Road trip!

Belinda Eastwood of Port Elizabeth writes We’re going to visit family soon and would like to take our puppy along. How can we make the journey comfortable for all of us?

Amy Westerman, marketing director at Valemount Trading, replies With careful planning, travelling with a pup can be a wonderful, memorable experience. Here are a few tips:

Travel crate If you’re flying, make sure you have an IATA (iata.org) compliant travel crate, “live animal” sticker, two small bowls, a shipping ID sticker and a training pad. If you’re driving, ensure that your puppy isn’t left to walk around freely in the car as this could be very dangerous. A wire crate or canvas crate is best for travel by car.

Regular stops Make sure you stop regularly so your puppy can walk around, ‘use the bathroom’ and have some water and/or food, if necessary. Have his food, lead and collar readily available – not packed away in a bag at the bottom of the boot! Also keep waste bags handy so you can clean up after your puppy.

Anxious traveller If your pooch gets anxious or nauseous in the car, visit your vet to get the appropriate medication.

Water Always make sure that water is accessible. There are many different types of water containers available in stores and online. A water dispenser is a good idea; tip the bottle upside down while driving, then place it in the dispenser when you come to a stop. Foldable silicone water and food bowls are handy, as they fold away flat.

Puppy pads Line your preferred travel crate with puppy pads, as accidents can happen (even if you make regular stops). There are a variety of puppy pads on the market, such as ‘calm down’ puppy pads (for the anxious traveller), carbon puppy pads (for extra absorption), easy fix puppy pads (to stick to the crate) and many more.

Have fun! Make some memories – holidays are all about having a good time. Ensure that your puppy has a variety of toys to curb boredom or itchy gums.