Dog Friendly Travel
September 19, 2006 by Mary Jo Manzanares
Filed under Hotels, Places to Stay, Travel Tips
We’ve definitely entered an era of niche travel: Cruising, adventure, solo, etc. So how about this one: traveling with your dog.
Turns out that over 29 million dogs travel with their owners each year, and hotels have started to roll out the welcome mat to both two legged and four legged guests.
This month’s, Fido Friendly Magazine, The Travel Magazine for Dog, reports on the top 10 exclusive resorts that cater to pets and their owners. When your dog is getting fresh gourmet dog biscuits, being walked by the bellman, and getting its own CD of music, you know that both of you are on vacation.
Calling itself a complete guide to Fido Friendly accommodations across the U.S. and Canada, the magazine adds:
Perhaps “you” can do without our magazine, but for kibbles’ sake, think of your dog! At last, a voice for the traveling canines of the world. Until now, few have taken us mobile pooches seriously. After all, who appreciates warm shelter and a comfy bed more than a dog?
There’s also a Travel Club (”Leave No Dog Behind”), with membership that includes a subscription to the magazine, a one-year membership with The Pet Protector System, and a variety of discounts.
If you travel with your dog, it sounds like this could be a great resource of pet-friendly accommodations and travel information.
Thanks for the attention you pay to the travel issue our pets face. Travelling with Sophie Sue (my Frenchie) is always such an issue–and I’m a vet, so I should know the ropes.
Thanks!
Dr. Patty Khuly
http://www.dolittler.com
Thanks for reading, Dr. Patty. I’m a big animal lover, and although my guys don’t travel with me, I’m sensitive to the issues, and hope that I can provide options to readers who face these issues.
I hope you’ll stop by again!
Hi Mary Jo:
I’m so glad you wrote this article. We always take our chows w. us on vacation and they are better behaved and less messy than most people. We take their beds, a crate (which we never use) and they are so quiet that you’d never know we had them w. us.
Mary
I also write for a b5media website: http://thatdamnpc.com
It’s a hoot!
Thanks for stopping by, Mary. I see that you do Chow Rescue work as well. Wow! What a great project!
I’ve seen many a 4-legged traveler that is better behaved than 2-legged ones. I think for both, it’s all about the upbringing.
With more and more people traveling with their pets, you’ll be seeing posts referencing pet-friendly options as well as tips for traveler with your pet. I hope you’ll stop by often.
Thank you for your post! I wanted to let you know about the Dog Travel Company. http://www.dogtravelco.com . They specifically provide travel services for dogs & their human companions! One particular service is their in-cabin, crateless flights for dogs of all sizes. Your dog actually sits in the seat next to you! They fly domestically as well as internationally!
This is the safest way I’ve found to fly my 80 lb lab!
Thanks for the additional information, Christy. I’m trying to envision sitting next to your lab!
But a big note to everyone flying internationally. Restrictions on animal entry vary from country to country, so be sure to check for regulations about your animal’s entry into the country. Sometimes a quarantine period is required.
That company doesn’t seem to have a working website. I just tried googling them to see if I typed something wrong and found The Dogtravel Company in stead. They are a travel club for dog lovers. Their website is http://www.dogtravelcompany.net
They seem to have a lot more benefits than just flying too!