How to prepare your pet before you leave on holiday

As much as we love our cats and dogs, sometimes taking them with us on holiday just won’t work. So, what can we do to make sure our fur babies are happy and safe while we’re basking in the sun or skiing down the slopes?

Our pets will cope much better if we and they are well prepared—both physically and emotionally—well before we leave. So, here are some tips to help.

Decide where they’ll stay while you’re away

There are several options, each with a few pros and cons. It all depends on your budget, availability and your pet’s personality.

Stay with family, friends or a trusted pet sitter

Sleeping over at a friend’s house can be a great option for pets. It’s easy to drop them off to family, friends or your usual pet sitter if they’re comfortable looking after your cat or dog at their house.

Going to familiar people and places could be a great option if your fur baby suffers from separation anxiety, as they’ll be happy with people they know and enjoy having their own little break from routine while you’re away.

Have a ‘staycation’ with a live-in house and pet sitter

If you’re going away for some time, having someone taking care of your house and pets can be a good option, especially if you have an older cat or dog who would be stressed by a change of routine or environment.

You may already know someone who needs a place to stay and is happy to look after your pet pals and keep the house going while you’re away. Your family, friends or even your local vet may have recommendations for suitable pet sitters. Housesitting websites are another option or book a professional through a pet-sitting agency. Make sure you check references if it is not someone you have used before or you get through a pet-sitting agency.

Go to a trusted boarding kennel or cattery.

If kennels or cattery seem like they’ll work best for you and your pet, make sure you have a good chat to the team. If it’s a new place your pet will be going, try and visit in advance to make sure it will be a good fit for your fur friend’s personality, and you can see the facilities and understand the procedures they follow.

Have a look at the sleeping facilities and exercise areas, then ask about play time. Some kennels let small groups of compatible pets play together for most of the day, while others have shorter, controlled time outside. Which of these options would suit your cat or dog best?

Ask about their pet behaviour assessment, too. Will they understand what to do if your fur baby gets anxious? Also ask what they do when there is an accident or a pet falls ill.

If you can, take dogs to visit the kennels before your holiday starts. A few kennels or daycares ask for your pet to have a visit before their stay to make sure that they are a suitable fit for your pet.

Prepare by:

• Arranging their holiday accommodation or pet sitter well in advance.
• Making a list of their needs (allergies, conditions, triggers, emotions, personality traits etc).
• Ensuring you have enough medication, and any special food your pet eats. This includes ensuring any instructions regarding medications have been clearly communicated and that anyone looking after your pet, whether it be a boarding facility of a pet sitter are comfortable and know how to administer medications. This can be especially important if you have a diabetic animal on daily insulin injections.
• Sending along a comfort blanket or your old t-shirt so your fur baby has something that smells familiar to cuddle up to while they’re away from home.
• Supplying extra treats for lots of positive reinforcement.
• Arranging an emergency contact, especially if you’ll be far away from home, including your vet’s contact details. It is also helpful to leave clear instructions about consent for procedures etc should you not be contactable and something happens whilst you are away.
• Updating microchip details and vaccinations if necessary.
• Supplying your pet’s lead, harness or travel cage as required.

Do some trial visits before you leave

Your pet will be much happier if they’re already familiar with the people and place where they’re staying.

If they’re sleeping over with family or friends, it’s a good idea to take them to visit a few times before you leave so everyone feels familiar and comfortable.

Invite your pet sitter to come for coffee before you leave. If you can manage more than one visit, all the better. You can show them where everything is and discuss your fur baby’s routines and habits. At the same time, it’s a great opportunity for them and your pet to bond.

Kennels usually offer daycare visits too. Regular daycare visits before the holiday starts helps your pet get to know the staff and surroundings, so it won’t be a shock when they stay longer.

Spend extra time with your pet before you leave

Cuddles and treats are fun for you both and reminds your fur baby how much you love them.

If you’re a proud dog parent take the opportunity to positively reinforce their training, too. Brushing up on things like coming when called, sitting and calming down when they get excited will make their vacation easier and more fun for them and their carers.

If they’re often full of beans give them lots of exercise in the weeks leading up to your holiday so they’ll be happy to relax for a few days after you leave. Try going for long walks, playing catch on the beach or other vigorous games.

Get them used to being away from you

If you go out to work each day, your pet may already be used to you leaving and coming back. However, if you’re usually together, it’s a good idea to teach them to be happy when you’re not around.

Some ideas:

• Start by teaching them to be in another room or outside alone with a toy to play with.
• Give them an intriguing treat every time you leave so they associate that with something positive.
• Don’t make a big fuss when you return—treat it as a normal, everyday happening.
• When your dog goes to daycare let the staff lead them inside so they don’t see you leave.

Poppy’s story

Debbie and Craig are pet parents to Poppy, a sensitive and rather dramatic two-year-old husky cross who’s very cautious around strange people but loves to play with other dogs. So, before going away, they take extra care to ensure that her holiday would be as much fun as their own.

“We choose a kennel where she gets to play with other dogs all day, because she loves to be with other dogs so much. We also know she can suffer separation anxiety, so we work strategically at training to combat that,” says Debbie.

“For her first few stays at the kennel, we sent her favourite pillowcase with her because it smelled like home, but at the same time, it didn’t matter how dirty it got because we could always wash it when she came home. We also included a chew toy and her own bag of treats so the staff could be generous with treats, which helped her bond with them.”

“She doesn’t need so much of that now because she’s familiar with the kennel and people. I do still send her special food and medications, though. She’s had surgery for elbow dysplasia and needs joint health food and supplements, so I want those to stay in her system.”

“Poppy goes to daycare, as well as longer stays and she’s always enthusiastic about pulling me in the door and greeting her friends. The fact that she throws herself into their arms shows that she likes and trusts them, which makes it so much easier for us to leave her there.”

Being with Southern Cross Pet Insurance makes leaving Poppy a little easier, too.

“Having pet insurance is good peace of mind so we know we’re covered if something unexpected happens while we’re away.”

References

Rover: https://www.rover.com/blog/prepare-dog-emotionally-travel-without/

NZVA: https://nzva.org.nz/assets/For_the_public/Pets_holiday.pdf