More and more people are traveling with their pets these days. You see people and their dogs sightseeing, staying in hotels, or dining on outdoor patios of nice restaurants. The trend is growing and so long as we practice common courtesy and safety when it comes to traveling with our pets, out pets may be allowed to visit more places.
Keep Other People In Mind
One important thing to remember when traveling with your dog is to keep in mind that not all people like dogs. Some people are terrified of dogs. And more still are allergic to dogs. Be aware of your surroundings and steer clear of people who seem intimidated or wary of your dog. And definitely stay away from those people who have an obvious look of distaste on their face.distaste on their face.
Keep Your Pet Under Control
Not only should your dog be on a leash at all times, but his leash should also be short. While your dogs may be extremely cute and friendly, you want to keep them close to you. One danger to a dog which is on a long lead or is not under proper control is that you could get violent reactions from people your dog gets too close to. The violence could be on you or on your dog. And sadly, the law may be on that person’s side. Another danger is that your dog may pick up trash or other harmful items when you are not looking or before you can react. The danger to people around dogs who are on a long lead include people tripping over the leash, getting tangling in the leash, having allergic reactions to your dog, your dog jumping on them, or your dog nipping, biting, or scratching them. scratching them.
Pick Up After Your Pet
Always pick up after your pet when you are in a public place. Leaving dog feces in public places is unsanitary and probably illegal in most cities. The last thing you want on your vacation is an expensive fine. Also, despite popular belief, dog feces kills grass, it doesn’t fertilize it. Dog poo is just as unsanitary in the grass as it is anywhere else. Always keep dog poopie bags on hand so you don’t have to be too embarrassed when your dog takes a dump right in the middle of a public place for all to view. Also, don’t allow your dog to hike his leg in public places. Sometimes, especially when outside, your dog may be tempted to hike his leg on something he shouldn’t.ouldn’t.
Know Beforehand If Dogs Are Allowed
Don’t take your dog to any public places unless you know for certain that he is allowed. While some restaurants with outdoor patios allow dogs, many more do not. Some parks may only allow dogs in certain areas. Some recreational areas may not allow dogs at all. I went to an outdoor botanical garden once which did not allow dogs. So just because a particular place you want to visit is outdoors, it does not mean that your dog will be allowed. Be sure to call ahead before you visit. This way, if they don’t allow dogs, you won’t be tempted to leave your dog in the car while you sightsee and you won’t have to take your dog back to the hotel.the hotel.We dog lovers would love to be able to take our dogs everywhere we go. The only way society will learn to be more acceptable to this idea is if we act responsibly. The more we can show the public that we will control our pets and be responsible pet owners, the more open society will come to be. If you have any other ideas on how we can practice pet travel and public etiquette, please share your thoughts with us.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
August 19th, 2010 at 9:58 am
[…] more: Pet Travel Etiquette | Pet Auto Safety August 19th, 2010 at 12:17 […]
September 22nd, 2010 at 6:54 pm
We just couldn’t leave your site before saying that we truly enjoyed the high quality information you offer to your readers… Would be back often to check up on new stuff you post!
September 23rd, 2010 at 1:05 am
I feel like I’m always looking for interesting things to read about a variety of subjects, but I manage to include your blog among my reads every day because you have honest entries that I look forward to. Here’s hoping there’s a lot more amazing material coming!
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:24 am
I would like to start off by saying, thank you for supplying me using the information I’ve been searching for. I’ve been surfing the web for three several hours searching for it and would have given my correct arm if I would have located your site sooner. Not only did I find what I was searching for, but discovered answers to questions I never even believed to ask myself. Thank you for your wonderful web-site!