Hello, Travelers! How many of you are single? Do you travel alone? Do you travel in a pack? Do you have a favorite travel companion? Is that someone two-legged or four-legged? 

I’ve taken very few solo trips in my lifetime – so far – but I hope to be taking more in the future. My kids are grown, I’m single and it’s time to strike out on my own a bit. I admit, though, that the idea of solo travel is a bit daunting. Enter Pippi. 

I have always loved dogs. Living without them seems lonely and unpleasant to me, so, when considering my latest family member, I did think about “portability”. I want to be able to take my dog with me on planes and trains – to travel with me to all the places I want to visit. I don’t like the idea of having her stuffed into the hold of an airplane, so size mattered. Pippi is my pocket-sized pooch. She fits the profile for a “carry-on” pal, has a lion’s heart and is curious and eager to explore new places. I don’t think I could’ve chosen a better travel companion. 

Until this summer the only trips we had taken together were short drives to the vet and groomer, walks in the neighborhood and some lovely visits to Grandma’s house. She has proven to be a good traveler for short car rides and is a polite house guest – only peeing in designated areas, never chewing up shoes or carpet and being generally friendly to all the humans she has come into contact with. So far, so good, right? I figured we would ease into the whole travel thing, and so we got started with some local outings this summer.

I hope to develop a foolproof means of traveling with Pippi; learning the ins and outs of international travel with dogs, finding pet-friendly destinations and, by sharing my experiences, perhaps saving my readers some pain. This is where I started:

My Top Five Things To Do When Preparing For Travel With A Pet

1. Consider what kind of travel you intend to do – for me, it is local, domestic AND international. Will your pet be well-suited for the types of travel you love?
2. Research requirements for traveling with an animal – I checked government sites, airline websites and did a lot of googling on bringing pets into foreign countries (some require quarantining, which is a hard “no” for short trips, and all have specific requirements for vaccinations)
3. Related to #2, have your dog chipped with a microchip that is compatible with international systems. I chose HomeAgain.
4. Purchase a sturdy, yet compact, carry case. I carry Pippi in a Bergan Comfort Carrier. It has great features including the means to strap the carrier into a car seat for extra safety.
5. Have a safe, comfortable crate available for times when you must leave your pet behind at the campsite, rental or hotel room. I have a foldable crate that travels well, though I will likely purchase one at my destination when I travel by air. Reduced hassle and no extra luggage fees will easily offset that cost.

I’ll be posting about our adventures in pet-friendly travel in a new series: Trips With Pip. First up will be our #PureMichiganPandemic summertime trips of 2020. I would love to hear about your adventures traveling with your four-legged companions! Please share in the comments.