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Traveling With Your Maltese
Overview
Whether you travel each weekend to a vacation home or you are planning a long trip, steps must be taken to ensure the comfort and safety of the Maltese. What do you do when your dog just won't get into the car? Should you bring your dog onto an airplane? How do you make sure your Maltese is happy and safe? We will discuss all of our travel tips.
The Car
In the past 5 years, 6% of dogs have suffered some type of injury inside the car. Why? Because a restraint was not used. The Maltese is very small and without a restraint even normal breaking can cause this breed to slide off of the car seat and onto the floor. Such a fragile dog will most likely be injured.
There are 3 methods of keeping your dog secure; we recommend only 2 of them:
Does your Maltese resist getting into the car? Desensitization training can resolve this. Once you have the proper seat restraint for your dog, you can begin the training. The method involves beginning with a small step and progressively adding on to the time spent in the car until your dog is accustomed to it.
To begin, you would announce that it is time to go in the car in a happy and cheerful tone. Your Maltese will pick up on your verbal clues; it is important to relay that the car is going to be a pleasant experience. Once he or she is tucked in safely, offer a new dog chew or toy. Drive only a short distance, perhaps 10 or 15 minutes. Your destination should be a location that your Maltese will enjoy. Perhaps to visit a friend who is a dog owner so the 2 of them can play. Or perhaps a dog park where you can go for an enjoyable walk. You may even just park somewhere quiet, let your dog out (with a leash on) and give them a special treat to eat. Do this every couple of days so that your Maltese begins to understand that they are given a special toy only when inside the car and that going along with you equals something fun at the end.
Each week, add a bit of time onto your trip. You should be able to work your way up to just about any distance. When driving over 1 hour, it is vitally important to take breaks. At least every hour, you should find an area to stop; optimally in a spot that has little traffic and offers a calm environment. Allow your Maltese to walk or run around and stretch their legs. Offer cool water for a refreshing drink. Give your dog plenty of time to find an area to eliminate. If it is feeding time, certainly take the time to set out their dinner and allow them to eat without rushing.
Planes
Airplane travel can be a bit tricky with dogs. Shockingly, some airlines officially consider dogs to be luggage! If strict rules are not followed, your Maltese could end up in the luggage hold at the bottom of the plane. This would be traumatic at best and cause severe health issues at worst; this area can become extremely hot or very cold depending on the altitude that the plane is flying and the location.
Planning must be done well in advance. You must call the airline to confirm that you will be allowed to bring your Maltese on board with you. Most important? The size of the dog crate. There will be very strict guidelines regarding the size of the dog crate. Luckily, with the Maltese breed being so small, having a small enough crate should not be an issue. Once you find out the rules, call 2 or 3 more times to double check. Your vacation can be ruined if you arrive at the airport only to then learn that your dog would be taken from you and put with the checked in luggage!
The Problems With Planes
Even if you have your Maltese in a crate right next to you, there are still some issues to handle. Your dog will need to eliminate and you certainly cannot take them for a walk! Allowing them to do this inside the crate is not the best option, as this is confusing for the dog and the passengers would not appreciate the odor. The best method? Use a dog diaper. This will at least allow your Maltese to relieve themselves without dirtying the crate.
Toys, food and water are essential while your Maltese is patiently waiting for the flight to land. An alternative? Some owners who go on very long flights (over 5 hours) or have dogs that strongly resist staying calm can give their dog a sedative. This will be a prescribed medication, given to you by your dog's veterinarian. As long as you follow dosing instructions, this a good method to keep everyone happy.
If you have connecting flights, try to schedule them so that you have plenty of time in between to bring your dog outside for a nice walk, a bite to eat and plenty of water to drink. You can also use this time to change the dog diaper, should you use that method.
To Bring or Not to Bring
One question that dog owners should ask themselves is should they bring their Maltese. While no one wants to be away from their dog, even for a day, sometimes it should be done if it is in the best interest of the dog. If your destination is a spot in which your Maltese will not be able to join in on the activities, it may be best to leave him or her at home. Additionally, finding a hotel that will allow you to bring your Maltese into your room will not be easy. There are very few quality hotels that allow pets.
Leaving your Maltese home does not need to be a negative experience for either you or your dog. You have several options:
Whether you travel each weekend to a vacation home or you are planning a long trip, steps must be taken to ensure the comfort and safety of the Maltese. What do you do when your dog just won't get into the car? Should you bring your dog onto an airplane? How do you make sure your Maltese is happy and safe? We will discuss all of our travel tips.
The Car
In the past 5 years, 6% of dogs have suffered some type of injury inside the car. Why? Because a restraint was not used. The Maltese is very small and without a restraint even normal breaking can cause this breed to slide off of the car seat and onto the floor. Such a fragile dog will most likely be injured.
There are 3 methods of keeping your dog secure; we recommend only 2 of them:
- You may use a dog car seat; this is very much like a baby car seat. Comfortable and cushioned without the feeling of extreme confinement, this is a great option.
