5 Tips for Feeding Your Dog While Travelling

Created in conjunction with Woof Dog

Our four-legged friends are just as much a part of the family as the two-legged ones. This means that they’re very likely to accompany the rest of the family on trips away; whether they are staycations or longer holidays, such as travelling in Europe. 

Dogs love the adventure of new places as much as humans do, so it would be a shame to leave them behind. It’s important to make sure that your pup is kept happy throughout their travels, so we’ve got some handy tips for you on feeding your dog while travelling.

Road-trippin’ dogs can experience things such as an upset tummy or exhibit unusual behaviour at times, but with our pointers, you’ll be able to keep that all at bay and help your pooch to bask in the travels with you!

Feeding dog while travelling

1. Fresh Water is Essential

One of the most valuable tips for your dog’s welfare is to keep hydrated.

If you’re travelling long distances then it can be awkward to find water at times, so it’s best just to make sure you have some stored in the vehicle with you.

Feeding your dog while travelling
Regularly offer your dog water

This will not only save you money, but you will be able to make more convenient pit stops that suit you too. Simply ensure that your pup has a good drink of water when you stop and give them the chance to have a toilet break while you’re there.

Making sure your four-legged friend drinks regularly is vital for content tummies and also consistent toilet breaks.

2. Pack Their Food

Packing your dog’s normal food on trips will help to make sure that there are no upset stomachs. They may be nervous or excited about being in the car with you. So to minimise any issues, simply keep a container of their usual pet food with you and keep things as usual as possible in that department.

Be certain that you’ve packed enough for a round trip or you know somewhere that stocks that particular food on the return route.

This point can be particularly useful if it’s your first time travelling with your pet in the car with you; they’ll welcome the familiarity and it can help when it comes to enjoying the trip.

On this point though, there are some human foods such as canned pumpkin and yoghurt that are known to be effective at settling upset stomachs. Not only will they nullify sickness, these types of foods can also reduce gas (a welcome bonus in a confined space!)

3. Avoid Issues Surrounding Motion Sickness

If you know or think that your dog will get carsick when you’re on your travels, you should seek the advice of your veterinarian beforehand. They can prescribe motion-sickness medication. There’s also some simple over-the-counter remedies, like forms of ginger.

Rental car in USA
Driving a long distance? Take steps to prepare if your dog suffers from motion sickness

You can also add a single teaspoon of a fibre supplement into your dog’s food; this can help with avoiding diarrhoea that can be brought on by stress and even excitement.

In some cases though, carsickness is going to occur irrespectively. Therefore, if you have an inkling that your pet might get ill once you’re on the road, get some provisions in place such as cleaning supplies, paper towels and possibly even some plastic sheeting to protect the interior.

4. Keep Human Food to a Minimum

You may be able to get away with the odd treat, such as the last bite of your sandwich, but your pooch doesn’t need a sandwich of their own to eat when you have yours. Don’t be drawn into the whimpers or sad faces that dogs so intelligently make either!

If you feed them human food between their regular meals then they will more than likely need to stop for toilet breaks more often, and if you fancy a snack en route, they could get a little too close and expect to share it with you.

Lastly, as we pointed out earlier, keeping their food as consistent with home life as possible will help to avoid any accidents or discomfort in the car during your journey.

5. Reduce Meals on Travel Days

You can be the best pet owner on the planet with the most relaxed dog in your family, but some anxiety on their part is almost unavoidable – even if they appear as cool as a cucumber!

What’s more, motion sickness might upset their stomach quite quickly, as we mentioned previously. Therefore, we recommend feeding your pet less than the usual amount of food they would have prior to setting off on your travels. This will help to avoid future accidents.

That’s not to say that you have to starve your dog, but just be aware of this kind of precaution that will help everyone to enjoy the trip as best as possible.

It might be worth going out on some short, local trips to get them used to riding in the car for longer distances, too. 

You May Also Like

Inspired? Pin this to your Pinterest board!

Feeding your dog while on a road trip pin

1 thought on “5 Tips for Feeding Your Dog While Travelling”

  1. Great tips! I also find it very handy when we’re travelling with our dog, Ellie, to set up her food area as soon as we getto the hotel so she knows where it is. I also love that so many restaurants in Europe provide water for dogs to help with point #1!

    Reply

Leave a Comment