So you want to take your pet on an adventure?

TRAVELLING with pets and where to start

I believe the most important thing about traveling with anyone—whether it’s your pets, your kids, or your parents—is being able to listen to them. If you want everyone to enjoy the trip, you need to recognize when they are stressed, tired, or unhappy and be ready to adjust.

Another key point to remember is that everyone is different. One cat might be more adventurous than many dogs, while another cat will hate the moment you put them in a carrier. Keep these individual preferences in mind before you set off on your adventure. Pets are not travel accessories; they are companions, and we need to treat them as such.

With that in mind, if you have a pet who shares your passion for adventure, you know what makes them happy or stressed, and you’re ready to take them on their first big journey, here are a few simple tips to get you started on your pet-friendly trip.

1. Plan accordingly

Just as you would when organizing a trip for your friends or parents, you need to make sure that your itinerary is fun and appropriate for everyone. A city break and museum hopping may not necessarily be a good trip for a dog who might not be allowed in most museums. However, if you always wanted to visit that one museum, there might be a fun doggy daycare nearby. Or you want to hike this 20-mile loop around the mountain, but your dog has short legs and wouldn’t manage the whole hike. Packing a nice dog backpack might be a great idea then.

But you want to be spontaneous, you say?

Be my guest, just make sure that all your spontaneous activities are pet-friendly, or you may end up stressing a bit more than necessary.

2. Pack accordingly

While traveling with a pet may be cheaper and easier than traveling with kids, you still need to take some time to think about what to bring with you. Of course, what you need will always depend on where you’re going, how long you’ll be there, whether it’s summer or winter, and whether it’s a city break or an outdoor adventure. But the basics are usually the same:

You’ll need your pet’s food. You can do some research beforehand; often, you may be able to find the same brand you use at your destination, saving yourself from packing that extra weight.
Next, you’ll need their bowls. I have a separate travel bag for my pets with travel bowls and many other usual accessories already packed in.
Some form of bedding is also essential. We have a really cute travel bed from Amazon, and it works very well.
Toys and treats are important if your pet is into these things. The last thing you want is your pet getting bored during a long ferry crossing or at a restaurant.
Accessories are the items that will vary depending on your circumstances, but they may include things like carriers, backpacks, coats, boots, and paw creams.

3. Book pet-friendly

Traveling with pets is becoming much more popular than you may think! About 20% of all hotels across the UK are pet-friendly, and that doesn’t even include private apartments, campgrounds, etc. Many popular booking sites, such as Booking.com and Airbnb, offer filters for finding pet-friendly accommodation.

Booking.com is personally my favorite but I always make sure to notify the hotel in the message that I will be traveling with pets. While 99.9% of the hotels we’ve stayed in were very welcoming, we once encountered a hotel that marked itself as ‘pet-friendly’ but did not accommodate pets in the specific room we booked (not advertised, of course). It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

4. Enjoy yourself

There may be moments when you find yourself frustrated or annoyed because your pet behaves differently than you expected. They might want to play with you while you’re eating, not appreciate the sight of the waterfall you just visited, or try to say ‘hi’ to every single person you encounter. And that’s okay. Pets, like us, have their good days and bad days. It’s always easier and less stressful to laugh it off, adjust if needed, and enjoy the time you have with them. In your memories, you’ll remember the good moments and not these minor inconveniences.

There is this quote that was lately very popular on Instagram:

People say that travelling with your pet will slow you down, but maybe that is the point.

And I think this is so extremely powerful. We always keep rushing ahead, chasing the next experience, the next sight. But the pets allow us to just slow down, breathe in and enjoy the small moments.

If you’re ready to take that first pawsome adventure, check out my post on Top pet-friendly destinations in Europe.

Happy pawventuring!