Channeling Willie Nelson — sometimes it’s time to get on the road again, visiting friends and going to places that I’ve never been. From the high desert of Taos, New Mexico, at the Historic Taos Inn, some words of travel wisdom.
Starting in Denver, Colorado, we are heading back to DC with Calvin T. Dog in a truck, not exactly a Subaru, on a circuitous route across the southwest, seeing old friends at various points. We’ve discussed plane travel in the past (Calvin is a pro and is beloved by cabin crews), but a long road-trip is a new adventure for him, and us! Although we planned well, a few surprises popped up.
Back home we packed the Calvin Bag, as we call it—a tote with his name embroidered on the side. Two weeks of food, carefully placed into air-tight bags for each day. Why the full rations? Convenience and simply, it may be difficult to find the exact diet when not home, and receiving a shipment may not be feasible. Changing diets, even subtle ingredient substitutions, can result in diarrhea, a most unwelcome situation, anywhere! A full bag of treats, including one CET Veggiedent Chew per day and a bag of Milkbones. For longer trips, plan ahead to restock food, as carrying more than two weeks of food is difficult. The food needs to be cared for, too! It can’t be left in a hot car, or it may spoil, negating the whole effort. If your pet is on medication, carry a few extra days’ worth, too.
The Calvin Bag also sports his favorite toys. When traveling to the unfamiliar, bring the familiar with you! Car travel, or truck in our case, can be a bit boring for humans and dogs alike. Be sure to bring a bit of entertainment, chew toys, balls, or busy-type objects. On this trip we added a Yeti chew toy in Telluride to the collection. I guess dogs like souvenirs, too. Not a toy, and certainly not a souvenir you want to bring home: pack plenty of poop bags. You are visiting someone else’s land; please leave it as clean as you found it.
Identification is essential when traveling. We have a folder with his rabies certificate and a separate printout of all his other vaccinations, including microchip number. One never knows if there will need to use a daycare or seek veterinary care. I’ve also encountered some not-so-friendly dogs along the way, and if there’s a bite situation, having vaccine documentation is important. Annually we also check that his microchip information is up-to-date. A microchip is of no use if the information isn’t correct.
Paperwork is important, but it’s not on the dog! Calvin sports a rabies tag, identification tag, and an AirTag. This is in addition to his microchip. The AirTag is a newer concept and may be of use in certain situations.
Given that we have the essentials in place, a few road tips. Take care when getting in and out of the vehicle, always being sure a leash is attached before opening any doors. Dogs can bolt, even well-trained friends, and in unusual places, recall may be complicated. Jumping out of a car (and especially the truck we are driving) can lead to jump down injuries of the joints of the front limbs. We don’t let Calvin jump out of the car or truck; we help him out, allowing him to land softly.
Logistics of other sorts when traveling with a dog can get complicated, too: think hotels, restaurants, tourist sites. Never leave a dog in a car unattended. Cars heat up much faster than you think and there are a whole host of safety problems to consider. Calvin goes everywhere with us, or we simply take turns, or alas, avoid the situation altogether.
Trucking across the country with Calvin has been a blast, but it required advanced planning and some compromises. We have gone places we never thought we’d see, and Calvin has sniffed (and peed on) objects and places to his heart’s content.
Dan Teich, DVM, is the Founder of District Veterinary Hospitals
