One thing that’s difficult as a dog owner is kenneling your pooch when you go away on holiday, it feels unfair leaving them behind while you’re off having a good time. But it doesn’t have to be this way, travelling with your dog can be so rewarding and is perfectly possible if your pup is trained well and has the right temperament. If you’re a regular traveller and have put off getting a dog for this reason, why not consider getting a puppy that you can bring to places with you? Here are some ways you can make everything run as smoothly as possible.

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Train them when they’re young

If you plan on going on lots of adventures with your pooch throughout their lives, it makes sense to have them well trained which ideally starts in puppyhood. Crate training is useful, that way if you’re going on a flight or a long journey in the car, they’re quite happy relaxing in their crate with a toy or chew. For shorter car journeys it can be easier to strap their harness to a doggy seatbelt, train them so that they’re calm and well behaved. Get them used to being in busy places, as some parts of the world you might want to visit such as towns and cities will have lots going on. Take them on trains and buses when they’re puppies and at their most adaptable. Get them used to all kinds of stimuli such as traffic, prams and bikes. This will get them used to everything, and teach them that they have nothing to fear- that way, when you travel with them they’ll remain happy and balanced and won’t feel stressed. Training your pooch so that they’re responsive to your commands is important for their safety and for practical purposes. Go to puppy training classes, work on your recall and aim to train your dog to be as obedient as possible. This will be useful when you’re travelling together.

Go on shorter journeys first

Once you’ve worked on socialising your puppy and getting them used to lots of different situations around your local area, the next step would be to book a trip. Make life easier and go on a shorter journey first. Perhaps you could go camping, on a barge or book a pet friendly hotel in the country where you live. Get your dog used to staying away from home, bring their bed and a puppy pen or crate too if needed and teach them that when you’re staying somewhere new this is where they have to settle to go to bed. If everything goes smoothly, you could look at taking longer trips and ones that are further away.

Make sure their health is in check

Dogs should be fully vaccinated when you’re travelling, this is a legal requirement if you’re going to be flying- you’ll need to check all of the paperwork before jetting off. But even if you’re staying in the country that you live in, it’s worth making sure their jabs are all up to date to protect them from infectious illnesses. Before taking a trip, visit the vet and have them give your pooch a check over to give you peace of mind.