We very recently relocated back to the UK from Australia and we experienced travelling with a dog internationally for the first time. Earlier in February, we documented what we knew to that point before our little London dog had been allocated his flight to England.
To find out about the visas we secured to live and work in the UK, you can read more here.
If you’re planning to travel with your beloved dog overseas and like us, you’re unable to bring him/her on the plane with you, please read on for our experience and advice!
There’s so much planning and preparation you need to do. This (American based) advice is helpful. Similarly there’s further useful information on this post from Going.
Travelling with your dog internationally
We won’t lie, the experience was VERY hard on all of us. We wanted to create a follow-up piece to share what we learned and what we wish we had known when it came to transporting our dog, London, from Australia to the UK.
See the full story, press play:
Covered in the video: our top 5 learnings and warnings!
Learning: information about flight schedules may be illusive
Warning: Your pet’s itinerary may change at the last minute
Warning: Ensure you can get in contact with everyone involved
Learning: Be unapologetic about asking for more information and photos
Warning: Check your pet’s health when you are reunited.
Global travel with your dog: final thoughts
After two weeks, we can report that London is starting to settle. He’s definitely exhibiting some anxious behaviours that he didn’t previously have, but with lots of love, cuddles and implementation of a positive routine, we can see he’s coming back to his old self.
There’s no getting around the fact that travelling with a dog in cargo on a long haul trip is not ideal. We found it harrowing, actually. But if you want your pet to join you if you are moving abroad, there is no other option in many cases.
We hope you find our experience and learnings helpful. Most important for us to impart is to dig deep, ask LOTS of questions about potential itinerary and take your decision from there.
We’d love to hear from you – let us know your thoughts or questions in the comments below.
Overseas pet travel isn’t as easy as we’d like it to be, particularly when you’re flying a route like Australia to England. But, we’re about to head off on another adventure to the UK, and we will take our little Westie, London, with us.
To find out about the visas we secured to live and work in the UK, you can read more here.
How simple is planning overseas pet travel?
I think the best way to describe the planning is that it is a process.
It’s all possible, but there’s a number of considerations to take into account. This means ideally you would give yourself six months or more to plan. Between the time we discovered we had the opportunity to move back to the UK and the time we needed to fly, we actually didn’t have six months. Together with our trusted vet and a pet carrier, we have made it work though.
If you are planning to relocate to another country, maybe our process and information can help you.
5 steps to move a dog overseas
1. Talk to a trusted vet
The first port of call for us when planning to relocate London dog overseas with us was to speak to our vet. Our lovely vet Kirsty from Toowong Family vet in Brisbane, has known London since he was a wee puppy. She’s an excellent vet, so we booked a consult with her, primarily to speak about:
– the travel process and London’s general health for such a journey
– gauging and managing his anxiety in a new situation such as long distance flying.
Kirsty checked London over and we chatted about his age and health. We determined that he is ok to fly.
The big one for us though is the lengthy flight(s) itself. In the past, sometimes dogs were sedated so they would sleep. It’s been deemed that that this is not safe, so sedation is not an option. Kirsty talked us through a program for managing London’s anxiety, which began a few weeks ago and will continue into when he is settling into his new home in the Northern Hemisphere.
Talk to your vet about options that may suit your beloved fur baby.
2. Choose an accredited pet carrier
We researched several major international pet carriers operating in Australia and sought quotes from each. After having a conversation with each and comparing quotes, we ended up making a decision based on the itinerary available to London.
While it is possible to fly London from Brisbane to London, the routes recommended by some carriers meant that he would not leave his crate for around 24 hours. We chose Petraveller based on reviews and because they suggested a route that – while longer in terms of the amount of time we are separated – it seemed fairer on him to have more breaks.
Choosing a pet carrier is a BIG decision. It’s very expensive no matter how you look at it, and we know London’s life and wellbeing is being placed in their hands. There’s a lot of trust and faith involved. We will keep you posted on the outcome. At time of posting, London is set to begin his journey in a week’s time.
