The fall season is upon us and with it comes the annual tradition of warm family gatherings. Thanksgiving dinner is a great time to catch up with your cousins, but many of us with more spread-out relatives will need to travel for the occasion. That leaves us with a question; what should we do with our canine companions? Should we bring them along for the journey or not? As is true of many such scenarios in dog ownership, there is no “right” answer: every dog is special and has different needs. Hopefully these ideas will help you decide what is right for your furry friend.
Firstly, you will need to decide if your dog has the right temperament for travel. Is he good with other people and potentially other dogs, and does he do well in unfamiliar places? This typical question is made even more important than usual because of the group nature of family gatherings; perhaps your dog can handle a few people, but not the more chaotic larger groups that events like Thanksgiving often entail. Children are often present at these kinds of festivities, which is another wrinkle to think about; not all dogs good with adults are also good with children.
Next, you will need to consider where you will be staying. If you’re planning on staying in a hotel you will need to make sure they are pet friendly beforehand. However, if you are staying at a family residence, there are multiple factors at play. Just as your dog needs to be good with people, “your people” need to be able to handle dogs. If you have an outside dog you will need to ensure there is a fenced off yard or other accommodations, and inside dogs need adequate space in a house that may be quite crowded. Additionally, if you have a breed that sheds, you must consider the allergy needs of those living in the house, as well as other guests who may be staying there with you.
If you do decide to leave your companion behind you will need to make accommodations, perhaps with a friend or family member to look after your dog for the duration of the trip. If none of those options are available to you, you may decide to use a boarding service. HotSpawts features dog boarding as one of the many pet services available in our easy to use app, launching early 2019. However you decide to handle the dog travel dilemma, HotSpawts wishes you happy holidays for both you and the ones you love most, be they canine or otherwise.
What will you be doing with your dogs this holiday season? Are they coming with you for a trip, or are you both planning on staying bundled up tight at home? Let us know in the comments below.
