Unlike in the past when boarding your pet was required to stay home during vacation season, more and more vacationers now choose to take their pets with them. We have tips for making your vacation successful for both you and your dog, whether it's a brief retreat or a week-long excursion!
Like any good vacation, a little planning and preparation can go a long way toward ensuring that you and your dog make lasting memories and have time to remember.
How to Vacation with Your Dog
1. Health and Safety
Be sure to take your dog to the veterinarian to confirm your pet is healthy physically and mentally to travel. You will also want to make sure your dog is up to date on all vaccinations. It would be wise to bring along your pet’s shot records in case of an emergency.
Locate the closest twenty-four-hour veterinary hospital and put their contact information and address in your phone so you have the necessary information in case of an emergency.
2. Identification
Make sure your dog’s identification tag or microchip is up to date with your dog’s name, your name, and your phone number, just in case your dog gets away from you while you are on vacation. It is also helpful to bring along a recent picture of your dog in case of separation.
3. Bring Food, Water, and Current Medications
You will also want to make sure you bring an adequate supply of your dog’s food to make sure your dog stays healthy while you are away. Changing your dog’s food could cause an upset stomach or allergic reaction, and that will not make for a fun vacation.
If your dog is on any medication, be sure to bring that along as well. It is also helpful to bring water bottles to ensure safe drinking water for your pet.
4. Plan Bathroom Breaks
As you are planning your road trip with your dog, make sure you take into account potty breaks. Search along your route for places like rest stops that are accommodating for walking your dog to stretch their legs and get some fresh air while at the same time taking care of going to the bathroom.
5. Pack Familiar Items
While planning your vacation think about packing items your dog loves to sleep with or play with that are familiar to him to avoid homesickness.
6. Car Tips
To keep your dog safe, be sure to securely restrain him in a dog car seat, booster seat, or dog crate. At the very least, buckle your dog’s harness to the seat belt.
To avoid your dog from getting car sick, keep your vehicle well-ventilated and make sure your dog is traveling on an empty stomach. However, remember not to allow your dog to ride with his head sticking out of the open window or in the back of an open truck bed. These can lead to serious injury or even death.
As a final car tip, never leave your dog in a vehicle unattended, especially in extreme temperatures. If you need to make a stop and are not allowed to take your dog with you, make sure you leave a family member to keep an eye on your dog.
7. Research Pet-Friendly Accommodations
If you want to take your dog on vacation, you will want to make sure you locate a vacation spot that allows dogs. Even more than just finding a vacation spot that allows dogs is finding one that caters to families with dogs making your vacation with your pet even more memorable. Let me introduce you to Barkwells!
Barkwells
At Barkells, we create happy vacation memories for dogs with people who love them by providing exceptional vacation accommodations, fun, and freedom for dogs and their families. That means more to us than just allowing pets to stay in the room with you.
We have properties in both Asheville and Brevard. Both areas are the perfect home base for a western North Carolina adventure.
Asheville and Brevard Dog-Friendly Accommodations
Barkwells is a small, peaceful community of vacation guest homes specifically designed as a destination for like-minded dog lovers, close to all the fun yet far away from every day. Our values include the following:
- Safe, secure space for pets and people.
- Comfort and cleanliness for pets and people.
- Environmentally responsible practices.
- Protecting and enhancing natural beauty.
Amenities at Both Our Properties Include:
- High-speed Internet
- Onsite professional staff
- Fully fenced property with 5-6 foot perimeter fence
- Parking at your door
- Verdant landscaping and gardens
- Acres of fully fenced meadows to roam
- Large pond with bass, brim, catfish
- Beautiful views
- Hammocks in season
Amenities at Our Asheville Property
Some of what you’ll find that is unique to our Asheville property include:
- Paddle boat
- Large gathering porch at the office/barn
- Commercial dog wash (hot water, shampoo, and towels)
- Picnic tables and buffet table
- Campfire ring with firewood
- McDowell creek frontage
- Dog memorial garden
Amenities at Our Brevard Property
Some of what you’ll find that is unique to our Brevard property include:
- Multi-level waterfalls
- Footbridge
- Little River frontage
- Ass-tounding miniature donkeys: PrincAss Leia, Assley Judd & Neil DeGrAsse Tyson (the Ass-trophysicist)
- Resident dogs: Fisher (lab/border collie mix) & Buster (cairn terrier/boxer mix)
Book Your Dog-Friendly Vacation Spot in Asheville Today
If you are ready to book your memorable vacation with your dog, we would love to answer your questions and tell you more about how you and your dog(s) will be a welcomed guest. Contact us for more information, or reserve your place now on our website!
