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The Best Ways To Travel Long Distances With Dogs

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When you have dogs, you know that repetition is key. Any time you introduce your pups to something or someplace new, they get excited, and it may take them a while to calm down and listen. This is amplified with car rides if you don’t have everything set up and ready before your trip, so let’s talk about the best ways to travel long distances with dogs to get the most out of your trip and make it a positive experience.

Take Several Initial Short Trips

Dogs respond well to repetitive conditioning, which means that if you’re training them and do the same actions over time, they will learn from it. If you apply this same technique to traveling and take them on a few short trips, you can expect things to start out turbulent, but your furry friend will get a feel for it over time. Every time you do things exactly the same way, your dog should become a little more comfortable until they hop in the back of the car and lay down on their own.

Feed Them Light

Make sure that you bring snacks with you while you’re on your trip. When you feed your dogs, feed them with half of what you normally would so that you can supplement with snacks along the way. This will keep their bladder and intestines from getting full so that they can ride for longer. You should still let them out often for breaks so that they can get fresh air and relieve themselves if needed, but it’s never a good idea to overfeed them.

Never Leave Them

So many people leave their animals in parked cars, and it is never the correct answer. Under no circumstances should you ever leave your dogs alone. They could hurt themselves or even suffer fatally due to suffocation or heat stroke. If you see a dog left alone in a car in public, you should immediately contact the authorities.

Set Up Seat Covers

Instead of buckling your pets into car seats or belt buckles, invest in a car seat cover for the back of your vehicle. This gives them plenty of room to walk around and find a nice spot. It also allows them to get up and look around when they need to so that they don’t feel confined to one spot, which will ease their minds. A cover also helps to keep dander and smells down inside the vehicle.

ID Your Pets

Before you leave the house, make sure that your pets have their collars with their IDs on them. That way, if something happens and they end up missing, you can be contacted about them. The last thing you want is for your animal to get loose and not have a way of getting them back. This, unfortunately, happens very often, but you can prevent it if you make sure your pets have their IDs with them.

When traveling long distances with your dogs, keep these handy tips in mind. As long as you keep your wits about you and prioritize your pup, you’ll both enjoy the ride.

Tips to Prepare for a Long Family Road Trip

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Going on a road trip with your family is one of the most memorable adventures you can organise for them. Spending time together while cruising from one place to another has every chance of creating unforgettable memories for everyone involved, especially your kids. Still, a road trip has to be well prepared and thought through if you wish to prevent it from turning into a nightmare.

The preparation includes much more than just packing everything you need and deciding on the route. Luckily, so many parents are willing to share their experience with family road-trips that we can now safely say that the following tips are the most important ones. So, let’s take a look at them.

Start preparing early enough

Once you’ve decided on the dates for your road trip and selected the destination, it’s time to start preparing. A road trip requires more time to get ready for, so don’t leave everything for the last minute. Instead, dust off your suitcases at least a few days before the trip and start packing in advance. Add items whenever you have a free moment. This is a great tip, since you may easily realize that your suitcase is either too small or too big for the stuff you’re planning to pack. Also, make sure you finish packing the day before the trip, so that you can pack your luggage into the vehicle and check if you have enough space.

Make a checklist

There is a reason why checklists will never become obsolete. Your checklist should be comprehensive, but also well-organised. Divide the activities into sections, such as “packing”, “organising” and “things to do”. You can use one of many apps that help you stay organised, but make sure you include all tasks.

Food and beverages

The fact you’ll be spending a lot of time in your vehicle means you’ll likely to be hungry and thirsty while driving, not to mention your kids who’ll probably start eating as soon as you leave your hometown. When it comes to food and beverages, make sure you always have enough water with you and some snacks that don’t have to be kept in the fridge. Use the opportunity to replenish your stocks each time you stop close to a store.

Make sure your vehicle is ready

Much of your experience will depend on how reliable and comfortable your vehicle is. Bear in mind that you’ll be driving for hours (almost) each day and that both the driver and passengers need to be as comfortable as possible. If your vehicle is not big enough, the road trip can really be spoiled easily. Even more important is the safety and efficiency aspect. Visit your mechanic before the trip to check if everything is ok and that your car is ready. Also, consider installing fuel efficient tyres; that will definitely pay off if you’re planning on covering longer distances.

Emergency pack

Apart from a first-aid kit, which is absolutely necessary, you should also pack some other items that might be useful in case of an emergency. For example, if you’re travelling in the winter, have a blanket or two in the cabin, in case you get stuck. Also, a candle is a great idea, since you might need to wait in the car and you can increase the temperature by a few degrees with just one candle, instead of keeping your engine running. Toilet paper should also be on the list, as well as wet wipes and hand sanitizer.

Carefully plan stopovers

You need to take into account several factors when estimating your times of departure and arrival. You may hit a traffic jam or some road congestions, making it impossible to reach your destination at the planned time. It’s always better to travel during off-peak hours, but make sure you have a traffic app in case you need to seek alternative routes. Needless to say, make sure your phone or GPS are charged and don’t forget to pack chargers and cables.

