Traveling with your pet can lead to unforgettable memories together with your best buddy. That said, it’s important to ensure your fur baby is healthy and comfortable while you’re out exploring the world. This can entail, among other things, maintaining your pup’s hygiene and cleanliness during your trip.
Ensuring their cleanliness not only benefits you during a long car ride or airplane trip, but also keeps everyone around you at ease. For one, you won’t have to worry about fellow passengers complaining about your pet’s smell. For another, your pet will also feel fresh, clean, and comfortable as the hours pass.
Check out the tips below for maintaining your pet’s hygiene while traveling:
Bring Extra Blankets and Clothes
Planning to drive across states to your destination? Or are you in for a long flight? A few extra sets of clothes and blankets are good to have on hand so your pet always has clean ones to use.
With these, you won’t need to worry about looking for a fresh dog blanket if the first one has started smelling funky after several hours of use. Having extra pet clothes such as customizable and fashionable dog coats, sweaters, hoodies, or shirts also means your fur baby will always have something clean to change into for the duration of your trip.
Pack Some Dry Shampoo for the Trip
You might not be able to give your pet a bath at the hotel you’ll be staying in. The bathroom might be too small or the accommodations might not allow you to do so in your room.
Just to be on the safe side, make sure to bring some dry shampoo along. Sprinkle this onto your dog’s fur and give it a good brush every day to prevent their hair from developing any strong odors.
In case you run out of dry shampoo or don’t have any on hand at all, don’t worry. Simply head to the nearest grocery at your destination and buy cornstarch and baking soda. When combined, these two ingredients can effectively absorb oil and remove odor from your pup’s fur. This DIY dry shampoo can also help their skin cool down in case they have any hot spots.
Brush Your Pet as Often as Possible
Brushing daily keeps your dog clean in between baths or grooming sessions. Regular brushing prevents hair matting, keeps their coat looking fresh, and removes any dirt that’s accumulated onto their fur during the trip. Additionally, preventing matting not only keeps your pup’s fur from getting unruly, but also prevents skin irritation.
Plan Bathing and Grooming Opportunities Ahead
Regular bathing and grooming are essential for your pet’s health and comfort, but finding the time and resources to do so can be challenging while on the road. As mentioned, not all accommodations will allow you to do so. Planning is key.
Look for pet-friendly hotels or lodgings that offer bathing facilities or nearby dog grooming services. If you’re camping or traveling in remote areas, consider bringing a portable shower.
Many dogs get the zoomies after bath time. Even if you’re confident you’ve got a good handle on them, be sure to update your dog’s identification tag, so in case they run too far and get lost, people can easily contact you, especially if you’re in unfamiliar locations.
Schedule Regular Stops to Prevent Accidental Messes in the Car
If you’re traveling by car and your pet hasn’t quite gotten the hang of potty training yet, schedule regular stops on your itinerary. That way, your fur baby will have plenty of opportunities to do their business outside rather than inside your car. Plus, having them pee or poo outside of the car will prevent any urine or poop from coming into contact with their skin and fur.
Of course, make sure to plan your trip properly so that there are enough stops while also ensuring you still get to your destination on time.
Open the Window (Slightly) to Air Dry Your Pup and Air Out the Car
Another trick to keeping your pup and car smelling fresh is to crack the window open occasionally. Not only will your fur baby enjoy the sunshine and wind on their face, but the sunshine will also help evaporate any moisture that’s left on their fur. Opening the window a little will also air out any lingering doggy smells inside the car.
Line Your Pet’s Crate with Bedding
Are you bringing your pet along for a flight? If they have to stay in the cargo hold, line the crate they’ll be in with bedding like towels or paper. These will prevent their poo or pee from soiling the crate or spreading around the floor of the crate, making them less likely to sit or lie down in their own messes. It will also make it much easier to clean the crate after each flight.
Use Pet Wipes Whenever You’re Out
Always have enough pet wipes in your bag for cleaning your pup up whenever you’re out and about. Use these wipes to clean their paws and other body parts that are prone to picking up dirt, mud, and other messes.
Keeping them clean after outdoor excursions will prevent their fur from matting. It will also lower their chances of getting sick or developing infections in case they frolicked around somewhere unhygienic.
A clean fur baby will keep you, your pet, and everyone during your travels happy. Your pet will enjoy the trip feeling fresh and comfortable, and you’ll be less worried about maintaining their hygiene and health as you both explore different places. With the right tools and backup plans, your pet will always look and feel great as the two of you take in all sights and sounds during your journey.
Thank you for reading.
