Petiquette 101: Etiquette Rules to Follow When Traveling with Your Dog

Whether you are staying close to home or traveling farther away, keep your pooch safe (and his tail wagging) by following these dog etiquette rules. This petiquette guide will help ensure a “pawsitive” experience for you, your furry four-legged friend, and other people and pets you meet along the way.

While I live with two adorable fluffy butts, Hudson and Oliver, I am not a certified dog trainer. The petiquette tips for good dog etiquette below are based on my experiences as a dog owner and validated by my amazing Aunt Susan who is a dog trainer extraordinaire

For years and years my sisters and I begged my parents for a dog. But, as a military family who moved frequently (including two tours overseas), my parents felt it was best that we remained a cat-loving household

Then one Christmas Eve when I was in high school, my dad stepped outside under the guise of bringing in more logs for the fire blazing in our fireplace. When he returned, instead of firewood, he was cradling the most adorable Golden Retriever puppy. Cinnamon instantly became the most doted-upon member of our family. 

Growing up in Europe, I saw well-behaved dogs accompany their owners everywhere. They worked in boutiques alongside their humans and slept quietly at their pet parent’s feet in restaurants. 

But things were different for dogs in America back in the late 1980s. You’d see owners walking their dogs in neighborhoods and parks, but off-leash dog parks weren’t common. Occasionally you’d see a dog at an outdoor festival, but most dogs in public were well-trained service dogs helping blind, deaf, or wheelchair-bound people navigate the world.

From a growing number of off-leash dog parks to dog-friendly businesses, life as a dog in America has definitely evolved. Here in Kansas City, the Royals baseball team even has dog-friendly games each season! But just because you can take your dog with you, it doesn’t mean you should.

This petiquette guide provides tips for taking your dog out in public to help ensure a “pawsitive” experience for both you and your furry four-legged friend.

    

Do You Travel with Your Pet?

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What is Petiquette?

Petiquette is the cute 21st-century name for the dog owner etiquette rules that should be followed when taking your dog out in public. Here are nine dog owner etiquette rules that will help your outings with your dog be fun for your furry best friend (and the humans you encounter).

1. Prepare Your Pooch

No matter where your travels take you, be sure your pooch is prepared. This is true if you’re spending an afternoon across town, flying with a dog, or moving into a camper and traveling full time.  

For your pet’s safety, be sure he:

  • Is up to date on his vaccinations, 
  • Has a proven flea and tick treatment plan in place, and
  • Understands and consistently follows basic commands
Dog sitting for owner
Before taking your dog out in public, be sure he or she knows basic commands like sit and stay.

For the safety of others, be sure your dog:

  • Isn’t aggressive or afraid (and therefore not likely to bite or behave in another uncharacteristic manner) and
  • Won’t jump on people, especially a child or anyone else who may easily be knocked over

Sage Advice:  If the weather is going to be overly hot, cold, or rainy, it may be best to leave your good boy or good girl at home.

Oliver watching the Kansas City Royals play baseball during Bark at the Park
When taking Hudson and Oliver out in public, we started with dog-friendly events. One of our perennial favorites is Bark at the Park. On three different nights during baseball season, well-behaved dogs are invited to join their owners in rooting for the Kansas City Royals.

2. Start with Smaller Outings and Build from There

Before jumping into a cross-country road trip, staying in a hotel with a dog, and regularly changing your furry friend’s environment,  start with a small local event and build from there. Choose an hour in an outdoor shopping district where your dog can get used to crowds and many new people. Build up to larger, more stimulating experiences, like an outdoor fair or dog-friendly sporting event. Here in Kansas City, our perennial favorites include Bark at the Park and Strutt with Your Mutt.

Sage Advice:  One of the best purchases I ever made for Hudson and Oliver was an Easy Walk harness. I had no idea that such a magical device existed until we adopted Oliver from the Great Plains SPCA and our adoption consultant recommended it. It has helped guide both of our one-year-old pups to walk nicely on a leash without pulling.

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Dog eating kibble from "Good Dog" bowl
Feeding your dog before you head out with him in public will help ensure he doesn’t get “hangry” or “hypery” (that unique version of hyperactive that dogs can get when they are hungry).

3. Feed Fido Before You Go

Be sure your dog has had time to eat and process his food before jumping in the car or heading out to a public gathering. This is especially important if you’re going on an outing where food will be served. Here in Kansas City, that often means world-class barbeque, and Hudson and Oliver’s sniffers work overtime. 

And speaking of food, be sure you have plenty of treats on hand to reward your dog for good behavior!

Couple walking yellow lab - Canva
A little exercise before you head out in public will help ensure your dog doesn’t have quite as much energy.