3. Consult with your chosen pet carrier to find out about the process involved in taking your dog overseas
The next most important conversation we had after the one with our vet, was the one with our chosen pet carrier. Over the duration of one or two chats, a few things were explained to us:
time frames and action items for us
costs
the importance of securing a rabies vaccination immediately for London dog – in Australia, the rabies vaccine is often in short supply and only some vets administer it, so get your pet sorted straight away if you intend to fly in the coming year
application for a Transfer of Residency to the UK so we could avoid import fees for London
preparing London for travel before, during and after the journey
the airline application process which meant we had to choose a date range for London to travel – the application is lodged around the 15th of each month and your pet’s travel itinerary is only confirmed in the last week of each month
considerations around where London would stay should we need to fly out first, or where he would go if he arrived in the UK first.
Watch the video for full details and our experience with these action points.
London was eventually allocated a flight itinerary that will see him fly out of Melbourne on a Monday evening. He will arrive in Dubai and stay at a pet hotel to recover a little, then will fly into Gatwick airport in England, arriving the same day as us (a Thursday morning). Unfortunately, due to the flight going out on Monday, he will be flown to Melbourne on the Friday and will stay in a pet hotel before having his final vet checks and then leaving the country.
Yes, it is very stressful.
4. Book a rabies vaccination
It’s important to note that if you’re flying your pet internationally from Australia, they will need a rabies vaccine. There is absolutely no way they can fly without it.
In Australia, the vaccine is known to often be in short supply. At the time we started looking for it, none was available. We waited anxiously for a few weeks, and after putting our name on the list at multiple vets in the whole of south-east Queensland, we eventually got a call from Kalinga Park Vet who sorted us out.
You’ll be given a certificate by the vet who administers this. Keep it safe as you’ll need to share it several times during the process with your pet carrier.
5. Crate train your dog for overseas travel
A crate will be sent to you by your pet carrier. The size will depend on dimensions you provide and guidance is given about how to measure for this.
Give your pooch as much time crate training for travel as possible.
London never had a worry in his crate – he loved it and we crate trained him as a puppy. BUT he’s never had the door closed and didn’t like it. Some excellent advice on a process was shared with us from our vet. Similar advice is present on the internet.
Make the crate fun: put treats, toys and food in and around it. Gradually introduce your pet to his/her crate.
Ensure the crate is comfortable for sleeping. London has a favourite bed that we put inside – he takes himself into the crate to sleep at night. We did reward this at the beginning with treats.
Start to get him/her used to travel. We put his crate in the car and went for drives of varying length. At first London didn’t like the change, but he got used to it and now sits calmly in his crate.
As time goes by, see if you can find a ‘noisier’ vehicle like a van or 4WD to put the crate in, so your pup gets used to louder sounds.
And if possible, put your pet into their crate and get someone else to go for a drive with them. When you show up on the other side, he/she will associate the experience with you eventually showing up to meet them.
The nerves are real
I’m not going to lie – we’re nervous about this.
The leg between Australia and Dubai is 14 hours. Then London stays in a new country in the middle of the world overnight. Following is 9 hours to Gatwick in his crate. He then remains in his create as he is processed through customs which could be a few hours. Petraveller’s partner over in the UK will let him out for a walk and toilet break before he then is transported to where we are staying.
Our vet told us that he won’t love it, but that he will be ok.
We will report back: I’m sure there’ll be tears on all fronts. But it will be worth it in the end ❤️
If you’re keen to get back on the travel trail, but don’t want to leave your best mate behind, here, find out exactly how to house sit with your own pet! Nicky and her husband Andy travels full-time in their campervan around the UK and Europe, and their beautiful Spanish rescue dog, Gus, tags along for the ride.
