Summer means road trips for many families and their pets. While road trippin' with your furry family members, remember some of their important needs. Some of those are listed here for you:
1) Travel dog bowls and clean water: Staying hydrated is crucial! You're bringing water for you, make sure to bring extra for your pup, along with their water bowl.
2) Food and treats: Depending on how long you’ll be gone, your dog will need to replenish his energy stores, just as you do! And if you’re packing a picnic or getting food on the road, don’t leave your pup hungry. If you're going on a longer trip it's a good idea to bring along an extra serving or two of your baby’s food just in case. Plans can change unexpectedly and having to switch your dog’s food quickly can lead to digestion troubles. Bring along some Miss Nelly's treats so you can reward your pup for good behavior with others who are road trippin', too!
3) Travel Wipes: From muddy trails to lake swims, summer can be so much fun with your dog but wet dog smell and dirty paws are not. Baby wipes can work great for quick clean up.
4) Flea, tick, mosquito and sun protection: Summer is insect season, and if you’re heading out into the great outdoors, you’ll want to be sure and protect your pet from fleas, ticks, mosquitos, flies, and other biting insects. Also, a lot of dog owners don’t think about it, but if your dog is short-haired, light-colored, or shaved, he is just as susceptible to painful sunburn and skin cancer as you are. That means as you slather yourself up with sunscreen, so should you slather your dog. It is important to be careful with the sunscreen you use on your dog, because some ingredients can be toxic if they are licked off. Zinc oxide should never be used because dogs can become dangerously anemic if it is ingested. So always look for specific sunscreens designed for pets.
5) Watch for signs of overheating and heat exhaustion: Remember, dogs only have their tongues to cool off, and an inexhaustible desire to “keep up” with you and please you. This means, unfortunately, that your dog will likely drive itself to complete exhaustion rather than prevent you from continuing your run/hike/walk/etc. So, it’s up to you to stop your dog before he gets to that unfortunate point. If the weather is hot be extra cautious of the early signs of heat exhaustion; including rapid breathing, heavy panting, and thick, ropy salivation. Other signs are fatigue, muscle tremors, and staggering/confusion. If it’s too hot for you, it’s WAY too hot for your dog. Wait until it cools off before you do anything active.
We hope these this information helps you to have a safe and fun road trip with your our best friends! Happy Summer!