Sometimes bringing Fido with you on vacation just isn’t possible, but some vacation rental owners allow you to bring your pet with you. Pet owners should consider this a privilege, not a right, and should treat the vacation home with respect. Here are some of the things to remember when you bring a pet to a vacation rental.
Before You Go
Before you even consider bringing your pet with you, be confident that this is a good idea. If your pet has an oral fixation (i.e., chews on everything), or has bladder control issues, or has anxiety about change, or can’t be trusted to stay off the furniture… Any one of those things probably means it’s better if he or she doesn’t come with you.
What to Bring
Everyone going on the trip needs to pack, and that includes your pet. Except in this case, you’ll have to do the packing for your furry friend. Don’t forget the following:
- Leash – This is required in most areas, and helps keep your pup close in unfamiliar territory.
- Toys & Treats – Toys help keep your pet happy in what could be a stressful situation, and you never know whether your pet’s favorite treats will be available at the local market.
- Pet Bed – This helps your pet acclimate to the new surroundings, and helps keep animal hair on things like the vacation rental’s furniture or carpeting at a minimum. If you’re traveling with a dog who’s been crate-trained, consider bringing the crate as well. It can help calm a dog who’s nervous about a new house, and can be a place where the dog stays while you’re out to dinner or a movie. Plus, it can also serve as a dog bed.
- Food Bowls – Don’t arrive at the vacation rental expecting to find a couple old beat-up plastic bowls in the cupboard that you can use for your pet’s food and water. Bring your own (there are lots of travel pet bowls available now which collapse easily), and make sure the pet’s food station is on a linoleum or tile or otherwise non-carpeted floor which you can clean up regularly.
- “Dog” Towels – If your pet is going to be going outside at all, be sure to bring along a couple of towels to help wipe off muddy paws or drying wet fur before it gets shaken all over the place or before Spot lies down on the sofa.
- Plastic Baggies – Bring lots of plastic bags to clean up after your pup’s morning (and anytime) constitutional. You absolutely don’t want to leave any unpleasant surprises in the vacation rental’s yard!
When You’re There
Establish house rules quickly with your pet, such as staying off the furniture and any other applicable rules that are necessary. Set up your pet’s bedroom area and food station soon after arriving, so they have a “territory” that’s familiar and their own.
Then make sure to clean up after your pet – paw prints on the floor, stray bits of kibble around the food bowl – on a regular basis so you’re not stuck with a major cleaning job at the end of your vacation.
Before Heading Home
Do a thorough cleaning job, especially in the places where your animal has been the most – that may mean a couple of passes with the vacuum cleaner around their bed or food area. Make sure you’ve taken out the garbage, including any of those plastic “goodie bags” – you absolutely don’t want those left indoors! The goal here is to leave the vacation rental exactly as you found it so that the owners won’t reconsider their willingness to allow pets in their property!
And for more tips on what to pack for a long car ride with your pet, see this great article.
Share Your Travel Stories