They now apply for house and pet sits with their dog, which for some pet sitters, feels really complicated. But, if you’re keen to give it a go, take heed of Nicky’s invaluable advice on how they – in the first place – score sits with Gus; and also, the benefits he brings the dogs they are sitting for!
Nicky’s top tips on how to house sit with your own pet
As an avid house and pet sitter who has experienced opportunities across the UK and Europe, Nicky advises anyone coming into the business to really have a good think about what type of sits you want. She also says, start now – start in your own city. This advice echoes what past guests, Kate and Dave, shared as their top tips. Have a read here.
Rescuing a dog on the road
While sitting in Spain, Nicky came across an animal shelter that – of course – had a dog waiting for his new furever home. As it turns out, they met Gus, “the perfect dog” for them. He was two and had been born in the shelter. A black dog, he had struggled to be discovered for a new home. This happens frequently for both cats and dogs in Europe, unfortunately due to a very old superstition around black animals being unlucky.
Gus has proven to be quite the opposite: he’s their four pawed travelling best friend.
Nicky took her time introducing Gus to the lifestyle though, so he’d be comfortable. It’s an important lesson for all of us, especially anyone rescuing a dog – give them time and the proper space to understand and feel comfortable in their new environment.
House and pet sitting with your dog
Once settled, this trio picked up travelling and house sitting again.
Nicky said one of her best pieces of advice is to ensure your profile on house and pet sitting sites makes it very very clear – front and centre – that you’re travelling with your fur baby.
“The top of our profile clearly says, Nicky, Andy and Gus 🐾”, and in her applications she reinforces, “thank you for considering all of us”.
Another great idea – she’s encouraged the homeowners writing a review to please include a reference to Gus in the review, once again, to reinforce the benefits he’s brought to the sit, and how easy it was for him to be included. This tip was also mentioned by Laura who doesn’t travel and house sit with a dog, but her family of four :) Find out more about house and pet sitting as a family.
Finding the right sit for you and your dog
Nicky says that she does do a lot more work now to choose house sits that are right for both she and Andy, and especially Gus. It’s obviously worthwhile in order to score those perfect sits though.
If a profile states that a dog doesn’t get on with other dogs, then of course she will not apply. She says, prioritise your pet when applying for sits – set your boundaries. Some homeowners are so keen to have you as a sitter, that they’ll say “Yes, come along!”, when, the match for Gus and the dogs on the ground, wasn’t right. Be selective in location and situation in terms of other animals there.
Despite the bit extra work around sifting through available house sits and applying for those that match their bigger picture, Nicky reports that they’re in demand! They’re booked 12 months in advance! In fact, they get plenty of repeat business from families whose pets loved the sits with Gus.
Travel and house sitting
“Travel is the ability to see other places and immerse yourself in a new culture”, says Nicky. But she stresses that in an application for a sit, they’ll highlight that the pets come first. Importantly, that they plan to be present, and love the pets as if they are their own.
The beautiful thing about pairing ‘travel’ and ‘house sitting’ is that you can live like a local. You can see places you might never have visited had it not been for the house sit! And, you’re constantly reminded of the good in people. That is, inherent kindness despite what we may see on the news.
It’s also wonderful to have the chance to see what the Universe presents and to go with the flow. “It’s wonderful how things inevitably align,” marvels Nicky. We agree.
Join us on our podcasting adventures as we hear inspiring stories from amazing people travelling the world. They’re living their best life, often with their pets in tow!
In this episode of Freedom and Four Paws, discover how being a dog owner yourself, can add value to applying for gigs as a house sitter where there are other dogs. Nicky is brimming with excellent advice for house and pet sitting with your own dog.
Listen for additional tips on travelling in Europe and being mindful of what visas and health certificates you may need.
Watch the episode for their complete story and advice. Or listen on your favourite podcast service, search ‘Freedom and Four Paws’.
