Road Trip Tips for Traveling with Your Dog

We take Lily Mae almost everywhere.

From Windsor, Ontario, to Prince Edward Island. Down to Florida. Over to Michigan. She's a six-year-old black pug, and skipping her is rarely an option we consider.

After all those kilometres with a dog in the back seat, we've figured out what actually works and what makes a long drive harder than it needs to be. Here are the tips we come back to every time.

This is the one we follow without exception on long hauls.

Every two hours, we pull over. Lily gets out, stretches, sniffs around, and uses the washroom. Rest stops with grass are usually your best bet. Most highway rest areas have decent green space, and dogs tend to appreciate them far more than we do.

We also cap our driving days. On a trip longer than 10 to 12 hours, we book a dog-friendly hotel rather than pushing through. A tired dog cooped up in a car is not a happy dog, and a stressed dog makes for a stressful drive.

We feed Lily early on road trip mornings. Getting on the road and realising she missed a meal is the kind of thing that bothers us more than it bothers her, probably, but it sets the tone for the day.

Regular meals on the road matter. If your dog is used to eating at certain times, try to stick close to that schedule even when you're moving.

We keep a water bowl in the car that we can fill up at any stop. It sounds obvious, but it's one of those things that is easy to forget when you're packing.

Dogs need more water on travel days, especially in warmer months or if they're anxious. Having a collapsible bowl or a dedicated car bowl makes every stop a bit more useful.

Lily has a proper bed laid out in the car. She knows it's her spot, and having something familiar and soft goes a long way on a long drive.

Bring their usual blanket or bed rather than something new. The familiar smell helps them settle, especially on the first few hours of a trip when they're still figuring out what's happening.

Regular treats are fine, but we also bring something a bit more special to help pass the time on longer stretches. It gives Lily something to focus on and keeps her calm when the drive drags.

Just be mindful of portion sizes across the day so you're not overdoing it by the time you reach your destination.

Dog-friendly hotels book up, especially in summer and along popular routes. We never leave this to chance.

Search specifically for pet-friendly properties and confirm the pet policy before you book, not at check-in. Some places charge a pet fee, some have size or breed limits, and some have restrictions on leaving dogs unattended in the room. Worth knowing ahead of time.

Traveling with a dog takes a bit more planning, but it's worth it.

Having Lily along on the drive to PEI or down to Florida makes those trips feel like ours in a way that flying never quite does. She's part of how we travel, and these tips are what keep her happy and comfortable from the first stop to the last.

If you travel with your dog regularly and have something that's worked well for you, we'd love to hear it.