When it comes to traveling with pets, whether you’re planning a road trip or flying with your dog or cat, you may be worried about where to start, how to prepare, or how they’ll handle the stress. We all know traveling with pets can be stressful, for both of you. But with the proper preparation, you can safely travel with your pet and have a trip you both will enjoy, with natural stress support.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Prepare, prepare, prepare
Whether you are traveling by plane or car, preparation is key! Planning ahead for your pet will help everything run smoothly and create less stress for you and your pet.
Road Trips with Pets
Road Trips with PetsIf you are taking a road trip with pets, remember to consider your pet when planning your route. Plan ahead and make sure to know which hotels, restaurants and rest stops are pet friendly. Make sure to do your research, to find all of the pet-friendly rest stops, restaurants, shelters, and hotels along the way. Also, if your pet likes to move around, a seat belt harness may be your best option to keep them safe and seated.
If you’re bringing your dog, cat or pet on your road trip, another thing to consider and prepare for is potential car sickness in dogs or pets. Many pets can become stressed or nauseated during car rides, sometimes because of lack of conditioning/experience traveling in cars, trauma, or just the overwhelming stimuli (sounds, sights, movement).
Tip: If your pet isn’t accustomed to riding in the car, try shorter trips before taking them on a longer roadtrip. Start with driving around the block a few times, perhaps some trips to positive places like the park, and extending the amount of time they’re in the car, until it’s not so scary!
Flying with Pets
If you are traveling by plane, make sure to read the pet policy before the trip. Additionally, if your pet is a service animal, make sure you read and follow the airline’s policies and submit any necessary documentation ahead of your flight. You may also need to call the airline to confirm what documentation you will need to have with you upon check-in. Also remember to book pet reservations early, many airlines limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin per flight.
If you’re flying internationally, remember to research each country’s pet policies and requirements, from vaccines to certifications to quarantine requirements. Remember if vaccines are required for travel, they should not expire while you’re out of the country!
Whether your pet is in the cabin with you as a service animal, checked pet, or in cargo, we recommend reading reviews and talking to pet parents who routinely fly with pets, to know which airlines will be respectful of your furry friend. Some are stricter about keeping pets in their travel carriers, while others might be more lax and allow you to take them out of the carrier.
Tip: Familiarize your pet with their carrier weeks in advance. Let them rest, nap, and take treats inside it so it becomes a positive, safe space.
Packing for your Pet
Prepare a list beforehand, of all your pet’s daily needs, like travel-friendly pet food, food & water bowls, treats, medications, supplements, crate, toys, collar, leash, harness, any necessary grooming tools, waste bags, pads or litter box, extra ID tags, and don’t forget their paperwork! Consider any paperwork that you might need, like their vaccination records or any important medical history, and it’s also helpful to carry a photo of them, should your pet become separated from you during your trip.
If your pet is microchipped, check that the information is up-to-date. If they are not microchipped, consider getting them a microchip or tracking collar. Remember, prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
Tip: It’s always a good idea to include a holistic travel toolkit, especially if you’ll be in remote places or on long travel days where veterinary care might not be immediately accessible. Things like natural calming support (such as CBD for dogs or cats), a first-aid kit, any natural products you regularly rely on at home for stress, discomfort, skin irritations, immune support or digestive upset.
Step 2: Managing Pet Stress during Travel
You can also help your pet stay grounded by keeping their routine as consistent as possible on travel days—regular mealtimes, bathroom breaks, and familiar cues all help lower stress. Bringing along their favorite blanket, toy, or bed can provide familiar scents that make new environments feel more predictable.
Once you’ve set up these foundations, natural calming support like CBD for pets can be extremely helpful for pets who still experience travel-related stress. Research has explored how hemp-derived compounds may interact with the endocannabinoid system, an internal network that helps regulate mood, stress response, and balance. Many pet parents find that a high-quality, full-spectrum hemp extract can help their pets stay more at ease in unfamiliar situations like car rides, airports, or busy gatherings.
A recent study published in Frontiers in Veterinary science, showed a single dose of Cannabidiol (CBD) positively influences measures of stress in dogs during separation and car travel. The study aimed to understand the impact of being left alone and traveling in a car on measures of canine stress, and establish whether a single dose of CBD could positively influence any measures of stress. Significant changes in several stress-related measures (serum cortisol, mean ear temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability, whining and a stressed/anxious behavioral factor) were observed from baseline to test.
Tip: For pets who need natural stress support, we recommend our Calm: CBD Oil for Dogs or Calm: CBD Oil for Cats. For a convenient way to give daily CBD support on the go, our Blanche’s Edibles are a convenient and delicious option for managing pet stress during travel. These calming CBD dog treats offer the benefits of CBD in a tasty treat that pets love.
Many pet parents opt for the combined benefits of our calming CBD oil for dogs, and our CBD dog treats, which are paired together in our Calm Bundle. This bundle is perfect for soothing restless pets during travel.
One CBD Dog Health customer, Megan Aiken recently was happy to share her own experience taking her small dog on a road trip from Florida to Missouri, sharing that CBD Dog Health’s CALM CBD oil helped her high-strung dog to relax and settle comfortably through most of the trip. Whether you’re driving or flying this holiday, CBD can be a great natural tool to help ensure that your pet is as relaxed and stress-free as possible.
Step 3: Making a Safe Space
Your dog or cat might normally be relaxed or calm at home, but traveling can present a whole new set of anxieties for them. Once you reach your destination, there will likely be a lot of new people, new smells, and probably even new animals for them to meet. That’s a lot of new stimuli for them to process all at once. Be prepared for your dog or cat to possibly show some change in their usual behavior. They may be more shy, or more aggressive, or just generally not acting like themselves.
While natural calming support like CBD can help them manage their stress, if your pet is being met with too many new experiences and can’t retreat to a safe space, it can still be overwhelming. Remember to be patient, because dogs can sense human emotions and will likely feed off of your stress. Time alone with your pup can also help lower your own stress, so it’s a win-win!
Tip: Once you arrive at your destination, try to find a quiet, safe place for your pet, perhaps an empty room or a quiet outdoor space, where you and your pet can sit or take a walk to calm down and decompress together. Spending time together in this safe space can reassure your dog that you are not going to leave them in this unfamiliar place and can help them de-stress from the trip.
Want more tips on traveling internationally with your dog? Check out my Your Natural Dog podcast episode on Traveling the world with your dog, with special guests Larry & Charly Pruden, founders of Pawdega.