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Unfortunately, Australia still isn’t as pet friendly as it could be when it comes to travel, but we were told how dog-friendly Byron Bay is and decided to investigate :)
In our post-COVID exploration, we had been searching for options in South East Queensland. But, it soon became obvious that dog-friendly travel isn’t that easy to come by within driving distance of Brisbane. And, if it’s there, it can be expensive or quite restrictive.
Northern NSW became an option when I stumbled across the info on Byron Bay Hotel and Apartments. Now, they’re not sponsoring this post, but deserve a shout-out! For a low fuss flat fee of $80, we can take London with us on an adventure. And, this dog-friendly accommodation is located right in the heart of Byron Bay.
Dog friendly Byron: best of
You’ll spot that London our Westie is wearing a jumper. That’s because our pet friendly excursion to Byron Bay (the first time!) came about as winter hit in Australia.
But the experience made up for the chilly weather. This was London’s first trip to the beach in his little life of 15 months. Take a look at the video of our dog friendly Byron Bay adventure and you’ll see how much he LOVED IT ❤️ This made us so happy too 🥰
Our top picks for dog friendly Byron Bay are as follows:
Byron Bay dog beaches
Belongil Beach dog friendly beach is literally right there in Byron Bay. As anyone for directions, just keep an eye out for high tide coming in.
Suffolk Park, about ten minutes’ drive from the heart of Byron Bay, boasts a beautiful beach too. This spot is also dog friendly and is brimming with cool locals to chat to (the two and four legged variety).
Pet friendly cafes and restaurants in Byron Bay
Outside of seeing the pure joy in London when he discovered ‘the beach’, we also had real fun at some of Byron’s best pet friendly hangouts.
Notably, Byron Bay does Mexican really well. We LOVE Miss Margarita in Byron – it’s right near the beach and boasts a happy hour between 5-6pm every day. Also, the food is excellent! This place gets busy so you should time your visit, especially if bringing your pooch.
At Miss Margarita they went out of their way to make sure London was happy and cared for with a bowl of water and a spot to sit. But, you need to grab a table out the front, so don’t land right in the middle of happy hour or peak dinner time.
Don Pedros, just a street up from the beach, also served great food and London was welcome in the area out the front.
Both places served up an awesome margarita, by the way 👍
For brekky, we enjoyed Bayleaf. It’s lovely on a lazy sunny weekend morning, but gets very busy! London was more than welcome in the front section, but we were lucky to get a table, so be mindful after 8am.
Also, we liked Byron Fresh, right in the heart of Byron. They let us take London inside on a cold day – you can see him below hanging out on his mat, in his jacket, with a rug. Spoilt, much? :)
Another lovely spot we discovered that has plenty of dog friendly places to perch in Byron Bay, is Treehouse on Belongil. If you are to enter Belongil dog friendly beach from the centre of Byron Bay side, Treehouse is situated about 10 to 15 minutes walk along the beach. Walk up off the beach and you’ll find it. The lovely venue serves up some nice food and coffees, and it’s a very chilled out vibe. We loved it.
Other dog friendly experiences in Byron Bay
There’s quite a bit of Northern New South Wales (NSW) that is well known for being dog friendly. Love that! You can search for options on Airbnb and Booking.com. Surrounding towns include Ballina and Lennox Head. There’s also the Tweed Coast nearer to the Queensland border.
As you enter Byron Bay, a worthwhile experience is to visit the Stone & Wood Brewery. We do enjoy a pint of this one, especially in summer, so it’s nice to visit its origin. The brewery has a huge outdoor area at its entryway. You can order tasting trays and snacks. And, your pooch is entirely welcome to hang out with you in the sun.
There’s a few places we didn’t make it to, including The Farm which is a popular spot for parents of human and fur babies! Our little mate, Schnitzel (who we met at TBEX Czech Republic, would you believe?!), shares more in this blog.
As proud fur parents, we obviously advocate for taking your pup with you whenever you can. But if you can’t, you might find this advice useful.
