Once reactivity became an issue, I thought the days of traveling with my dogs were over. Fortunately, I’ve realized that having a reactive dog hasn’t changed my ability to travel, it’s simply changed how we travel. And often for the better. While all dogs are different and my experience is simply my own, here’s how I’ve learned to make traveling with a reactive dog easier. And fun!
Reactivity In Dogs
While reactivity can lead to aggressive behavior, reactivity is not the same as aggression. Reactivity is merely overreacting to certain stimuli or situations (such as by barking excessively, lunging or growling), and most often stems from fear. Triggers can include a strange person or dog, being in certain environments, or being on a leash.
A reactive dog isn’t necessarily trying to cause harm; rather, they are so stressed or overstimulated they can’t control themselves. Managing the environment for your dog and avoiding triggering stimuli can help reduce a reactive dog’s anxiety.
Before We Go
CHOOSING THE RIGHT DESTINATION
A key part of traveling with reactive dogs has been choosing the right destination. I choose places that are dog friendly but where I can manage their triggers and they aren’t overwhelmed. Looking off the beaten track for places with fewer people or more space has brought us to some beautiful places I might not otherwise have known about. We never would have visited Goblin Valley State Park or Dead Horse Point State Park if I hadn’t been looking for dog-friendly destinations outside of the crowded, more frequently visited national parks.
DESENSITIZATION AND COUNTER CONDITIONING
At any time before a trip, we are always working on desensitization and counter conditioning. Desensitization involves gradually exposing your dog to a stimulus that has triggered a fear response. Counter conditioning involves pairing something that causes a negative emotional response with something known to create a positive emotional response. For us, this means shifting the dogs’ attention away from other dogs before they react and rewarding them with a treat. We get lots of practice in our dog-friendly town.
On The Road
CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY
If we have to stay at a hotel on the road, I like staying in dog-friendly hotels that open right to the outside where we don’t have to walk through a lobby or stand checking in at a desk with other dogs around. This isn’t always the case though, so if it’s not too hot out, I leave the dogs in the car while I check in so that all we have to do is walk through the lobby or even go through a different entrance once I have the key.
We often camp when traveling, which gives us a bit more privacy away from other dogs. I avoid campgrounds with sites on top of each other and opt for ones with more space. When choosing a site, I make sure to check the photos and campground map online to make sure there are trees that can help block the view of neighboring sites. I especially love using Hipcamp to find a private tent site or pet-friendly lodging. Staying on private property rather than a public campground gives us piece of mind knowing there won’t be other dogs passing by.
STOPPING AT PRIVATE DOG PARKS
My husky mixes need to run, especially if they’ve been in the car for most of the day, but public dog parks are out of the question. Instead, we use Sniffspot to rent out fenced-in space on someone’s property when we can. It costs money, but the $15 we spent to rent out a fenced-in dog bar for an hour was well worth it. If we don’t use Sniffspot, I also always pack 20ft – 50ft long leads if there are open spaces for the dogs to get some exercise.
While We’re There
TIMING
Traveling with reactive dogs doesn’t necessarily mean we always skip out on more popular destinations. Rather, I’m more selective about timing.
We generally start the day early and get to more touristy sites before the crowds. And this isn’t always at the crack of dawn. We recently went to one of the most visited lighthouses in Maine. At 9am, we walked throughout the park along the narrow trails with only a couple of other people. Returning at 3pm to pick up a lobster roll, the park was full of people and dogs.
Weekdays aren’t always an option, but when they are, I use those days to do the dog-friendly activities in places where we’re more likely to run into other dogs. The number of people, let alone people with dogs, is often significantly less on weekdays than on weekends.
TREATS, TREATS, TREATS
There is always a possibility of encountering a trigger so I always bring treats. My dogs are very food motivated, so if I run out or forget for some reason, I stick a handful of dog food in a bag. I always have food on hand to reward them or even just use it to distract them by holding it to their noses if another dog has to come so close to us that it’s likely they’ll react.
AVOIDING OBVIOUS TRIGGERS
If I know a spot is such that it will be difficult to keep them under threshold and it will be stressful for all of us, we simply avoid it. There is no point in putting ourselves in a situation where both the dogs and myself will be stressed and anxious the entire time. We skip the crowded the lunch spot and instead pick up from a food truck and find a picnic table in a park. We’ve been to many places over the years, and I have not once regretted skipping out on a place that would be obviously triggering. Usually the alternative ends up even better!
Acceptance
It wasn’t immediate, but once I accepted that traveling with my dogs won’t be the same as with my last (non-reactive) dog, a shift happened. I realized that I might not be able to completely train the reactivity out of them, but I can manage the environment and set them up for success, all while still traveling and exploring new places. Traveling with the dogs hasn’t been without some stressful moments, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
What About You?
We’d love to hear about your experiences traveling with your dogs, reactive or not. We are always looking for ideas and tips!