The Ultimate Guide to Traveling with Your Dog

[@zawadiboustcha5092]

Great video with lots of interesting and useful info Thanks to your journey we now travel with our two King Charles Cavalier Spaniels and we love it! Travel day is a bit stressful but over all totally worth it. Thanks for the inspiration😊❤️🙏🏾

[@OurFreedomYears]

So amazing that you're traveling with two dogs -- like us! They can be a real handful on travel days but we wouldn't do it any other way.

[@kathykaz3027]

Great video. FYI, United doesn't have a weight limit. The pet just needs to fit in the carrier, which is good for the smaller but "stockier" breeds like Frenchies and our Boston Terrier.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Great tip! We've never come across an airline that doesn't have a weight limitation...good to know that United is an option for heavier dogs.

[@oochiepeter]

what about traveling with a large dog ie golden retriever? he'll be 3yo in a wk!

[@Susan-iw9gg]

Hello again from that Prague restaurant. We found Prague too difficult to get around so we went back to Berlin on the four and a half hour train.

[@OurFreedomYears]

We hope you have a wonderful time in Berlin! Our time in Prague was too short -- just a week -- and then we headed off to hike in the Bohemian Paradise. 😊

[@agasque]

Great video! We were just talking to a friend about the four of you the other day as she starts traveling the world with her chihuahua mix. This is going to be super helpful. Ernie sends his best to Jasper and Huxley!

[@OurFreedomYears]

Lovely to hear from you as always! Best of luck to your friend with her chihuahua travels -- certainly a perfect size for in cabin travel!

[@dogtiredtravels5286]

Great video, ladies! I am back in the US visiting my family after exploring Mexico for 9 months with my little guy (in my profile picture). He was a great traveler and didn't seem to mind flying at all. I concur with all the costs and time involved. It is something you really have to be willing to do and follow through with. For 9 months, it was just me and my little guy so I had to be everything for him and that can be stressful sometimes. I'm heading off to Europe for a couple months soon and for that trip, I'm going to leave him at home with my best friend who loves him as much as I do...and my dog will love to stay there for a while. My little guy is nearly 13 y/o which is about 70 y/o in Chihuahua years and I can tell he gets tired more easily. I want his life to be easy, hence my decision to leave him with my friend for a few months. Plus, leaving him with my friend is like a vacation at grandma's house, LOL.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Sounds like a very wise decision. We are traveling with our dogs full time right now but there are certain trips in the future where we know we'll have to leave them with family -- such as hiking in Patagonia where dogs aren't allowed. Generally it's a huge responsibility to travel with a dog and ensure that it's not too taxing for them physically or emotionally.

[@Jetmab04]

Wow - just imagine the letter from your dogs, to their doggy-friends, telling about their passports, all their International experience and, about all their new animal-friends 🐅🐆...I would love to have a dog friend and, may get one when (not before) I move to Ecuador. Thanks a lot for sharing...and big, vuf 🥰

[@OurFreedomYears]

Hilarious! That would be quite the letter indeed! 😂

[@velveteendad]

Great video. Have you taken the dogs on trains in Europe, and if so, what was your experience?

[@victoriaguerin2851]

I've taken my dogs on trains in Europe and it was fine. So far, I haven't had to pay any kind of pet fee and in many countries, dogs can go everywhere except the grocery store. I've never been asked to show my dog's EU vaccination passport (which I got when we were living in Switzerland a few years ago), but she does have one. I think that, as stated in the video, it would be worth going to a European vet to get the passport. Hint: lately, I've just booked my ticket on the phone at the same time I reserved for my dog. That way you only have to wait on hold for customer service once instead of twice. More and more airports have designated places for dogs to do their business; just ask or keep an eye out. But if not, there are "puppy pads" that have an odor which tells the dog it's OK to pee and poop there. Then you just pick up the pad and throw it away.

[@OurFreedomYears]

That's a great tip about booking the dogs at the same time as the ticket and it's something we definitely try to do if possible.

[@OurFreedomYears]

We've taken them on trains all over Europe and always had good experiences. It's very important to look up the requirements of each train because there is quite a bit of variation. Sometimes there's an extra charge, sometimes they're free, sometimes a carrier is required or even a muzzle.

[@morganlilly4527]

My dog is exactly Jasper's size but she is SO reactive and fearful towards people. How did you train your dogs to be so calm and well behaved? I am a first time dog owner and also an avid traveler and I'm at my wits end with my dog. I got her planning to turn her into my little travel buddy, but now I feel like I've made the worst mistake of my life. Any training trips welcome

[@morganlilly4527]

btw she is a mini goldendoodle, about 12.5lbs but VERY high energy, I worry she doesn't have the temperament to travel.

[@OurFreedomYears]

Please don't let our videos give you the wrong impression...our little dogs also have their anxieties and emotions that sometimes make it difficult to travel and be in new situations. 😅 For example, our dogs have serious separation anxiety so we can never leave them alone in an Airbnb. Instead, we either need to take them everywhere with us or hire a pet sitter or visit sights individually. Jasper can also be very reactive with larger dogs so we usually end up carrying him or crossing the street if we have concerns. Both our dogs can be territorial when we are dining on at patio, which is why we put them on our laps (and then they're perfect angels!). Long story short, we really focus on understanding their fears and anxiety triggers and then try to work around as best we can. It can be a lot of work but we've found it to be worthwhile for the privilege of traveling with them. Hope that helps!

[@LisaFennelow]

Very informative . Thank you . Can I ask how old your dogs are ?

[@OurFreedomYears]

Glad you enjoyed it! 😊 They are six and seven years old.

[@raindances3310]

My understanding of airline and Country requirements for vaccines is limited. Is it all about being uptodate or do your dogs need to get vaccinations way more often than normal to enter certain Countries? Like if they had vaccinations 6 months ago, would a country require them to have had them in the last two months sort of thing?

[@OurFreedomYears]

A rabies vaccination is required on an annual basis -- you just need to ensure that it's properly documented in accordance with the countries you plan to visit. In addition, some countries require other preventative treatments just prior to entry, such as deworming. For those requirements, you would need to research each country and find out what's needed.

[@BPe-ie9je]

Flying LATAM to Cuenca, new flight, yeah, same day, to Quito, take luggage off flight, recheck in (NOT alot of time) back onto LATAM flight quito to Cuenca. HOW in the heck do you get your dog ? get checked back on ? deal w luggage/????????

[@BPe-ie9je]

forgot to mention portuguese water dogs (2) 45 #

[@BPe-ie9je]

in Ecuador were you allowed to take dogs on bus or Transvia ?

[@marcelamoreno1]

@@BPe-ie9je we traveled with our dog (13lbs/6 kilos) trhough Ecuador by bus and we didn't have any problems. Only once a bus company wanted to charge us for the dog we just went to next window to another company and they didn't charge us anything. If your dogs are big that might change things a bit, it's possible they might ask you to pay a fee.

[@BPe-ie9je]

@@marcelamoreno1 Oh gosh. Thats a relief. Mine are bigger. Not too big 45#. Did you try Transvia ?

[@OurFreedomYears]

Travel days can be really stressful. We always book very long layovers, especially if we have to change airlines.