Additionally, we have a host of excellent info on house and pet sitting as an option, here on YouTube. If you’re interested in this, maybe you’d also like to join our Facebook Group that’s all about house and pet sitting + travel as a way of life ❤️
Ten months ago, my Mum, Cooper and I found ourselves in a sleepy suburb outside of Brisbane, surrounded by a squeaking pack of tiny Westie puppies. It was a far cry from where we expected to be in December 2020. I for one fully intended to be at a nice crisp German Christmas market, sipping on mulled wine and impulse buying sparkly decorations that I had nowhere to display.
But, surrounded by these white creatures that more so resembled tiny polar bears than Westie puppies with their eyes barely open wasn’t entirely bad either.
For the love of dog
One look at all of our past content here and on YouTube, and you’ll spot a mile off that Cooper and I are “dog people”. Not part time or casual dog people. Oh no. We are those all-in-totally-obsessed-heart-eyed weirdos who quite literally would follow a wagging tail along the road, through a shopping mall, down a commuter platform and onto a train if it meant we could have just one pat.
If that sounds insane to you, maybe you better go find another post to read 😛
As long as Cooper and I have known each other, we have loved dogs. In fact, I recall the first time I thought Cooper (my co-worker at the time) was “sweet” was when he stooped down to kiss one of our mutual friends’ dogs on the head when he met it.
“That’s so sweet,” I thought…and looked at him kinda differently after that.
Jumping forward a few years, we had two blue cattle dogs in our lives. One, Stephanie, my beloved childhood pet who moved with me to a small rural town in NSW where Cooper ended up befriending her and giving her a roaring good time in her twilight years.
And the second, Harry (pictured above), another bluey who was quite simply the best dog you could ever, ever know. He loved us and we loved him with all of our hearts. Everyone loved Harry – he was a popular family member with all relations and friends. He had his own identity and personality. When you imagine the “man’s (or woman) best friend” analogy of a dog and their human living their best life, together, Harry is the dog in that picture.
That rainbow bridge, I tell you, it’s a wonderful place with all our four-legged mates chasing their tails and their tennis balls, just waiting for us on the other side.
But of course, there’s that time in between. And ours was spent living abroad and travelling. We were always dog spotting and stalking puppies in the park – well, everywhere really (pubs, trains, cafes, courtyards, the workplace…). The time was never right for us to get a dog when we lived in London. We did however, sign up to be Trusted Housesitters specifically to get our dog fix and give love to fur babies in the absence of their own humans who wanted to get away on a holiday somewhere.
Which brings me back to being surrounded by Westie puppies…
Since we had to leave London for now, and with so much loss experienced over the past year, we decided that it was time to bring in new puppy joy. (Well, when I say ‘we’, I mean I kept shoving the newborn picture of our future Westie pup in Cooper’s face until he said ‘yes’ :).
We couldn’t get a bluey again based on our apartment living requirements, so we set about searching for a breed that we feel is quite similar in personality: the West Highland Terrier. Maybe it was sentimental – Westies had been the first breed we pet sat for in London; or maybe it was always meant to be, but we decided to give raising a Westie a go.
That day surrounded by Westie puppies, we made our choice: not the loudest pup, and not the quietest – the one in the middle who did seem content enough with us gently picking him up and having a chat with him about his future.
What did we learn about Westie puppies?
Well let me tell you, Westies, they’re not the same as cattle dogs 😂 In fact, we’d clocked early on – at about 9 weeks old – that our little Westie puppy, London (named after our beloved adopted home in England) had no intention of listening to anything other than what pleased him. Our vet even said to us, “yeah, he’ll never be obedient like the cattle dog”.
‘Westitude’, we later discovered on a Facebook Group full of Westie owners – is an actual thing. Defiant, belligerent, obstinate.
But oh my God, he’s just the cutest little defiant, belligerent, obstinate thing we could ever know!
