Traveling With Your Dog During the Holidays: How to Prepare, Stay Predictable, and Know When to Choose a Sitter

Holiday travel can be exciting, hectic, and unpredictable—even for humans who know what’s coming. For dogs, the sudden changes in routine, environment, and sensory input can be overwhelming if we don’t plan ahead. Whether you’re heading out of state, visiting family for a few days, or taking a road trip, thoughtful preparation can make the experience calmer and safer for both you and your dog.

Below are practical tips for creating predictability, staying prepared, and deciding when it might be kinder to leave your dog at home with a trusted sitter.

1. Build Predictability Into the Trip

Dogs thrive on routine. Even small disruptions—new smells, different feeding times, or unfamiliar people—can increase stress. Adding predictable elements helps give your dog a sense of control and safety.

Keep as Many Routines as Possible

• Stick to regular feeding times.

• Schedule potty breaks at the same approximate intervals you do at home.

• Maintain familiar morning and evening rituals (a short walk, cuddle time, enrichment, etc.).

Bring Home With You

Comfort items help anchor your dog in a new environment.

• Pack their usual bed or blanket.

• Bring their favorite toys or chews.

• Use their regular food and treats to avoid digestive upsets.

Create Predictable Expectations…READ MORE!

Teaching your dog to come when called isn’t about obedience—it’s about safety, trust, and freedom. A reliable recall gives your dog the ability to explore the world with confidence, knowing you’ll guide them back when needed. And for you, it means more opportunities to safely offer off-leash enrichment, new environments, and healthy independence.

Many owners struggle with recall, not because their dogs are stubborn, but because a few key pieces are missing in the training foundation. Here are some common challenges:

1. The behavior isn’t actually taught.
   Many dogs hear “come” without ever learning what it truly means. Recall must be taught step-by-step, starting in calm environments and gradually adding distractions. Without this foundation, the word becomes background noise.

2. Communication is unclear or inconsistent.
   If “come” sometimes means “return immediately,” sometimes means “stop sniffing,” and sometimes means nothing at all, the cue loses meaning. Dogs rely on predictability. Consistency in tone, body language, reward, and context builds clarity.

3. The relationship bank account is low.
   Recall depends heavily on trust. If coming to you sometimes leads to the end of fun, punishment, or unpredictability, your dog learns to hesitate. Showing up for your dog—being a source of safety, fun, and good outcomes—makes responding to you the easy choice.

4. The skill isn’t practiced enough.
   Recall is a muscle. Without regular, varied practice, it weakens. Dogs need repetition in different environments, around different distractions, and during different emotional states to truly understand and generalize the behavior.

A strong recall isn't built in a day—it’s built through consistency, clear communication, and a relationship that tells your dog you’re worth coming back to. When those pieces come together, recall becomes less of a command and more of a natural, joyful choice for your dog.

Foods Your Dog Should Avoid During Thanksgiving

1. Turkey Bones
Cooked bones can splinter and cause choking, blockages, or internal injuries.

2. Seasoned or Skin-On Turkey
Butter, oils, garlic, onions, and heavy seasonings can upset your dog’s stomach or be toxic.

3. Stuffing
Often contains onions, garlic, and herbs that are unsafe for dogs.

4. Gravy
Rich, fatty, and often seasoned with ingredients that can trigger pancreatitis.

5. Mashed Potatoes with Add-Ins
Plain potatoes are fine, but added butter, cream, chives, garlic, or cheese can cause digestive upset.

6. Ham or Other Fatty Meats
High-fat foods are a major risk for pancreatitis and GI distress.

7. Grapes, Raisins, or Dishes Containing Them
Extremely toxic to dogs—even small amounts can cause kidney failure.

8. Chocolate Desserts
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and can cause serious neurological and cardiac issues.

9. Yeast Dough
Raw dough can expand in the stomach and cause dangerous bloating.

10. Sugar-Free Desserts (Especially with Xylitol)
Xylitol is highly toxic and can cause rapid drops in blood sugar or liver failure.

A good rule of thumb: If it’s seasoned, sweetened, or off-limits for dogs normally, skip it. When in doubt, stick to plain, dog-safe treats or offer a small taste of plain turkey meat or veggies like carrots or green beans.

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