A four-legged experience in a European hotel plan.

Just as children need to be prepared before their first visit to a European hotel, staying with your dogs in a hotel or taking your pet on a trip requires additional preparation and precautions. But it’s so worth it!

 

You’ll never know how to travel with your dog until you try it, but understanding your best friend’s behavior is extremely important when staying overnight with him in a hotel. For example, if your dog tends to bark at people walking by a window, request a room on a higher floor.

 

Or, if your dog gets nervous in elevators, ask for a room on a lower level so he can use the stairs. Another useful tip is to turn on the TV when you leave the room, so your dog doesn’t hear people coming in and out of the hallway and become anxious.

 

In the 10 years that I have had my cocker Canela, I have taken her on countless trips and fortunately, we have always traveled without incident. But it wasn’t until I spoke to an experienced veterinarian that I realized how lucky I had been. The thing is, except for staying in pet-friendly European plan hotels, I’ve done everything wrong.

 

And I’m not even talking about the obvious inconveniences, like leaving my little friend’s leash at my parents’ house and realizing when I went to check into a hotel in Cuernavaca that we had no way to restrain her (fortunately, we didn’t), we got a
pet friendly hotel
and with bait we were able to lure it easily into our room).

 

We have also left the food at home, forgotten the water bowls, the bags to pick up their droppings, their favorite toy, etc… In short, traveling with dogs is quite similar to traveling with small children. You simply don’t need to go on a children’s movie marathon.

 

Frequently asked questions when taking your dog on a trip to a European plan hotel

Cinnamon’s vet had a spectacular suggestion, find an emergency vet before taking your dog out of the house. Also, keep a list of everything you know about your dog, including chronic illnesses and medications, including his vaccination record.

 

If you are staying with your dog in a European plan hotel, make sure you have a good recent photo with you in case the dog runs away. Pet owners with a smart phone usually have an overabundance of pet photos with them, but I ‘bookmarked’ a photo of my dog so I could find it more easily.

 

How often should you walk your dog on a road trip?

 

The veterinarian says a good goal is to stop every two hours, with the caveat that some super-active dogs may need more frequent breaks or longer breaks. But some small dogs may need more frequent bathroom stops.

 

How can you help your dog get ready to hit the road?

 

There are ways to reduce anxiety on a car trip. He told me that motion sickness in dogs may not mean vomiting. He recommended that you look for behavioral signs such as excessive drooling, panting and shaking, which may indicate motion sickness.

 

He suggests preparing for a car trip by taking quick walks around the neighborhood and trying out an unfamiliar harness or box to increase your dog’s comfort before embarking on a long road trip. If you notice signs of motion sickness during these shorter trips, talk to your veterinarian before leaving on vacation.

 

As more people take the family pet on vacation, hotels are increasingly catering to these pampered dogs. Some offer dog snacks, dog beds and water bowls. There are even fancy hotels that have a room service menu for your dog and can recommend local pet sitters.

 

Which hotel room is best for dogs?

 

Request a room on the second floor so you can get in and out faster and minimize exposure to other people and dogs. You don’t want to have to wait a long time for an elevator when your dog needs to relieve himself.

 

How can you keep your dog calm while you are away?

 

Hang the “do not disturb” sign on your door while you are away. It’s easier to forgo daily cleaning chores than to worry about the appearance of a stranger interrupting your sleeping puppy.

 

What should you do if your dog has an accident in a hotel?

 

Even if you are staying at a relative’s or friend’s house, the veterinarian says to carry cleaning supplies in the car. And do what you can to clean up before alerting the front desk. European plan hotels that advertise as pet-friendly understand that accidents happen.

 

Another tip I’ve learned from years of pet travel, not all guests at pet-friendly hotels are dog lovers or dog owners. Yes, I too wonder why they stay there, but as far as finding out, minimize your time in the lobby and other common areas where there are no other canines.

 

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