Also, we are kind of in love with him, which is evident by the fact he has nine places comfortably laid out to sleep at home (in a one bedroom flat!). We also bought a doggie cam so we could check on him and make sure he was ok and not fretting when he was a little pup. Additionally, London has the luxury of attending doggy daycare during the week to keep him happy and social.
Best things we did to help our West Highland Terrier puppy as he grew up
If you’re considering the journey, go for it. These are the funniest little dogs you’ll ever meet! Actually hilarious! But here are my top tips based on our own experience:
Crate training was a new concept for us, but it’s the BEST thing we did. Even though London isn’t bound to his crate anymore, he still makes his way inside for his own peace, solace, warmth and rest.
The first eight weeks might be tough: they’re babies and need the same care human babies do. They also wake VERY early and need to know you’re there to help them with potty or nurturing.
Give your puppy the time he/she deserves. I think it’s easy to forget they’re still so young and really do need proper care. They love interaction and play, so spend time with them.
Ensure plenty of toys and stimulation are available for your puppy, especially if you’re going to be out.
But with that said, please please do not get a puppy (of any breed) without thinking through how he/she will spend their days. If you’re going to be out a lot in the future, will you provide daycare or walkers – what’s the plan?
Best treats we discovered are chilled carrots (he LOVES these) which are especially great when your puppy is teething; and peanut butter on a Lickimat (available on Amazon and at pet stores).
Our doggie webcam was so inexpensive on Amazon and well worth it so we could monitor in his early days how he was coping when we were at work.I spotted there was a two hour window in the afternoon when he started to panic and suffer from separation anxiety, so arranged for friends to drop in and play with him during that time while he was very young.
Get proper breed-related advice on how to feed and care for your pup: Westies tend towards sensitive stomachs and allergies, so do your research to ensure you are prepared and can prevent these things if possible.
Educate yourself: there’s a WEALTH of wonderful training information on YouTube. If you’re getting a puppy, spend time teaching yourself how to care for him or her. They deserve it, and your future self will thank you! Two of our fave trainers’ channels for this are Zak George and Michele Lennon.
Learn to go with your intuition. If a cry is more than a cry or you sense there’s a difference between anxiety and tantrum (and there is), take action on it accordingly.
Westie puppies are very social, so after vaccinations, ensure you’re getting your pup out and about to play with other dogs. Puppy preschool is a good option, as is doggie daycare in the long run. Dog parks are in every city, and you can find breed-specific or location-specific pooch meet-up groups on Facebook.
The world will revolve around your Westie puppy, because he/she demands it to be so :)
A future world with our Westie
As London grows, he is gradually shedding some of the puppy Westitude. He wants to hang out with us more and do dog things … like we remember dogs do. He’s brought so much fun and laughter though, and reminds us yet again of the value of dogs: they are pure joy.
He is certainly part of our pack now. Or perhaps, it’s us who are in his.
We can’t wait to see what the future holds: adventures with London in London, perhaps?
At one point or another, you may end up travelling with a dog (aka your best mate!). You don’t have to have trepidation about it as it can actually prove to be a great time for both you and your pooch.
In order to make things easier while you are travelling with a dog, you should utilise the following 11 travel hacks below 🥰
1. When travelling with a dog, bring a dryer sheet
Many dogs tend to get very nervous when it’s thundering and lightening outside. They often get scared because of static electricity builds up in their fur.
You can use a dryer sheet to calm them down.
Simply rub it over their fur to get rid of static electricity buildup. It’s a quick and easy way to calm them down when it’s stormy outside.
2. Book travel based on your dog’s schedule
It’s imperative that you book your travel at the right time. You don’t want to be taking off on a flight or starting a long car ride during the time of day when your dog has the most energy. This is why you should book your travel based on your dog’s schedule.
Try to make your travel plans for when you know he will be tired and want to nap. While there’s no guarantee that he will actually sleep, your travels will go a whole lot easier if he snoozes for at least part of it.
