The following information is from my book,
"Renting with Rex: How You, Your Dog, Your Landlord and
Your Neighbors Can All Thrive in Rental Housing."
Jackie Phillips
https://rentingwithrex.blogspot.com
https://petdetective-thesocialpet.blogspot.com
510/415-6185
Feel free to contact me anytime at the above email address and phone number
“Renting with Rex” is available for purchase directly from the publisher Lulu.com
All text is copyrighted and protected. Any unauthorized use is prohibited.
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Here are some topics that are covered:
1. Planning the Car Route
2. Extra Note of Caution for Pit Bulls and Pit Bull Mixes
3. Final Week's Checks
4. Moving Day!
5. During the Trip
6. Hot Weather Warning!
Planning Your Trip
Planning the car route
Use a map to plan your route in advance. Determine the roads and highways you will take and where you can stop to take breaks. If you belong to an auto club, you might be able to receive a trip planner that includes construction areas and detours, as well. Creating your plan will help you make reservations at campgrounds, motels, or hotels or to visit with friends and family members. You might even consider mapping out some dog park locations along the route to stop and let your dog exercise.
When estimating the time you need to travel, make certain your plan takes into account rest stops, meals, and bathroom and snack breaks. Most major highways in the United States have rest areas along their lengths. These rest areas are excellent places to stop with your pet. Most areas are spacious, with separate parking lots for commercial vehicles and automobiles. In addition, most rest areas have separate “dog walking” locations that are away from the main buildings so your dog can have some privacy and relax.
Depending on your route and the amount of time you have for the trip, you may have more time for sightseeing trips, if your dog would be welcome to participate or if he or she will be comfortable in your vehicle. These stops could provide additional opportunities for breaks. If you have taken the time to acclimate your dog to sleeping in or traveling in his or her crate, you should know how long your pet can go between bathroom breaks.
Extra Note of Caution for Owners of Pit Bulls or Pit Bull Mixes
Be aware that if you are traveling with an American Pit Bull Terrier, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or one of the breeds classified as a “pit bull,” that certain municipalities ban or restrict their movements in or through the area. Other breeds like Rottweilers, Akita and Chows and mixes of these breeds might also be banned or restricted. Make certain you are fully aware of these areas all along your route. Each city has their own individual restrictions ranging from allowing dogs visiting temporarily like showing or traveling to automatic, on-the-spot confiscation.
Final week’s final checks
In the final weeks before your move, watch your pet for signs of increased stress in response to your moving plans and your increased move related distractedness. Talk to your pet openly and honestly about what is happening, and spend extra time with your pet during the preparation. Although he or she might not understand what is being said, your calm tone and your willingness to pay attention to your pet will be reassuring.
Confirm your reservations for your travel plans whether that would include hotel, camping, or plane rides. If you are driving, be sure to check your car’s condition. Take it to a trusted mechanic and tell them that you are planning a long trip. Have them check the oil if it needs changing. Have the mechanic check the tires and fill all of the fluids, as needed.
Do not buy any new beds or toys prior to your move. Animals feel more comfortable with their own belongings, which smell like them. If you wash your pet’s bedding before your move, do so a few days before so that the bed has time to pick up the smells of the pet and its current home. After your move, wait a few weeks before buying new beds and toys for your pet. That will give your pet time to settle into his or her new home and get used to the new surroundings with familiar items.
Moving Day!
On moving day, be certain you know where your pet is at all times. He or she will be very anxious about all of the changes and of the increased activity. A helpful tip is to keep your pet confined in a separate room that has already been cleared of possessions with his or her carrier open, a bowl of water and one or two toys. Not only is this environment quieter and less stressful, but there is also less of a chance they could escape. If you are being assisted by friends or have employed movers, make sure you put a sign on the door saying something like “Animals Inside: DO NOT OPEN.” Remember to give your dog a bowl of fresh water if it will take some time to clear your possessions from your home. This area is also a good one in which to keep personal items like your purse, computers, as well as maps, vaccination records, and other paperwork, that you should keep with you on your trip.
Before you remove your dog from your home for the last time, be certain he or she is wearing his sturdy collar with this temporary ID tags, and make sure that all leashes are nearby to take outside for short walks when necessary.
If you are moving a short distance and if you can afford to do so, another option would be to board your dogs in a secure kennel for a couple of days until you are in your new place.
Before pulling out of the driveway or parking lot, be certain that you have all their supplies ready in a large, secure bag with a lot of pockets. Remember to bring enough food to feed your pet for at least a month, just in the event your brand of food is not available in your new location. This will give your pet enough of his old food to mix with the new, and the change won’t bother his tummy. Food for the trip itself can be packed in pre-measured bags. Also, bring your pet’s favorite treats for snacks along the way. Bring leashes (more than one in case the other is broken or lost), first aid kit (human and animal) water, grooming supplies, pooper scooper bags (lots!), beds, vaccination records and health certificates. In addition, be certain that you are carrying a current photo, just in case the worst happens and your pet becomes lost. Be prepared to handle any such emergency by carrying your cell phone, as well as its charger. Don’t rely on people stopping by in an emergency.
During the Trip
Have fun! Your pet will feel less anxious if you remain calm and relaxed. Remember that animals are very sensitive to our emotions, and if you’re stressed out, your pet will also be stressed out.
Have your motel/hotel guides available along with your road maps. Don’t wander around in your car in strange locations, especially with a dog unless you intentionally are looking for unexpected adventures. Stop frequently to allow for bathroom, water, exercise or stretching periods and food breaks. Always keep your pet on a sturdy leash, collar or harness during these breaks outside your car.
WARNING
When traveling in hot weather, temperatures can soar quickly, even if you have parked in shade. If you are alone and you must stop, make sure you are parked in a large shady area and open the windows at least a couple of inches all around. Be certain to stay away only for a couple of minutes and make sure your pets have access to water while you are gone. Do not leave your car running unattended with the air conditioner on because that could be an invitation to thieves to steal your car. Even locked and running your car could roll forward or backwards. If you are traveling with another person take turns going in, keep the air conditioner on and don’t leave the car unattended.
If you are flying, check with your airline to see if you can visit with your crated dog during layovers, if the trip makes connections or will last more than several hours. Your large dog must endure a long trip in a crate in the luggage compartment of an airplane. In addition to this stress, your dog is in a strange location with many strange noises and may easily become frightened by the airport and all its commotion, so do not remove your dog from its crate unless you are in a secure and private room. Your dog should only leave its carrier if they are wearing its leash and collar or harness. Many horror stories can be told of dogs becoming frightened at airports, bolting out of doors and running loose at airports, even if the dog has always been well behaved.
If at all possible, stick to your same routine such as meals at a specific time and going to bed at the usual time. Dogs and cats are creatures of habit, and if we can maintain a schedule even while traveling, it makes it easier on the pet.
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