My Friendly Pets

If you choose to travel with your dog this holiday season, it is important to realize that there are some extra steps to be taken to insure proper pet etiquette.

Remember, if you are staying at someone’s home and they are gracious enough to allow your dog to stay too, your dog must behave as a proper guest. Meaning, just because you LOVE your dog and allow him/her on your furniture and jumping and begging at the dinner table doesn’t mean your host will. Whether you are a guest in someone’s private home or staying at a hotel/motel that is dog friendly, you should try and do the following:

Make sure the accomodation is appropriate for your dog. If your dog doesn’t like other dogs or other animals at all, then it might not be a great idea to have them in a home or place where other animals will be around. Your dog should obviously be housetrained, not be destructive in terms of chewing or tearing and the dog should also be a minimal barker and be able to stop upon command. And if your dog loves to give doggie kisses, and they are welcomed by you, that’s fine. However, there are some people who don’t necessarily want wet and wild kisses from your dog. The dog should be able to refrain from that type of activity upon command.

Be sure to account for anxiety your dog may experience as a result of their new surroundings. Dogs may exhibit behavior that is unusual due to the changes in their schedule or accomodations; even the most well behaved dog can get stressed out. Be prepared to work with your dog when you sense they are getting anxious and be sure to allow for some time for some exercise and alone time so they can feel comfortable with you no matter where you both are.

If your dog does have an accident, make sure you clean it up as soon as possible. If the accident is more severe and your dog actually ends up breaking something, it is important to take responsibility and fix or replace anything that is damaged by your dog. To keep all of your surroundings clean, carry extra paper towels or other cleaning cloths with you so that you can wipe down your dogs feet before they put paw prints in places where it is preferred they not be. Most of all, make the holiday trip as enjoyable as possible for everyone - and that includes the dog!!!

Feel like bringing some tasty treats to your host to thank them for their hospitality, check out a fellow blogger at Earthly Eating