You’ve put the finishing touches on packing. Your plane ticket sits by the front door, and the policy number for your traveler’s insurance is saved in your smartphone. But have you packed your pet a special bag?

If you’re planning on boarding them while you vacation, then now’s the time to act.

A doggy bag can help your pet transition to boarding school life more easily by providing them with familiar comforts. It should also provide your pet’s caretaker(s) with the information they need in case of a medical emergency.

Read on to find out more about what to pack so that your canine companion feels comfortable and secure, no matter what part of the globe you’re visiting.

When You Have to Leave

As a dog owner, you understand that going on vacation feels bittersweet.

Pleading, forlorn gazes…Whining and barking…

Does any of this sound familiar? Walking away from your pet at doggy boarding feels heartbreaking.

How will your beloved pet get by?

Will they stay healthy? Will they feel comfortable?

Focusing on these questions or the guilt associated with them won’t help your pet. Instead, create an action plan for providing your best friend with everything he needs to thrive away from home.

With a little creativity, you can help your pet feel calm and connected to you despite the distance. What’s more, with some forethought and planning, you can reduce their separation anxiety too.

Opt for Familiar Objects and Scents

When away from home, your pet can experience, anger, fear, and anxiety due to unfamiliar surroundings and people.

But you can help mitigate these negative feelings by carefully packing items in your pet’s doggy bag.

How does this help?

In 2015, ScienceDirect published an interesting study. It revealed that when dogs smell items bearing their owner’s scent, it activates the same parts of the brain that are triggered when they anticipate things they like or enjoy.

So, as you pack, choose familiar objects and scents.

What to Pack and Why

When it comes to compiling an effective doggy bag, think practical and familiar.

Practical items to include are:

• pertinent phone numbers
• other contact information
• a brief medical history
• medications with instructions
• a record of your dog’s vaccinations
• a written copy of your dog’s daily routine

Familiar items include your dog’s belongings, such as:

• bed
• food and water bowls
• routinely consumed foods and treats
• favorite toys
• an item with your scent on it
• poop bags
• brush and nail clippers for grooming
• two leashes (in case one breaks or gets lost)

Final Thoughts

We can’t always bring pets along on our journeys and this can bring up feelings of guilt and sadness. But we can make our pets feel comfortable and connected to us even when we’re in Antartica or Timbuktu.

How do we do this?

By filling their doggy bags with a combination of practical and familiar items. Dog beds, daily foods and treats, favorite toys, and items with your scent are all a great choice.

Dogs form strong attachments to their surroundings and human families. Use this information to create a doggy bag and make your pet’s next boarding experience more pleasant.

Have you had luck creating doggie bags for your pets? We’d love to know more about how you did it.

Contact us today for more tips on how to make your dog’s next boarding house experience more exciting and less frightening!