- A dog seat belt. This is a wonderful option that allows your Maltese to sit in the car just like everyone else. He or she will be very safe and still be able to see what is going on. Most dogs adapt very quickly to this.
- A crate is not recommended. In the event of a car accident the crate will slide and your dog can be injured. If you will need to crate your dog at your destination, it is suggested to bring the crate along in your trunk but use 1 of the methods above for the actual car travel
Does your Maltese resist getting into the car? Desensitization training can resolve this. Once you have the proper seat restraint for your dog, you can begin the training. The method involves beginning with a small step and progressively adding on to the time spent in the car until your dog is accustomed to it.
To begin, you would announce that it is time to go in the car in a happy and cheerful tone. Your Maltese will pick up on your verbal clues; it is important to relay that the car is going to be a pleasant experience. Once he or she is tucked in safely, offer a new dog chew or toy. Drive only a short distance, perhaps 10 or 15 minutes. Your destination should be a location that your Maltese will enjoy. Perhaps to visit a friend who is a dog owner so the 2 of them can play. Or perhaps a dog park where you can go for an enjoyable walk. You may even just park somewhere quiet, let your dog out (with a leash on) and give them a special treat to eat. Do this every couple of days so that your Maltese begins to understand that they are given a special toy only when inside the car and that going along with you equals something fun at the end.
Each week, add a bit of time onto your trip. You should be able to work your way up to just about any distance. When driving over 1 hour, it is vitally important to take breaks. At least every hour, you should find an area to stop; optimally in a spot that has little traffic and offers a calm environment. Allow your Maltese to walk or run around and stretch their legs. Offer cool water for a refreshing drink. Give your dog plenty of time to find an area to eliminate. If it is feeding time, certainly take the time to set out their dinner and allow them to eat without rushing.
Planes
Airplane travel can be a bit tricky with dogs. Shockingly, some airlines officially consider dogs to be luggage! If strict rules are not followed, your Maltese could end up in the luggage hold at the bottom of the plane. This would be traumatic at best and cause severe health issues at worst; this area can become extremely hot or very cold depending on the altitude that the plane is flying and the location.
Planning must be done well in advance. You must call the airline to confirm that you will be allowed to bring your Maltese on board with you. Most important? The size of the dog crate. There will be very strict guidelines regarding the size of the dog crate. Luckily, with the Maltese breed being so small, having a small enough crate should not be an issue. Once you find out the rules, call 2 or 3 more times to double check. Your vacation can be ruined if you arrive at the airport only to then learn that your dog would be taken from you and put with the checked in luggage!
The Problems With Planes
Even if you have your Maltese in a crate right next to you, there are still some issues to handle. Your dog will need to eliminate and you certainly cannot take them for a walk! Allowing them to do this inside the crate is not the best option, as this is confusing for the dog and the passengers would not appreciate the odor. The best method? Use a dog diaper. This will at least allow your Maltese to relieve themselves without dirtying the crate.
Toys, food and water are essential while your Maltese is patiently waiting for the flight to land. An alternative? Some owners who go on very long flights (over 5 hours) or have dogs that strongly resist staying calm can give their dog a sedative. This will be a prescribed medication, given to you by your dog's veterinarian. As long as you follow dosing instructions, this a good method to keep everyone happy.
If you have connecting flights, try to schedule them so that you have plenty of time in between to bring your dog outside for a nice walk, a bite to eat and plenty of water to drink. You can also use this time to change the dog diaper, should you use that method.
To Bring or Not to Bring
One question that dog owners should ask themselves is should they bring their Maltese. While no one wants to be away from their dog, even for a day, sometimes it should be done if it is in the best interest of the dog. If your destination is a spot in which your Maltese will not be able to join in on the activities, it may be best to leave him or her at home. Additionally, finding a hotel that will allow you to bring your Maltese into your room will not be easy. There are very few quality hotels that allow pets.
Leaving your Maltese home does not need to be a negative experience for either you or your dog. You have several options:
- Your home: Your dog will feel most comfortable in your home. If a friend, family member or dog watcher can stay at your house with your Maltese, this is the best option. If you are able to do this, be sure to write out your dog's daily schedule. Also keep a list of important numbers such as their veterinarian and the closest emergency animal hospital.
- With friends or relatives. While your Maltese would be away from their house and need to become accustomed to a new environment, they would be with people that you love and trust. It is best if their schedule can remain the same, such as feeding, walking, play, grooming and sleeping times.
- A dog hotel. This is quickly becoming a widely popular option. Gone are the days of dark and lonely dog kennels! Top quality dog hotels treat your pet like a king or queen! You can find the closest ones to you with a quick online search. Some of these dog hotels are quite simply: amazing. Clean, brightly colored and with a huge staff standing by to keep your Maltese happy. Dogs have their own beautiful rooms, they have play time with other animals and the working staff will keep your dog active, happy and safe.
