Despite the prospect of traveling being exciting and rewarding, the process can occasionally prove to be quite stressful for both humans and their pets.
While some of our furry companions find it exhilarating, it is not the case with all of them. There can be a variety of reasons for the discomfort, including the loud noises and unfamiliar surroundings in particular, which may make them anxious.
Therefore, it is important to address the challenges and take the necessary steps to make sure that Some dog breeds, such as German Shepherds have a relaxing trip.
So, if you are planning to travel with your pets, then you have to come to the right place. Join us as we explore and dive deeper into understanding the strategies for helping pets have an anxious-free experience.
Strategies For Anxiety-Free Trips For Pets
As mentioned earlier, some dog breeds find the traveling aspect distressing due to the issues associated with unfamiliar surroundings, space-related difficulties, noises as well as disruption in the schedule.
This indicates that there is a need to be prepared in advance to make the process of unnerving the uneasiness in the pets even easier.
So, as a pet owner, consider the tips or strategies to ease their anxiety and make them as comfortable as possible. They are as follows:
Make Preparations
It is essential to be well-prepared in advance when you are planning on taking your furry companions along with you. This includes:
- consulting the veterinarian for regular check-ups to determine the health status of the pet.
- taking them for short trips to get them accustomed to traveling, by taking them in their carriers.
- introducing the pets to crates, carriers, or kennels to make them comfortable as well as accustomed to such spaces.
- storing all the essentials required for the little traveler, such as their treats, medicines, favorite toy or bed, and documents.
Things To Consider
- Consider having a microchip attached to your dog’s collar; this ensures safety in case you both get separated somehow, or it gets lost. It contains the contact details of the pet owner, which makes it easier to get in touch with them and reunite them with their pets.
- Also, choose the carriers for your pets according to how you are traveling: by road, flight, and so on. Accordingly, you can check the guidelines and purchase the most appropriate one.
Learn Calming Techniques
For those whose pets get easily anxious, it is quite crucial to learn the techniques to calm them down and ease them from their suffering. You could opt for either of the ways (Medical or Natural) since both are effective in their ways of making the pets calm.
The medical way:
- Using pet tablets that help in relaxing the pets suffering from anxiety and nervousness. This helps them relax and calm down.
- Consult the specialist, if the case seems too severe to handle. They will prescribe the required medications for the same.
Now, the natural way:
- Try using aromatherapy to soothe their anxiousness by relaxing their nerves. It involves the usage of essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, and many more. Just dilute it in the air or with carrier oil to apply it to the pet’s fur.
- Create a calming environment around it by playing soothing music, or simply dimming the lights for a bit.
- Also, do not forget to create a comfortable space for your little buddy. This makes them feel secure and safe.
NOTE: Do not get irritated when your pet starts to suddenly act up strangely, such as barking or being way more clingy than usual. It could be a sign of feeling anxious or nervous while traveling. So, always remember, that patience is the key to helping them be at ease.
Keep Them Engaged
We humans tend to distract ourselves to shake off the feeling of anxiousness, by indulging in various other activities to remain calm. This can also be applied to your pets by keeping them pleasantly preoccupied by:
- keeping a handful of their toys and treats that are foreign to them; this keeps them intrigued.
- bringing along some of their puzzle toys, or their safe chewing toys to keep them engaged.
- playing their favorite songs or movies to kill the boredom as well as distract them from feeling nervous or anxious.
- offering them praise and petting for their good behavior whenever required.
Securing Them In Pet-Friendly Containers
Whenever the pets are anxious, they tend to make attempts to escape or hide away from the places that make them feel that way. Thus, this highlights the importance of using crates. You can contain them by:
- keeping them in a secured container that is suitable for it; study thoroughly before purchasing one for the pet.
- choose the carriers according to the mode of travel so that it is not only convenient for you and your pet but also for fellow travelers.
- contain them in the comfortable primary rooms upon arrival at the destination to ensure that they feel safe.
- Provide your pets with their favorite toys or blankets to make them feel safe and comforted in them.
It is also important to remember that selecting the proper containment is crucial for the safety of your pets. In this manner, you can avoid them from being injured, being anxious, or causing unwanted damage.
Final Inputs
Since some pets can be quite anxious while traveling, it requires extra effort to ensure that they feel safe. Despite it being exciting, not all pets feel the same way due to unfamiliarity with the place and people apart from their owners, along with the noise.
However, it can be dealt with by following the strategies for ensuring an anxiety-free trip for the pets. You can make the required preparations, learn calming techniques, keep them engaged, and secure them in pet–friendly carriers.
This way, you can also help them enjoy the journey thoroughly!
