When you train your pet puppy with us to be the best behaved puppy in town in our Seattle Puppy Socialization, Obedience and Manners Classes you help support our low cost Service Dog Training School and Programs. Here is a video about how to travel with your service dog that our past pet dog training students helped to support.
Tips for traveling with your service dog.
Taking your dog with you on trips -or just about anywhere -may seem like a lot of fun, but in reality it’s like having a two-year old child with you all the time Mary McNeight, CPDT-KA, head trainer and owner of the Service Dog Academy recounts some of her experiences in traveling with Liame, and shares some helpful tips on making traveling with your service dog safe and successful!
1. Flash drive.
Bring a flash drive with your dog’s health records saved on it. If you find yourself in a situation where your dog has to go to the veterinarian while you’re away from home, having your dog’s important health records stored on a flash drive could be a lifesaver when you’re in an emergency situation and have to remember vaccination history, anesthesia protocol, and more. Your vet should be more than happy to put your dog’s records on a flash drive for you to take with on your travels.
2. Extra food.
In the event that your dog becomes sick, or injured and cannot fly on an airplane, always make sure you have an extra two-day supply of your dog’s food. If you want more information on the TSA’s requirements when traveling with a service dog, click
When McNeight’s dog, Liame, was attacked in California, he had to have major surgery and because of his sutures, he was not allowed on the airplane to fly home. A two-hour plane ride turned into a two-day drive back to Seattle. McNeight, while dealing with her seriously injured dog, also had to call around until she found someone who carried Liame’s brand of dog food. To avoid having to conduct an all-out search for a place that carries your dog’s specific food, especially if he has certain diet restrictions, be sure to bring extra!
Quick Tip: The Service Dog Academy recommends dog food that has at least its first three ingredients to be meat-based. In the wild, dogs did not eat rice, flour, or maple syrup – excess carbohydrates are like rocket fuel for your dog and can be a main cause of hyperactivity in dogs! Liame eats ZiwiPeak brand dog food – an all natural, raw, dehydrated dog food. While Ziwipeak is rather expensive, there are a lot of other quality dog foods on the market. Visit your local natural dog food supply store, and check the labels!
3. Ship your dog’s food to your hotel.
United States Postal Service flat rate boxes are a great way to save money on shipping costs, and save your back from having to lug around extra pounds of dog food through the airport. Be sure to let your accommodations know ahead of time, and don’t forget to bring two days of food in your carry-on in the event of any delays.
4. Something to chew on.
It will keep your dog distracted and busy during long airplane rides or drives, and relieve anxiety. Good, consumable chews such as bully sticks, stuffed kongs, and rawhide bones are also a delicious treat!
The Service Dog Academy recommends – especially for active chewers, is the Ziwipeak Good Dog Deer Antler. Made from 100% deer antler, it tastes good to dogs and is minimally processed. They have virtually no smell (great for confined spaces such as airplanes!), and do not leave any chewed up residue or fragments behind.
Find the location nearest you that carries these antlers!
5. Bowl for food and water.
One of the most important things to remember – and often forgotten while traveling.
Service Dog Academy suggests: Guyot Designs silicone squishy dog bowl. Silicone bowls can easily be folded or squished in your dog’s vest pocket, are super easy to clean, and will not get moldy! Need we say more?
6. 24-hour emergency veterinarians. Create a list of the ones in the area you are traveling. Use the search engine of your choice, and map it out to find the closest vet to your hotel.
A lot of these tips we consider worst case scenario when traveling with your dog, and while we hope you don’t have to put them to use, having them handy when you travel could save you a lot of time and stress. We thought of them, so you don’t have to! Happy travels and have fun traveling with your service dog!
Our service dog Access Class is the best way to learn your rights and responsibilities when preparing for service dog lifestyle, if you have already put your dog through
at the Service Dog Academy and are ready to start training your dog for service work, enroll online today!