4. Be Sure Bingo Has Had Some Exercise

If your beloved four-legged friend has been in a kennel all day before heading out on an adventure, he will likely have a lot more energy (and be a lot more excitable) than if he gets a walk, run, or playtime in first. 

Because our pups are energetic young boys, my daughter Louise and I always take them for a spin around the neighborhood or spend a few minutes playing fetch in the yard before we head out with Hudson and Oliver. This is true even when the outing is a walk/run with dogs and for dogs, because these two have a LOT of energy!

Petiquette 101 - ALWAYS pick up after your dog!
ALWAYS pick up after your dog!

5. Always Pick Up After Your Dog

As the mother of four, I know that no parent leaves the house with a human baby and no diapers. (And wipes. And a changing pad. And hand sanitizer. And a second set of clothes for the baby. And the parent.) 

So don’t leave the house with your fur baby and no dog poop bags. (And probably some of that hand sanitizer.)

When you sense that your dog needs to relieve himself, try to guide him off the beaten path. But wherever Fido ultimately goes number two, pick it up promptly and dispose of it properly. Not only is it the right thing to do as a pet owner, but some communities will (understandably) issue a fine if you don’t clean up after your dog.

6. A Doggie “Diaper Bag” Is a REALLY Good Idea

Maybe it’s the mom of four in me, but I keep a bag packed for Hudson and Oliver just like I always had a diaper bag on hand when three of my children were under the age of two at the same time. 

Here’s what I keep inside the doggie backpack:

Beagle on leash taking walk on treed path
It’s best to leave the retractable leash at home when taking your dog out in public.

7. Keep Your Dog on a Short Leash (And Leave the Retractable One at Home)

One of the easiest ways to manage your dog while in public is to keep him on a short leash — about six feet is ideal. This leash length allows you to keep your dog at your side in crowds, helps ensure that a pup still learning proper greetings can’t jump up on someone, and limits the chance that she will run 26 feet after a squirrel before reaching the end of her retractable leash and jolting you both (or tripping someone).

8. Not Everyone Loves Your Dog as Much as You Do

Let me share a secret: I probably love my dogs more than my kids. (Okay, that’s not much of a secret because my kids point this out on a daily basis.) But I promise that I understand how much you love your dog. 

But as good a boy (or girl) as your pup is, not everyone will love him (or her) as much as you do. So before you travel with your dog, be sure that he or she is able to properly greet and interact with others. This is a skill we’re still working on with Hudson, our Goldendoodle, who believes his number-one job in life is to be a Walmart greeter extraordinaire. The situation is compounded by the fact that nine out of ten people we pass in public say, “Awwwwwwwww! He’s so cute, may I pet your dog?” 

To help ensure your dog is properly interacting with only people who want to meet him or her:

  • Have the human (and not your dog) initiate the greeting
  • Be sure your dog sits nicely (or stands calmly) when meeting someone new
  • And never allow your dog to jump on someone

Because this petiquette tip includes other dogs, always monitor your dog for signs of aggression, shyness, or fearful behavior when around other dogs. This assessment is especially true at an off-leash dog park, where you should still be supervising  your pet at all times. The dog you know and love as a sweet, gentle soul can turn into another creature in an instant if overstimulated or scared. 

Signs to watch for include:

  • Mounting other dogs
  • Being mounted by another dog
  • Unusual barking or growling that is not typical of playtime
  • Tail between legs
  • Fur on spine standing up

9. Do Your Homework Before You Go

And last, but certainly not least, do your homework before you travel with your dog. This step is true even if you’re sticking close to home, and it’s still true if you are attending a dog-friendly event. 

Off-leash dog parks are not a free-for-all. Every one I’ve visited has posted requirements about the age, ability, demeanor, and size of dogs using the facility. And those dog owner etiquette rules are expected to be followed. 

Certain MLB teams host Bark at the Park baseball games during the season. While these events fill the stands with furry friends, typically to raise funds for local pet shelters, pets and owners are still required to meet several requirements in order to attend. For example, your dog must be up to date on his or her vaccinations and must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet at all times.  

Dogs are not allowed at our favorite local farmers market

Before you travel with your dog, you need to fully understand the rules of the restaurantsnational parkshotelsmuseums, and other attractions along the way. 

Sage Advice:  No matter how well behaved your dog is and no matter what the circumstances are, never, ever, ever suggest that your pooch is a service animal if he is not. Not only is that misrepresentation disrespectful to real service dogs trained to perform tasks for people with real disabilities, but it is also illegal (as it should be). 

Now that you’ve mastered these petiquette tips, these are the best places to travel with dogs.

