The Pros and Cons of Traveling With Your Dog

Let me tell you something you definitely already know if you're on this site looking up dog travel tips: traveling with a dog isn't always a breeze, but that doesn't mean it's not worth it. Being the crazy dog parents we are, we don't mind jumping over a few hurdles if it means making memories together. Here's our honest breakdown of the good and bad parts of traveling with your dog.

The Pros

Your family stays together. No separation anxiety. No crying while looking at photos of your dog. No wondering how they're coping while you're away. When you bring your dog on vacation, your family gets to stay together. Period. People we meet while traveling often get a little misty-eyed telling us how homesick they are for their pets. We feel that, and for us this separation would be unbearable, so we hope to inspire others to bring their furry ones on the next trip. After all, your dog's world is only as big as you make it.

You'll have a more memorable trip. When I think back on trips we've taken with Tishka, the first thing I think of is all the fun we had together because he was there. Staying in a traditional Japanese guesthouse for dogs? Tishka running free on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro? Now those are core memories that'll keep me smiling forever. Museums and landmarks might fade from your mind, but you won't forget the moments your pet turned an ordinary day into an unforgettable one.

Your trip becomes social. Traveling with a sweet pup is basically a built-in conversation starter. We've had exponentially more happy small talk with strangers and fellow travelers because of Tishka than we ever would have on our own. We also tend to pick up more vocabulary in foreign countries thanks to all the kids pointing out "dog" or "cute."

You'll get your steps in. Traveling with a dog will keep you active even on vacation, even if you're tempted to lay by the pool all day. They need to get out, which means you'll be seeking out good places for them to walk around. We love getting to explore local dog parks and nature walks when we travel, all thanks to Tishka.

You'll go off the beaten path. Bringing your dog tends to lead you somewhere off the typical tourist path, and that's just the way we like it. And I don't just mean visiting dog parks instead of museums. On our last trip to Japan, we were inspired to get out of the big cities and check out some sleepy coastal towns that ended up being so dreamy, we sometimes fantasize about picking up and moving there. Hello, Kamakura… Our trips look a lot different now that we travel with our dog, and we love having an excuse to look beyond crowded tourist hotspots.

The Cons

Your options get narrower. I'll be the first to admit that traveling with a dog isn't for the weak, especially internationally. It comes with hardcore restrictions that require a ton of research to figure out where you can stay and what you can do. Some places just won't be dog-friendly and you'll have to accept that. But don't fret! Times are changing. Just look at Hong Kong, which recently lifted its strict citywide ban on dogs inside restaurants. Now that's progress.

It costs more than you'd think. Traveling with your dog means extra fees like plane tickets, visits to the vet, and hotel pet fees. But in the end, it might still be cheaper than boarding your dog! Be sure to read the fine print so you know how much to budget for and consider getting pet travel insurance in case of emergencies.

The paperwork can be genuinely stressful. Health certificates, vaccine timing, microchip requirements — every country has its own rules, and missing a deadline by a few days can mean real problems at the border. Do your research and triple check everything!

Hotel rules and restrictions. Just because a hotel says it's pet-friendly doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Read the pet policy to see how flexible the hotel is with your pet. Sometimes you can't just leave your dog alone in the hotel room, so things like enjoying the pool might be impossible.

Dogs get homesick too. New places can throw your dog off just as much as they can throw you off — different smells, different noise, no familiar bed. It's easy to forget that travel is an adjustment for them as much as it is for you. If we move hotels too frequently our dog sometimes hides under the bed.

So, is it worth it?

Despite all the hurdles traveling with your dog can add, we think it's worth it. Once you've done the hard work of trip planning, you'll end up having a great time. For us, the pros outweigh the cons. What do you think? Be sure to write your thoughts in the comments, as well as anything we forgot to point out. Happy traveling! 🐾