. Ensure you bring what I need! My crate, my food and treats, my favorite toys, and any medication. Remember, if you change my food, I can get pretty sick and might end up tossing my kibble on the Christmas Tree skirt, so make sure you have plenty! Oh… might bring extra too, we know how Grandma likes to give me a little extra when you’re not looking.
5. Now I’ve never flown before, but if you go that route, please consider getting me a spot in the cabin! It is significantly safer for me. If the airline won’t allow it, make sure I travel in a high quality pet carrier for the cargo storage. USA Today provides a pretty solid article on airline travel here: http://traveltips.usatoday.com/dog-plane-61834.html
Well, there you have it! You’re all set for that big holiday road trip! Can’t wait to hit the road. Oh! One last thing, make sure to bring along a K9X Ball so Uncle Eddie can play some fetch with me!