👉If your schedules don’t match up, have you considered engaging a pet and house sitter? Find out more
3. Pack a squeegee when travelling with a dog
Squeegees aren’t just for cleaning car windows. They can actually be very beneficial at cleaning up dog hair. You can use it to get up hair on carpets, furniture or beds.
4. Get the contact information for vets at your destination
Unfortunately, dogs can get sick or become injured when you are travelling. Because of this, you need to know where the nearest vet is. You don’t want to wait until there’s an emergency in order to find a vet.
Research vets at your destination beforehand. Reach out to them to make sure that they are taking new patients.
If they are, keep their contact information handy just in case you need it while you are at your destination.
5. Strategise so that they’ll need to relieve themselves less on travel days
You probably don’t want to stop constantly so that your dog can relieve himself. Fortunately, there are some things that you can do so that he will need to go potty less.
Don’t feed him or give him water right before you walk out of the door. You may want to feed him or give him water so that he’s not hungry or thirsty, but he will just need to relieve himself at an inopportune time.
Try giving him something to eat or drink about an hour before you walk out of the door.
6. Use a pet carrier that has wheels
Carrying your dog around over long periods of time can be difficult. You can make it easier on yourself by getting a pet carrier that has wheels. This will allow you to safely navigate your way around a crowded airport without putting your dog’s safety in jeopardy. Just make sure that he is used to it well ahead of travel time.
Do a few practice runs in the weeks leading up to your vacation. In order to make it easier for him or her, put a favourite toy or blankets in it as well.
7. Bring an indoor potty system
There may be times where you can’t take your dog outside to relieve himself. This is where an indoor potty system can come in handy.
You can use it when your dog gets sick and needs somewhere to go pretty quickly. It also might be forbidden to let your dog relieve himself outside of your holiday destination, or you might find that it’s very rainy out and isn’t safe to take him outside.
No matter what the reason may be, he can use the indoor potty system to relieve himself. You won’t have to deal with accidents because there wasn’t a place to take him to do so.
8. Pack baking soda
Even dogs that have been potty trained for a long time can have accidents while travelling.
If your dog pees on a carpet, you can easily clean this up with a bit of baking soda. All you need to do is sprinkle it over the wet spot. In a few minutes it will absorb all of the urine.
9. Portion their food beforehand
You want to make sure that you pack the right amount of food for your dog. One way to do this is by portioning it before you travel.
Pack a day’s worth of food in a sealable bag. This will ensure that your dog gets the right amount of food, and you won’t have to travel with dog food that you won’t end up using.
10. Have an extra collar and leash
One of the most misplaced items when travelling is a collar or leash. This is why you need to have an extra of both. You don’t want to let your dog run around without a leash or collar, and there might not be a retailer near your hotel where you can purchase one.
11. Pack a can of chicken broth
Dogs can easily get upset tummies when they are travelling. If your dog just has a little bit of motion sickness, you don’t necessarily have to run to the vet.
Chicken broth can help soothe their stomach.
Place a little bit of it in his/her water to drink. Chicken broth is packed with nutrients, and it can make him feel better pretty quickly. Just make sure that you choose a chicken broth that’s low in sodium as too much salt isn’t good for dogs.
Travelling with your dog can prove to be a very enjoyable time for the both of you. If you will be travelling with your dog soon, make sure you utilise some of the travel hacks mentioned above. By doing so, you will ensure that both you and your dog have a great time no matter where in the world you go.
Got questions or other tips? Let us know in the comments.
Can’t take your pooch with you on holidays? Have a read about other options so they’re well cared for while you’re away 💕
Welcome to Travel Live Learn! We are Sarah + Cooper, Aussie expats living in the UK with our Westie dog, London, along for the ride. Our most popular content here is about pet friendly travel, house + pet sitting, and designing a life as expats or digital nomads wherever in the world you want to be.
