Tips on Traveling Cross Country with Your Dog

When I began planning for my cross-country road trip, I knew one thing to be true.  I wasn’t going if I couldn’t bring my dog, Sampson, with me.  He had just turned 16, goes most everywhere with me, and at his old age, there was no way I could bear to leave him behind.  So, I planned my trip accordingly.  Today I want to share some tips on traveling cross country with your dog if you’d like to do the same.

Cleared for Travel

Vaccines

Due to Sampson’s age, I was already a frequent flyer at my local vet.  I spoke with them early on about the trip and communicated extra vaccine requirements needed.  If you do plan on boarding your dog, be sure to find out exactly what vaccines are required.  I found that they all had slightly different requirements. Also keep in mind that some vaccines require more than one shot. Those shots usually require time periods in between the shots, so make sure you plan this out well.

One thing to mention here.  Ask your vet to email you the proof of vaccinations. This way you can forward to wherever you’re boarding your dog and print out a copy and take with you.

Vet Approval

About a month prior to our departure date, he got his first set of vaccine shots. One of those required a second shot a few weeks later.  Since his annual check-up was already scheduled for then, we killed two birds with one stone here.  It was very important to me to get the ‘all clear’ from my vet for Sampson.  In fact, I was prepared to cancel the trip if my vet didn’t think Sampson was up for it physically.  Sampson is old with some mobility issues so I wanted my vet to weigh in. Thankfully he encouraged me to take him and I’m so glad I did.

Medications

While we were at the vet, I went ahead and got enough of his medication and supplements to last until we got back.  They were very accommodating because the last thing I wanted to do was run out on the road.

Keeping Track of Your Dog

Collar and Tag

If you are considering taking your dog on a cross country trip with you, I’m going to assume you’re also a crazy dog person too.  And as such, you’re almost sure to have your dog chipped and have a tag with your dog’s name and your name and number on it too.  If you don’t get a tag.  Sampson seldom wears a collar at home so I went ahead and got a new collar and tag and also included my sister’s name and contact number as an emergency contact.

Fi Tracking Collar

Since we were going to be out on trails and I would be leaving him at a few boarding facilities, I went one step further and purchased a Fi tracking collar.  I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.  This collar syncs with an app on your phone and not only does it keep up with your dog’s location, but also steps and sleep which I found fun to track.  I like the collar so much that he’s continued to wear it at home so I can keep track of him. Oh, and they have several partnering brands if you want a more decorative collar.

Preparing for the Long Car Rides

Dog Hammock & Bed

Our schedule called for several long days in the car and since it was just me and Sampson, I had plenty of room to make him comfortable.  The first thing I purchased was a dog hammock which I highly recommend if you have the space.  The one seemed a little pricey at first but was definitely worth the extra cost.  Not only is it durable but it also has a hard bottom that gave Sampson all the space he needed.  I added this comfy dog bed we already had and his favorite toy, Blue Dog, to try and make him as comfortable as could be.  And it worked.  Once we got in a groove he slept like a baby in the back seat.  In fact, some days he would be asleep in the back before I pulled out of the parking lot. 

Periodic Breaks

For the long driving days, I was sure to stop every three or so hours for both of us to get out and walk.  This also gave him a chance to take a potty break so I was sure to bring extra poop bags.  After a couple of days, I quickly learned that rest stops were the best option while on the road.  Not only could I run in to use the restroom quickly before walking him, but most had designated pet areas too.  I was fascinated by how many people travel with their dogs and the rest stops seemed to be the place to be.

We would walk for at least 15 minutes each time we stopped so I had an extra water bowl that was easily accessible in the back of the car.  I also topped off all of the water bottles every morning before we left.  I kept the leash close by in the storage pocket of the dog hammock and also had an accident kit too for when needed. 

We quickly got into a groove so much so that he was well rested and excited for every stop we made.

Lodging Accommodations

We stayed in a variety of places including hotel rooms and houses or cabins through Airbnb or direct booking.  I found that typically it cost more to accommodate for a dog, which I completely understand and didn’t mind paying. Be sure to check out Planning for My 7,000 Mile Cross Country Trip for all the details on how I chose where we were going and where we would be staying.

Hotels

When I planned my trip, I did my best to find less expensive hotel rooms to offset the cost of the rental houses we stayed in.  However, that strategy quickly shifted once I discovered that safety and cleanliness were worth the extra cost.  Comfort Inns, Holiday Inns, and Hampton Inns all were nice hotel stays and had dog friendly rooms.  Each location charged an extra pet fee at different rates but typically speaking it was about an extra $20 which was well worth it.

One thing I quickly caught onto is that the dog friendly rooms are often on the first floor near the side exits which I appreciated.  After a couple of stays I started requesting this at check-in and most were able to accommodate.  This made it easy to get Sampson into the room and to take potty breaks while we were there.  I typically walked him around the hotels a few times before dark and never once felt unsafe.

While I probably shouldn’t admit this, even though most hotels state that dogs are not allowed on the beds, I broke the rule every time.  Sampson sleeps with me at home most nights so that wasn’t going to change on the road.  However, I also am respectful of other people’s property so the solution was to bring a couple of extra blankets to cover the beds.  This worked great and Sampson slept pretty well.  Each morning after packing up I would grab the duct tape to grab any extra pet hair that might have gotten on the bedding.  I wanted to make sure I left the place clean so as not to incur any extra expenses.

