Traveling with a dog

We’ve been getting a few questions lately about what it’s been like traveling with Bowie! So I figured it would be easier to give the run down in a blog post!  We’ve learnt some of these tips along our travels because finding a blog or website with this sort of information was hard to find before we left.  So, we’ve tried to keep it simple by breaking it down into 4 categories.

But first here’s a little introduction to Bowie and what type of dog he is:

He is a Cavoodle (King Charles Cavalier X toy poodle) and is now two years old. Yes! Finally passed the puppy stage (dog owners you know the feels!). We felt that Bowie transitioned into the troopy life almost straight away and he knows that the car is our home wherever we go.  He’s always been a quieter dog, he hardly ever barks which makes him super easy to travel with. Plus he’s a smaller breed! He loves to snuggle so he always sleeps in the bed with us and definitely takes up most of the room!

Now, I know all dog breeds are different and so are their personalities, so if your planning to do a trip like this it’s a good idea to weigh up whether your dog will suit the lifestyle. You don’t want to be halfway through your trip and your pooch is getting stressed out, unhappy or worse…sick.  We’ve seen so many different types of dogs traveling on the roads and all different sizes too! So don’t let the size of your dog hold you back, you just have to work out what works best for you and how to do it under a budget.

These tips might not be for everyone and some of you may not agree. But we’re just sharing what has worked well for us and hopefully we can encourage others to bring their furry friend(s) along!

Grooming

The great thing about Bowie being cross with poodle is that he doesn’t shed hair (hence he’s allowed in the bed!). This also means that he needs regular grooming/haircuts especially in summer, which we actually do ourselves… with scissors. And no I’m not kidding.

Dog clippers are a pain to cart around while traveling so it’s a good thing to learn how to cut your dogs coat! You’ve got to put in the hours but it’ll save you some money!

When it comes to washing Bowie, it’s usually quick and easy. We’ve washed him under beach showers, water taps and even in the doggy wash at self serve car washes. It’s good to keep dog shampoo on hand incase of those emergency moments. For example: Bowie decided to randomly roll around in dog poo the other morning and I had to wash him under a tap in the middle of a busy park! Seriously embarrassing…

If your pooch is a breed that doesn’t shed hair then a good grooming brush works a treat to get rid of those loose dog hairs, unless you don’t mind your car covered in them.

National Parks

This would have to be the biggest issue you’ll come across when traveling with a dog. I mean, some of the most beautiful parts of Australia are in National Parks. So what do you do?

The best option is dog kennels or dog sitting. We usually try to find a kennel or sitter close by so we can drop Bowie off and pick him up without having to travel long distances. We’ve also had wonderful friends who have looked after Bowie for us as well, which we are so thankful for! Dog kennels can be anything from $15-$40 a day so it’s good to research and compare prices before you get there.  If you’re not into kennels, you can always try Mad Paws, an online community that offers pet hosting/services around Australia. Unlike using kennels, this community is a group of genuine people who offer a service from their home or can dog sit in your home.

For more info here is the link:

www.madpaws.com.au

With smaller National Parks, we have pulled over outside of the park and kept Bowie in the car while we walk in and check it out. This only works if the entrance is close to the attractions. Plus you’ll also want to time it right, so it’s not too hot for your dog in the car and not to leave them too long.  We always have the windows open, our fan turned on and leave plenty of water for him to drink (and usually a little treat!).

Flea & tick prevention

Having a large range of native wildlife in Australia means that ticks and fleas are constantly living and surviving off them.  With around 70 different species of ticks in Australia alone, they can be incredibly dangerous to domestic pets, especially the paralysis tick.

We haven’t had any problems with fleas but have found that NSW & QLD are the worst for ticks (so far)! It’s super important to make sure your dog is prevented the entire time, you don’t want any unexpected vet visits whilst on the road! You should check your pet insurance (if you even have it) because most of them do not cover paralysis tick emergencies. So when it comes to protecting Bowie, we like to use Nexgard, which is a monthly edible tablet. We have found ticks on Bowie and even ourselves so it’s good to do regular checks around the neck area, ears and eyes.

If he needs to visit a vet, we always try to use Greencross Vets as they are an Australia wide company. They provide amazing service and if you sign up with their partnership company, Petbarn, you can collect points with every dollar you spend. Making all your petfood and flea & tick treatments just that little bit cheaper!

Food

Being a smaller breed Bowie tends to eat smaller portions, which helps with our budget. His meals are usually fresh mince, chicken or fish with rice and dry food. He absolutely LOVES fish so we’re always catching fresh fish for him (and us) whilst living on the road. It keeps Bowie’s food costs down and maintains a nice and healthy coat! We always make sure we’re cooking the fish properly and remove any bones as those sorts of bones can be hazardous to dogs.

He can be a little fussy with his dry food (I believe it’s the poodle side of him) but after trying a few different brands we’ve finally found one he doesn’t turn his nose up at which is OPTIMUM adult toy/small breed with chicken & veg.

All up feeding Bowie costs us roughly $9 a week or $36 a month. This includes his dry food, mince/chicken & rice. If we’re catching plenty of fish it works out to be even cheaper!

It may seem like a lot of effort to travel with a dog and I’m not going to lie, sometimes it is. You just need to take the time to plan a little further ahead. And overall, it’s always going to be more of an added expense, but in the end they’re family too and the amount of good times you have with them is totally worth it.