Make the most of pit-stops

Plan your trip so that you get as much as possible from the journey itself. Your final destination doesn’t need to be the only reason why you’ve decided to go on a road trip. It’s important to take into account the wishes of your family members and try to make everyone happy. You know how easily kids get bored? Well, if they know they are about to visit a place they find interesting soon, they’ll be more likely to behave in the car.

Entertainment for kids

It’s rarely easy to entertain kids on long trips and you need to be aware of that and let them choose the entertainment they want. Allow them to listen to the music (with their headphones, of course), read or bring some board-games that you’ll all be able to enjoy before hitting the sack. The key is to have a mixture of toys and games that can be played together or independently. Still, no matter how many toys and games you pack, your kid may still be bored and that is understandable. Travelling is not everyone’s cup of tea, so be tolerant and understanding. Though the choice of the destination and route is entirely up to you and your family, there are some things you need to take care of regardless of your decision. If you get them right, you’ll have every chance of creating special memories for everyone involved in the trip. Godspeed!

Survival Guide: Tips to Make Traveling With Kids Easier

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Traveling can be hard, especially if kids are involved. Any parent knows that traveling with kids can be tricky, challenging, and fun all at the same time. As a matter of fact, the process might seem like an endless amount of things to do, all for a short time. Like in almost every aspect of life, however, with tons of preparation and patience, anyone (including you) can plan a family trip that’s trouble free. This article will focus on how you can make traveling with kids easy, exciting, and yes, even relaxing.

Family Travel Tips

Keep track of flight details: It can be stressful (and even impossible) to schedule your kids’ bedtimes during long trips. Let’s say, for example, you’re traveling across the globe, from the United States to somewhere in Asia. One way in particular to get around this, according to Meraki Lane, is to book a morning flight. That way, parents can just put their kids to bed a little earlier than usual the night before, ensuring that they’ll be well rested for the long journey ahead.

Traveling with the right type of luggage: When traveling, having a strong, durable, and reliable piece of luggage is an absolute must for kids. Children should be able to transport all their necessities in a bag that’s easy for them to carry and sized correctly for their height and age. Bright colors and patterns are not only fun for kids, but they also allow them to easily spot their belongings. The majority of bags nowadays have special features like luggage- backpack convertibility, and even ride-ability. Fortunately, there are a lot of great options for kids when it comes to luggage.

Awesome Kids’ Luggage Options for Parents:

If you’re a parent traveling by car, using a child safety seat (car seat) is the best protection you can give your child while traveling. These seats are designed to reduce the risk of neck injury in case of an accident. Every state in the United States requires that infants and small children be restrained – and with good reason. As parents, once you select a seat for your child, be sure to try it out.

Pack snacks and cool gadgets: Before leaving your home, make sure to bring ample snacks for the entire family. Homemade trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and popcorn), granola bars, applesauce squeezers, and fruit leathers are just a few snacks parents can pack for the journey. Also bring an empty bottle of water or sippy cup so that after you board the plane, you can simply just ask the flight attendant for a drink to refill the bottle or cup.

Lastly, aside from including your child’s favorite snacks, be sure to remember their favorite handheld gadgets inside your carry-ons. You might also want to throw in small earphones or headphones. It’ll be helpful if they want to enjoy movies and/or television shows during the ride.

Role play inside the airport: This is where children mimic behaviors and verbal expressions of someone or something they’re pretending to be.

I think it’s safe to say we all know how the airport security measures and lineups are taken seriously. That being said, it can be quite nerve-wracking for some kids to go through all the personnel, inspections, and long lines. As a solution, inform and educate them in advance on what’s expected of them at the airport and discuss the environment if they’re old enough to understand. You can practice by role-playing beforehand so they won’t get overwhelmed with all the procedures and pre-boarding requirements. Organize their personal belongings ahead of time and make sure they aren’t wearing any belts and don’t have other metal objects with them that might attract TSA’s attention. Whatever the case may be, try to make the entire process fun.

Consider a hotel at the airport: Most of the time, airports are viewed as a wicked place; that we must go through in order to make it to our flight on time. Staying nearby, however, at a hotel that’s just steps away from the terminal can be rewarding for families traveling with young children.

Another option for parents, especially if you’ve arranged an early morning or late night flight would be to stay at an airport hotel before you head out. For instance, if you’re flying from one major city to the next, as a traveler, know that, aside from the road congestion, there are a handful of accommodation options nearby.

5 Kid-Friendly Airports:

  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  • Boston Logan International (BOS)
  • Portland International Airport (PDX)
  • Orlando International Airport (MCO)
  • Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

With spring break and summer vacation soon approaching, the pressure might be on to plan a family vacation. In fact, if all doesn’t go according to plan, make another plan. For example, if plane tickets are too expensive, look into renting a vehicle and driving your family to your destination. The only problem, however, is that children of all ages get restless no matter what. Meaning that parents might spend more time managing their child’s emotions than enjoying the drive.

We’ve all been guilty of letting travel obstacles give us the blues, but that shouldn’t change anything. It’s best to have a few backup options in your back pocket just in case someone needs a nap, or you just aren’t in the mood to do what you planned, you can switch gears without throwing everyone’s day off.

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I would like to thank you for reading the article. What are some other ways parents can make traveling with children easier? Don’t hesitate to leave comments below.