Houses & Cabins

The same general rules applied to searching for houses.  Some were dog friendly; others were not.  I was sure to include this requirement in my search and read through the fine details about any extra costs that might be incurred.  While I had hoped to find houses with fenced in back yards, that was only the case for one house.  However, the rest had plenty of areas to walk him and two were pretty remote so I could let him roam around off leash while I watched him.

The same rule applied here for bedding and all furniture.  Most stated to keep the dogs off the furniture so I only broke the rule a little.  He was not allowed on anything except the bed I slept in and I added blankets to protect the property’s bedding.  It must have worked because I had no complaints or extra fees after checking out.

For each house we stayed in I made sure they had a washer and dryer.  In addition to washing my own clothes, I could wash the extra blankets to make sure everything stayed fresh and clean.  I also was able to wash Sampson at one of the houses and brought my own dog towels for drying.

Meals

Sampson is about like me; as far as food goes, he can take it or leave it.  I purchased this travel dog backpack which was great to keep all of his belongings in one place.  It also came with collapsible water and food bowls and two small containers for dry dog food.  I filled the small containers up with his dry dog food so that I could easily grab one to throw into my purse for the hotels.  His fresh dog food was stored in the coolers and then in refrigerators in the hotels or houses.  I also had a medium sized plastic container in the back of the car with more of his dry dog food and filled up the small containers as needed. 

The Fun Stuff & Making Memories

The entire point of taking my dog with me on this trip was to enjoy it with him and to make memories.  He is 16-years-old which is hard to believe, and I’m not sure how much longer I’ll have my little buddy around.  So, despite any extra research or costs or missing out on activities because he was with me, it was 100 percent worth it.  In fact, this reel sums up how sure I was in that one moment that taking him on my trip was the right thing to do.

With that said, let me share with you some of the fun places I got to explore with him.  And this probably goes without saying but in general there were just a couple of rules – keep your dog on a leash and clean up after them. 

National Parks

If I had to guess I would say 95% of the National Parks do not allow dogs, per se. They definitely are not allowed on trails but they can ride in your car and get out in parking lots and the parking around lookouts, which most parks have.  The primary reason is to keep your dog safe from wildlife, and vice versa.  Even with that general rule of no dogs, I found that several people brought their dogs along for the ride. 

Here’s a quick list of the National Park we visited and how much, or how little, Sampson got to experience.

Gateway Arch

Dog friendly. Only limitation is taking them inside the museum or riding the tram.  Lots of grass to roam around in and paved walking trails.

Badlands

This park is a drive through so while he was with me the whole time, he could not walk on any of the short trails to the lookouts.  Many I skipped; some I would run out to if they were close and leave him in the car with the windows down.

Mt. Rushmore

Not allowed.  You can walk dogs up to the entrance but that’s as far as you can go.  If you’re alone like I was, you could only look from afar.  If you were with someone, you could trade off getting closer to the monuments and watching your dog.

Theodore Roosevelt

Another drive through with lookouts right off of the road.  I did get him out to stretch his legs a time or two but mostly he was just along for another fun ride while I took in the wildlife.

Glacier National

He was able to ride Going to the Sun Road with me but there weren’t many places for him to get out for the most part.  We grabbed a couple of picture opportunities together thanks to the kindness of some strangers.  On the second day we drove out to Two Medicine Lake where dogs were allowed on leash around the shoreline and parking lot, but not on the trail.  I boarded him overnight at Columbia Mountain Kennels and highly recommend them.  During those two days I was able to hike some trails and go on a scenic rafting tour while he was well taken care of.  On our last day I took him along the west shoreline of McDonald Lake and dogs are allowed on the paved trail between Apgar Village and the west Visitor Center.

Yellowstone

I boarded him the first day at a questionable kennel so changed my plans and found a trail nearby, Pine Creek Falls, for the next day.  This was a pretty hard trail for his old legs but he hung in there and we both got to see the waterfall.  On the last day he rode in the car with me through the east side of Yellowstone and much like the Theodore Roosevelt Park, he stayed in the car and I pulled off at stops to take quick looks.  I was able to walk him around an area at Yellowstone Lake since the crowds were pretty small.

Grand Tetons

I boarded him for my first full day and the second day he tagged along.  We went through the inner loop and like the other parks, he stayed in the car for the most part.

Rocky Mountain

We rode through the park on Trail Ridge Road on day one and he slept while I panicked driving this terrifying road.  He was able to get out at a couple of the lookouts and I walked him around one of the parking lots when I went back with my parents.  It also helped to have my parents there in terms of getting to do more.  They were gracious to watch him while I looked at places I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to.

Hot Springs

The most dog friendly park around!  This park is basically the town but plenty of dogs were out walking their owners and Sampson fit right in.  We even had an outdoor lunch where he was welcomed. This is also where he got his official BARK Ranger certificate.

With all of parks, you’re welcome to grab a picture of your dog in front of the National Park signs. Of course I took full advantage of this at each park except Mt. Rushmore.

So, Would I Take Him Again?

Absolutely yes!!!

If I had to plan the trip again, I wouldn’t change much.  It was absolutely worth it to have my sweet boy with me for my cross country trip.  I’m sure I missed some opportunities but the special time we got to spend together was more than worth it.  If you’re considering taking your dog on a cross country trip I say do it.  Their lives are short enough and if you’re anything like me, they’re family.  Or at least Sampson is.