Traveling with your dog has special challenges
Sunday, May 11, 2008
My dog, who loves nothing more than a run in the woods, a splash into the creek and sniffing every piece of earth she can find, has been heartbroken.
Because of recent surgery, she has been confined to the house while repairs done to her ACL heal. Her eyes follow me soulfully every time I pick up a coat or the car keys.
Extras
"That's OK. Leave me here — again. I'll just stay inside on this lovely day — again," she seems to be saying.
Let's face it.
Most dogs love to go for a ride in the car, whether it's to run an errand or to accompany the family on vacation.
But there are lots of things to consider.
If you want to read about a real dog adventure, check out "Narrow Dog to Carcassonne" by Terry Darlington. It's the travel tale of a man, his wife, their beloved dog, and the many adventures they shared sailing a 7-foot-wide narrow boat from the tame canals of England across the treacherous English Channel and through the south of France. It came out in paperback on April 1.
The dog, a whippet called Jim, and the couple learned lots on their travels, including most people love dogs like Jim, how to take a dog on a small boat for several months and cultural barriers.
By the way, former editor Max Jennings learned that making a dog go to the bathroom on a ship while sailing is not the easiest task — especially a dog that prides itself on good housebreaking. The editor often talked about having to pull the sail boat off to an island to let the dog off to relieve itself before the poor animal exploded.
If you aren't as convinced that your pet would be a great traveler, there are ways to leave the pet home and still have a good trip.
The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters now has a comprehensive online directory that links pet owners with qualified professional pet sitters in their own communities.
When choosing a professional pet sitter, the association urges owners to take into consideration whether the service provider has commercial liability insurance, references and literature fully describing services and fees.
The Web site is accessible directly from the NAPPS Web site, www.petsitters.org, and provides contact information for all NAPPS member pet sitters and pet sitting companies in the area.
Help also is available at Care.com, a nationwide online pet care directory that provides a listing of resources at the local level, searchable by ZIP code.
And check out "Dog Park Wisdom," a new book by Lisa Wogan that gives you all the poop on getting along at the dog park, in the home and on the road. Do you know how to deskunk a dog? How about the question of letting the dog sleep inside the tent or outside?
She answers questions you never thought of before you even get the chance to think of them.
The book is published by Skipstone and sells for $18.95. The soft cover will roll up nicely in your backpack.
Senior pet seminar
The Tipp City Veterinary Hospital and Wellness Center (4900 S. County Road 25A, Tipp City) is offering a free seminar, Senior Pet Awareness, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 14.
Hosted by Dr. James Mathias, it covers dietary needs, importance of screenings, behavioral changes and early disease detection directly related to the needs of senior animals. This is a "people only" seminar; please do not bring your animal.
For more information or to RSVP, call (937) 667-8489 or e-mail info@tippvet.com.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2248 or ldenger@DaytonDaily News.com.
