If you want one last warm weather hurrah before fall comes in cold, you might consider taking your pup on a road trip! Although road trips are the ideal last-minute vacation, planning ahead for your pup makes this type of trip much safer and more comfortable for the both of you. 

Before you Leave

You wouldn’t go on a road trip without your driver’s license, insurance card, and car registration, just as your pup shouldn’t go on a road trip without an up-to-date microchip, ID tag, and a current rabies vaccination.

There are various microchip companies and registries. If you aren’t sure if your pet’s microchip information is correct and aren’t sure how to find that out, start by getting your pup’s microchip number. This number could be in paperwork from the shelter, rescue organization, or the breeder. You can also have your vet scan your dog for the microchip number. Some shelters and pet stores are able to do this too! If you have the microchip number but don’t know where your pup is registered, the American Animal Hospital Association has a tool that lets you search for where the microchip may be registered.

Double check that your pup’s ID tag is legible and correct and that you have a copy of your dog’s current rabies vaccination certificate. While having a copy of the rabies vaccination won’t help you find your dog if he gets lost, you’ll be glad you had it handy if you need to get him professionally groomed while on the road or if he bites another person or animal.

Packing Your Bag

Along with your pup’s day-to-day essentials like a leash, collar, food, and bowls, plan to bring some extras and supplies you hope you won’t need to use.

Packing list:

• Food
• Treats
• Food and water bowls
• Extra water
• Extra leashes (maybe multiple lengths for some spontaneous sniffaris!)
• Poop bags
• Dog First Aid Kit (purchase one or DIY!)
• Crates
• Wet wipes
• Medications
• Supplements (like Chill+Out to support calmness during travel)

Car Safety

It can be unnerving to think about, but for the safety of your dog, yourself, and other people on the road, it’s important to consider how prevalent car accidents really are these days and what causes them. When we think of distracted driving, we typically think of cell phone use, but according to the National Safety Council, of the 3,308 fatalities resulting from distraction-affected crashes in 2022, only 12.1% of those involved cell phone use. There are A LOT more causes for us to be distracted, and our dogs are one of them!

The safest way to travel with your pup in the car to prevent distraction is with him in a properly secured crate. If a car crate isn’t an option, however, a dog seat belt will do in a pinch.

On the Road

People (and dogs!) will usually require a pit stop every 2-4 hours. Finding spots to take a break ahead of time will help you feel less stressed on the road and make it easier to stop at dog-friendly spots. Many Love’s Truck Stops have dog parks where you and your dog can stretch your legs off-leash. While we don’t typically recommend dog parks for most dogs, the dog parks at Love’s seem to have an unspoken “single family capacity” policy, so it’s unlikely (but not impossible as it is allowed!) that you’ll have other people and their dogs entering the park while you’re using it. 

If you want to let your dog roam around an area on or off-leash without worrying about other dogs, consider booking a Sniffspot along your route. Sniffspot allows people to rent their land by the hour as a private dog park, and you can filter to find one that has your preferred size and fencing.

Overnight

Many more hotels and private rental properties allow dogs these days, but they vary on how dog-friendly they actually are.

Nervous dogs might benefit more from a private rental in the suburbs compared to a hotel room in the city. If this isn’t an option, you can call ahead to hotels and book a specific room to help minimize your dog’s triggers. Getting a room on the first floor and close to a side or back exit keeps the chance of seeing other people or dogs inside the hotel to a minimum. Turning the fan from “auto” to “on” and bringing your own white noise machine to place between your dog and the door will help muffle sounds from outside that might worry your pup.

Enjoy Yourselves!

Exploring the country with your best canine friend can be a magical experience for you both with the right preparation. Set yourself up for safety, comfort, and enjoyment ahead of time, because you better believe the one time you forget your dog’s fiber supplement or scissors and wet wipes (we’re looking at you, parents of long-haired pups!) is the time your dog has some travel stress-related GI upset.