If you prefer traveling with your dog, or you are thinking about doing so for the first time and are a little wary of how he or she will handle it. Today, many hotels, motels and other traveling accommodations welcome pets into their facilities and the following tips can help to make the trip safer and more comfortable for you and your dog.

First of all, you should take your dog to the vet to have him checked out to make sure he is in good condition before attempting to take him on the road. If your pet is sick, taking him in a car or a plane into a new environment will just stress him or her out even more. Also, make sure all vaccinations are up to date so your dog is safe from diseases such as rabies and distemper. If your pet gets lost, having him tagged and his vaccinations up to date will also help you get him out of the pound quicker. While you are at the vet, you should also make sure you have enough medication to last your entire trip if your pooch is on any meds. It is also wise to ask the vet to write you another prescription in case the medicine you are carrying gets lost or damaged in some way.

Before packing your dog along with your suitcase, you will also want to consider what type of traveling method you are using. Most people prefer to take their pets along when they are driving, because dogs tend to handle driving better than flying. However, if you must fly, make sure you contact your airlines well in advance to make good flying arrangements for your friend.

You should also pack a doggy suit case for your trip along with your own. Pack all his medication, prescription information, extra ID tag, health records, some toys he or she enjoys playing with, and of course his food and any treats he enjoys.

Most importantly, you will want to consider your dogs personality before taking him on a vacation with you. If your dog is a social animal and enjoys being around other dogs as well as people, he or she should be fine to take along. On the other hand, if he is anti-social, meaning prefers to be just with you and your family, you might want to think about leaving Fido with a friend. When you bring along an anti social animal, they are going to be unhappy, and consequently make you unhappy in the process because you will be constantly worrying about their well being.

By following these few tips, your trip with your dog should be a happy one - enjoy!