You may be thinking about traveling cross country with your loyal dog, but aren’t quite sure how to handle traveling so far with a dog in tow. It isn’t as easy as tossing the dog in the back and just taking off; there are a few steps involved to ensure your dog is taken care of and able to handle the long road trip by your side.

First, be sure to check the weather in all areas that you are traveling through. You will want to make sure that you are traveling cross country with your dog in a vehicle that has air conditioning, because dogs can overheat quickly, especially on a long trip. Have your vehicle tuned and maintenance before heading off on a road trip with your dog so that all parts of your vehicle are in working order.

There will be a need to ensure you have all of the proper supplies for your dog while traveling cross country. Some supplies that are necessary as a means to survive this trip are leashes, water and food bowls, proper collar and blankets, snacks and food. While your dog may not wish to eat while on the road, you will need to stop every so often to be sure they stick with their daily food routine so as to not stress your pet dog out. You may also opt to bring along some form of plastic bags to collect the dog feces after they poop while traveling cross country.

During your travel cross country with your dog you may wish to find hotel accommodations so that you and your pet can stay overnight for a restful night before returning to drive further on the road trip. Prior to leaving your home, be certain to check hotels, motels and cabins along your route that are pet-friendly to ensure there are options and prepare to pay a pet deposit fee at most locations. It is going to be important that you break every so often to allow your dog to go pee and have a break from the cramped up riding in your vehicle.

While many dog owners will just opt to find a pet sitter while they travel cross country, we know there are many of you who wouldn’t dream of leaving your furry friend behind. We hope that these tips and suggestions will allow you to enjoy a cross country road trip with your dog soon!