Like a considerable number of people, you may have a desire to take a vacation with your pooch. If you will be staying at a hotel with your dog during your travels, there are some strategies you need to seriously consider following. Indeed, there are eight primary tips for staying in a hotel with your dog.
Plan Ahead and be Proactive
Before departing on your trip with your dog, there are a number of steps to take in advanced. First, you need to make sure that the information on your dog’s identification tag is accurate and up-to-date. Second, if your canine companion has not been microchipped, now would be a solid time to get that done. Taking these two steps are vital should a situation occur while traveling in which your dog gets away from your for one reason or another.
Make a Pooch Reservation
Even if you have done research and are making a reservation at what is billed as a pet-friendly hotel, you need to follow up when you make your actual reservation. In other words, when you make your reservation, you need to make it to include your dog.
Although making a reservation online can prove to be highly convenient, consider making it by phone if your dog will be traveling with you. Confirm that the property is pet-friendly, make sure you reserve a room that is set aside for human and furry guests, and find out what charges, if any, are added to the bill for a dog.
Select the Proper Room
Even if many rooms at a hotel are set aside for guests with pets, not all of these rooms really are ideally suited for humans and dogs traveling together. You are best served reserving a room on the first floor.
A first floor room permits you better and quicker access to the outside when it comes to potty time for your pooch. In addition, because you will not only be traveling with your own luggage, but your dog’s “stuff” as well, being on the first floor requires less effort in getting all of your travel gear inside and stowed.
Think about getting a room away from elevators. Many dogs are unfamiliar with the sound of an elevator. The noise may excite your canine, causing him or her to react, and perhaps loudly so.
Inspect the Room — Closely
When you get into the hotel room, keep your dog crated until you complete a full inspection of the space. This includes checking for things like sharp edges that could injury your canine. It also means closely looking for any pills that could have fallen to the floor of have been left elsewhere by a prior occupant.
Create a Comfortable and Safe Space
You will also want to make the space as comfortable and safe for your dog as possible. This includes bringing along his or her favorite blanket. Safety includes leaving the “do not disturb” sign on the door unless you are in the room.
Chew Toys are Important
No matter how easygoing your dog is, he or she may be agitated while traveling. Avoiding your dog chewing on hotel property can be accomplished by bringing along your pooch’s favorite chew toys. If your dog typically does not play with chew toys, consider introducing him or her to them before you depart on your trip.
Clean Up After Your Pooch
Make sure you consistently clean up after your dog during the course of your stay. Of course, you need to clean up any “accident promptly.” But, you also need to be aggressive in cleaning up fur that your dog may shed as you stay at a hotel
Contact Information at the Front Desk
When you check into the hotel, provide your mobile phone number to the clerk at the front desk. Indeed, consider providing a backup contact person as well. Make sure that this information is appended to the file the hotel creates for your account.
By having your mobile phone, the hotel can contact you promptly if you are away from your room and an issue arises with your dog. By providing a trusted friend or family member’s phone number as a backup, someone can be contacted if something happens to you and your dog is left alone. For example, if you are injured somehow while traveling, you will want to peace of mind of knowing that you are not the only individual who has necessary contact information to assist with your beloved pooch if you are incapacitated for a one reason or another.
Rasha is also a writer for Handicapped Pets, your most trusted source for dog wheelchairs and harnesses.
