Pet Travel Toys: Road Trip Edition

If your pets are anything like my dogs, they get
very excited when they get to go for a ride. I
open up the car door and they jump right in
without any prompting, tails wagging happily and
smiles on their faces. But if we're headed out
for a trip that's going to last longer than an
hour, I inevitably get the "Are we there yet?"
whines and whimpers and panting. I realized
early on that I needed to find something to keep
them more comfortable and occupied when we're
ramming the roads.

So if the story of my dogs is familiar to you
or if your pets aren't road warriors right from
the get-go, here are some great toys to bring
along with you on your next car ride to keep the
boredom at bay and pet travel more enjoyable:

Chew Bones: If your dogs gravitate toward chew
bones at home, bringing a few with you on your
trip will provide them with a sense of comfort
(as well as give them something to do). There
are a ton of great bones out there to pick from,
especially from Nylabone. Some are strictly for
play and others are edible. If your dog doesn't
get carsick, an edible bone that he has to work
on for awhile may be a nice distraction (for
you) and a yummy treat (for him).

Ropes: Got more than one furbaby? Something
that the two of them can play with together
(depending on whether they're in a carrier or in
a restraint) are some rope toys. Rope toys are
way better than just boring old rope. You can
get them in the shape of animals, you can get
them with dental chews on both ends, and you can
even get rope rings! Nothing passes the time on a
road trip like some tug-of-war.

Kongs: Kongs have been around for awhile but
they've really grown in popularity and are the
hot toys "on the block" - they're a huge hit
among the four-legged crowd (dogs and cats,
too!). There are dozens of different types of
Kongs but the Classic Kong will really do the
trick in the car. Dogs love the chewable red
exterior and the added bonus is the middle where
you can stash some tasty treats. What dog doesn't
want a chew toy that also dispenses food? And
here's a pro tip: put all-natural peanut butter
in the middle of the Kong and freeze it until
you're ready to leave. This will provide hours
of enjoyment in the car as she works on her
frozen Kong.

Cat Toys: We've been giving a lot of love to
our canine friends, but what about our dear
felines? Although cats are a bit more restricted
from moving around while being in a carrier
(versus buckled into seat restraints without the
need of a carrier like some dogs), they can still
play with some fun toys in there. There are
plenty of funky cat ball toys to bat around, and
they can come filled with catnip. Some cats might
like their toys in the shape of a mouse. Others
might just like the comfort of a plush toy. Toys
like this can provide something that cats can
divert their attention to during the long drive
and calm them down if they tend to get stressed
out.

Most of us enjoy a good road trip every now and
again and it's even more fun when you bring your
pets. But it's important to make sure that
they're having as good of a time as we are.
Bringing along a few toys to keep them occupied
and help them feel less anxiety-ridden will help
pass the time and make traveling with your pet a
real pleasure. You never know - a pet that
doesn't normally like car rides might be more
inclined to jump in that car at the site of a
treat to play with. It works for my dogs!

----------------------------------------------------
Kim Salerno is the President & Founder of
TRIPSwithPETS.com. She founded the pet travel
site in 2003 and is an expert in the field of
pet travel. Kim is a veteran of the travel
industry - formerly serving as Director of
Internet Marketing for Certified Vacations. Her
mission is to ensure that pets are welcome,
happy,and safe in their travels. Visit
http://www.tripswithpets.com

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