🐕 Traveling with a dog: 5 key questions
We have already written about where to start traveling with a dog. Let's continue to prepare for it. I visited nine countries with my Bear and these are the questions that arose in my mind. I advise you to find the answer to them before your trip.
- Top 5 questions about flying dogs on board in 2023
- How do airlines deal with transporting pets in the cabin?
Do I need to register my dog?
First, find out the conditions for the dog to stay in the country. Not entry, but stay. Most countries require pet registration. If you leave without registration, you risk getting a fine. True, in nine countries this has never happened to me.
Is the food you need sold in the country?
Dogs are not allowed to eat different foods, so you may need to take your own food with you. For example, in Uzbekistan the popular Royal Canin for small dogs cannot be found, and if you do find it, it is expensive and requires a wait of a week or more.
What does a dog risk getting infected with and what can even cause it to die?
Countries may have specific diseases, poisonous insects and plants that you have not encountered in your latitudes. For example, in Georgia one thorn digs in so hard that it cannot be reached. And in Portugal there is a special type of caterpillar, from which animals immediately develop anaphylactic shock.
Google 24-hour veterinary services in advance or enlist the help of a veterinarian online. It will be useful to have a first aid kit with you. Veterinarians recommend putting the following in it:
- dressing materials;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- ointment with an antimicrobial component;
- three-component cream in case of itching at the site of an insect bite;
- antihistamine;
- cold accumulator;
- sorbents;
- saline;
- syringe;
- scissors;
- gloves;
- analgesic and antipyretic.
How is it customary to walk a dog?
Often in cities there are bans on walking without a leash, and in the case of a large dog – without a muzzle. How closely these rules are checked varies from country to country, but at least you'll know what's expected of you.
Where can you go with your dog?
How dog friendly each country is is a separate big conversation. If you are used to taking your pet everywhere, the comfort of the entire trip will depend on this. In Germany, you can calmly go shopping with your beloved dog, but in Portugal you won’t even go to the store near your house for bread. In some countries it remains possible to reach an agreement, but in Portugal I was unable to do so.
