Traveling with your dog

Health
Bring
doggy 1st aid kit
copy of shot records
Bring enough of your dogs food plus extra just incase
Don't panic if your dog won't poop for the 1st few days on a trip. It is normal for them to be mildly stressed by change in environment and routine.
Try to maintain as much of your pets routine as you can. Attention, Food, Play, Exercise.

Crate
Keeps your dog confined in a hotel room if you want to go out for dinner
Keeps them contained and calm in the car
What kind of crate depends on your dog. For more information on sizing and type of crate

ID
What if your dog somehow gets away from you?
Make sure that your dogs collar/leash/harness fits well and that there is no chance of them slipping out of the collar.
Also make sure you have a sturdy leash that isn't 1/2 chewed through.
Make sure your dog wears a collar with tags and make sure the tags have your CELL on it. Your dog wearing tags wont do you any good if you arent home.
Microchip is always recommended as well.
Carry a recent photo of your dog with you. If your dog gets away and you need helping finding him having a photo will be helpful.

Car
Crate your dog in the car it keeps them safe and you sane.

Exercise/Play with your dog before putting them in the car for a cartrip.
Do not allow the dog of any size to ride on your lap up front. They are at the most risk for injury from the airbag from riding up front.
If your dog is not comfortable see our article on Trouble in the car

Lodging (Hotel/Motel)
Try to find out in advance which places allow dogs. Lots of them may not allow dogs at all, have size or breed restrictions.
If your dog can stay with you PLEASE respect other guests, staff and property.
When you check in ask the management where you should walk your dog to potty them. Make sure to pick up after your dog.
Keep your dog as quiet as possible.
Don't leave your dog alone if at all possible, many dogs with bark or destroy things in a strange place.
Remember: One bad experience with a dog guest may prompt the hotel to refuse to allow any dogs in the future. Try to be polite and leave everything as it was.

Airline Travel
Health certificates are required
Crate required - each airline has different requirements
Try to get non-stop flight. Pets can get lost or mixed up just as other luggage can.

Ritter in an xpen on his 1st camping trip to Bodega Bay. At
night he was in the tent with me but during the day or in the evening
not having to worry about him and he could just hang out with us
was wonderful. 

Camping and RV trips
Having an xpen can be a life saver. This is a place you can put the dog when you feed them or just to give them a contained area to hang out with you.

Training before you go on your trip

"Wait"

Practice entering and exiting the car. Your dog should "Wait" until you release them to jump out. They should not be bolting out the car door as soon as there is a crack of the door open.

Crate Training.
 Take your dog and their crate to some friends houses that might be unfamiliar to the dog and crate them in a back room or garage while you have dinner. Get them used to being crated in other places other than home so that it wont be as scary or weird when you crate them for a short period of time in the hotel room.

"Hurry Up" / "Better Go" / "Go potty"
If your dog will go potty on command it will make life so much easier when you stop to let your dog out for a bathroom break than wasting 10-20min. walking around with them begging them to do something.
Also ensure your dog is used to going potty on leash. Lots of dogs get used to going in their own yard off leash and then refuse to go on leash. Taking the time to teach them to potty on leash is worth it instead of dealing with the headache on a trip.

Basic Manners
Walking on a loose leash, sit, down, come. Not jumping on people. etc.