Traveling cross-country with your dog

Do you want to see the country without having to leave your dog behind? Make some room in the back seat.

The majority of Americans will not drive from coast-to-coast in their lifetime. Not only is it a long drive (about 40 hours non-stop), but it can also be physically and mentally tolling on the body. Unless you’re a truck driver, moving, or simply a major travel-enthusiast; you’re probably not going to make that trip, especially not with your pet riding in the backseat.

This summer, I made that sea-to-shining-sea trip from Brooklyn, NY to Los Angeles, CA with my boyfriend and my 8 year-old Pitbull named Blazer. Don’t get me wrong, we did consider flying. But after I met someone from JFK airport who told me a majority of the dogs in cargo arrive at their destination dead, I immediately made the decision to drive.

One very important thing to consider before driving cross-country, or any long distance, with your dog is his/her temperament. Is your dog generally well-behaved and comfortable going for longer car rides of at least 2 hours? Blazer often traveled back and forth with me from Brooklyn to my hometown in PA, so I knew he would be okay, but I still had my apprehensions.

The next step is to prepare. I took advice from everyone, even if I didn’t think it was good advice. I bought him a harness, a car restraint, a dog first aid kit, a travel-size bottle of Pepto Bismol, Pedialyte, and a travel water dish (on top of his regular food and water bowls). We made an appointment with our veterinarian to confirm that he was in tip-top shape for this trip.

Once we were as ready as we could possibly be, we hit the road. Blazer was truly a rock star throughout our entire trip, especially while we were driving. He stayed in the back seat and slept the majority of the time. I had to use the restroom more often than he did, so we stopped often to stretch our legs and relieve our bladders.

With a larger dog, it’s definitely important to plan ahead. Most hotels who generally advertise that they are pet-friendly will only accept dogs up to 20 pounds, many have breed restrictions (AKA NO PITBULLS), and will usually charge a pet fee of anywhere from $20-$50 per night. We found that La Quinta Hotels were the nicest and most welcoming towards Blazer, and their prices were reasonable. They also don’t charge a pet fee, so that is definitely a plus.

Most nights, we tried to find restaurants that would allow Blazer. I highly recommend Bring Fido for this. Read the reviews and call ahead to make sure they can accommodate your dog. All of the places we went had delicious food and brought water out for him. Some of the staff even came out just to give him some love. Some nights, we got to our hotels too late and most dog-friendly restaurants were already closed. On these nights, we reluctantly left Blazer in the hotel room with all of his comfort accessories: bed, blanket, and Kong chew toy. Again, know your dog’s temperament (Blazer is not a big barker) and also the hotel rules before you do this. When we came back from dinner, he smothered us with kisses as if we had been gone a lifetime.

By the time we arrived in Los Angeles, we were all exhausted. We slept for almost 12 hours (Blazer, too). Just like with humans, it takes dogs sometime to settle in and get used to all the new noises and fun new smells! It’s been about three weeks, and Blazer has faithfully claimed his spot on the couch. He is officially a Los Angeles transplant!

Keep in mind that traveling is very stressful on your dog. They may refuse to eat or drink for any period of time throughout the trip, so make sure they stay hydrated. If you have any serious concerns about their health while traveling, please take your dog to the nearest veterinarian or animal hospital. It’s always better to be on the cautious side when it comes to your pet’s health.