Do You Travel with Your Dog or Regularly Take Him Out in Public?

What additional petiquette tips do you have to pass along? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

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22 thoughts on “Petiquette 101: Etiquette Rules to Follow When Traveling with Your Dog”

  1. Great tips, Sage! I’m loving the term “petiquette”!! We have one pup and typically leave her home when we’re traveling but you’re encouraging me to maybe take her with us one time!!

  2. I grew up with dogs but don’t have one at the moment. I wish all dog owners would read and follow these guidelines, especially the clean after rule. That, and the fact that dogs need to behave. So many dogs out there are unruly, and while friendly, it’s no fun to see dogs rushing after you, even if only to play. I laughed at “Feed Fido Before You Go” – we were once camping and the dog of the property owner simply jumped on our table and scoped out our freshly cooked bacon!

  3. Lovely tips and very useful too for pet owners and especially to those who love pets. I do not have dogs but I am sharing this with my friends who keep dogs. It is a great idea to start with smaller outings.

  4. Although I love dogs, I’ve never owned one so it’s really interesting to see all the things one needs to do when traveling. Thanks for encouraging dog owners to pick up after their canine friends!

  5. These are all such great tips for traveling with your dog. We often travel with ours and always have him on a leash and ensure we pick up after. I love your advice on starting with a small outing before taking your pets to big or popular locations.

  6. I would love to travel with our doggies too! There are so many easy tips here to help prepare. Any ideas on how to reduce car anxiety?!

    1. I share this advice as a fellow dog owner (and not an expert). We have one dog who LOVES car rides and one who does not. We try to take lots of short local trips with happy things on the other side. (That way every car ride doesn’t end with a trip to the vet or groomers.) We grab pup cups at Starbucks on Saturday morning, visit dog parks when the weather is nice, go visit other doggie friends for playdates, etc. Not only is the energy of the ride lover contagious, but the nervous nelly realizes that MOST of the time a car ride results in something he enjoys.

  7. Great tips Sage! Bark at the Park sounds amazing, I had no idea that was a thing. I don’t think I’d be watching much baseball with so many cute doggos around 🙂 Hudson and Oliver are adorable.

    1. OMG, Bark at the Park is SOOOOOOO fun! I know other MLB parks offer it at their baseball parks, as well. I will say it’s quite an experience when our Royals mascot strolls through the dog section. There is a LOT of barking!

  8. I’m not a dog owner and I am pretty wary of dogs so I welcome you giving this sensible advice, particularly the short leash. As a cyclist I’ve lost count of the number of times I have had to dodge around both the dog and the long leash! Thank you.

  9. Awesome tips. We do not have any pet but always wanted to have one. I am sure this post will help all the pet-owners. I had never heard the word ‘Petiquette’ and it put a smile on my face. Don’t we have to take care of all these with a child as well (except putting a leash)?! 😛

  10. Such great tips for traveling with your dog, and I love the word petiquette (so cute!). It is so important to be fully prepared when going anywhere with you pet, and you are right, doing your research before is a must!

  11. I love the word Petiquette. I’m going to start using that 🙂 I recently adopted a pup and take her out to off leash dog parks and I definitely learned a few things that I didn’t know before. I wish I could travel with my fur baby, but she’s a medium size dog and I don’t want to put her in a crate where she will be in the cargo 🙁

    1. Awwwww! How cute! Tell me more about your new fur baby – name, breed. As you can see from the photo of Hudson and Oliver, they are too big to travel with us on a plane, as well. Plus, there are two of them. So, they don’t travel with us unless we go by car.

  12. Great tips for traveling with your dog. It is really important to acclimate your dog to be in a public environment. I know in the city I live in people will bring their pets to fireworks displays not thinking it can really frighten an animal. Especially if they have not been in a situation that has loud noises.

  13. These are great tips. I especially like the one about leaving the retractable leash at home – they are often not nearly as safe as a good old fashion canvas one! I always feel so much more secure when other dogs don’t have a retractable! Thank you!

    1. When it comes to retractable leashes, I learned my lesson the hard way. My dog Oliver (the white pitbull in my photos) *LOVES* to go to doggie daycare. Both dogs were on retractable leashes, and as I was navigating two excited dogs, doors, and more, my hand got stuck in the door handle as Oliver quickly ran to the end of his leash to greet his favorite person at the kennel. Ouch!

  14. Great tips for traveling with dogs. We got a sweet pup around three years ago and I definitely had to learn how to travel with her and be prepared as she is super high energy. My car is stocked with all sorts of extras in our doggie “diaper bag.” The gentle leaders are amazing!

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