Family Vacation: Made with Happy Dog Edition

We are excited to be working with The Nutro™ Company along with Socialstars as part of a sponsored series sharing some awesome ways we have one of the HAPPIEST dogs on the planet. #HonestToDogWith all the traveling we do as a family, I thought I'd give you a little insight into the best ways we've found to go on family vacations with our HAPPY dog, Caddie.

I've put together a quick checklist of questions to ask yourself when deciding on whether to take your pup on vacation.

• How are we getting there?  This might seem obvious, but you have to consider how great of a traveler your dog is. If they aren't great travelers then flying is probably out of the picture and you want to make sure to keep the driving distance down. If they are a larger dog, like ours, then flying becomes much more complex and so many times its easier for everyone if you drive. If you are driving, do you have room in your car for the dog?
• Seems silly, but I know there are times when we are headed out camping and fill the car with tents and chairs and coolers and then realize that we haven't left room for the dog. Just something to keep in mind.
• What kind of activities are we planning?  If you're planning a river rafting trip and you would need the dog to stay at the cabin all day. Or skiing or snorkling all day. Just remember that even though the destination might be easy to get to and easy to bring your dog, your dog might not have any fun staying back from all the fun.
• Is the vacation spot pet friendly?  This might seem obvious in terms of sleeping arrangements and whether the hotel or place you are staying allows pets, but there is much more to this question. This goes along with the previous questions. Is the vacation spot pet friendly? If you're walking around town and have your dog with you, are you going to be able to stop for lunch somewhere that allows pets on the patio? Are there places for the dog to go to the bathroom? Yes, do they have pet friendly hotels or house rentals? If they allow pets to sleep, do they allow the pets to be there when you aren't there? Some places require that your pet is with you at all times meaning if  you're planning on going out to dinner, make sure the restaurant is pet friendly because  they will need to be with you.
• What is the weather like where we are going?  While I would love for Caddie to come with us on our trips to the desert, she can't cool off in the pool like we can and so many times we have to keep her home when its too hot. Then on the flip side, is your dog okay in the snow? Ours is built for the snow and loves it more than anything, but some dogs don't have thick enough fur or just can't handle the cold. Just things to think about when planning.

Alright, so you've made your way through the checklist and now you're ready to go on vacation.I like to bring all the same comforts from home for our girl to make sure she's HAPPY on vacation. We bring her sleeping pillow, her leash and a bag of her favorite dog food. Just like I talked about during the post about Caddie's Doggy Dinner, it is important to not just pick up some food when you get to where you are going. It can mess with your dog's tummy. If you bring a bag NUTRO™ Rotations™  then you can provide your pup with some vacation variety (like you all), but digestive stability too. Travel tummy is a real thing friends, for both dogs and humans 🙂 Once you've gotten to your destination, have fun. Make sure you incorporate activities that everyone enjoys... even your pup. Setup their sleeping spot just as you do everyone else and viola, you have yourself a HAPPY HAPPY Vacation with your dog! We love family vacation with our entire family and although at times it can seem like a lot, your pup is part of the family and will be much happier getting to have these fun experiences with you.

HAPPY TRAVELS MY FRIENDS!

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