Doggo Adventures Across Two Countries and 12 States!

My Wagtails Weaving Their Travel Tales on the Lesser Known Trails

Too much rhyming eh?! Its funny how it never dawned upon me that my two little ( okay not so little anymore) mutts have travelled across the length and breadth of the country with a stamp of one foreign land as well in their Doggo Passports ( Bhutan) yet i haven't written a single blog post on them. ( Instagram posts don't count) So dedicating this one to my pawiiee travel enthusiasts, the Paww Parents and dog lovers who wish to take along their pets on their sojourns.

For starters, I am a Mommy of two handsome wagtails named Dasher ( the white labrador) and Haachu ( the black Bhutanese Mountain Dog). Apart from the regular day trips within the state etc the best ones we've had together are a long road trip from Tamil Nadu to Punjab, India to Bhutan and of course our incredible trips to Tirthan Valley in Himachal amd Tawang in Arunachal.

Dasher and Haachu have more miles covered under their paws than many cars in the country :P. They’ve hiked umpteen number of mountains with us in the Himalayas of Bhutan and Himachal,Eastern Himalayas of Arunachal, Nilgiris of Coonoor and Ooty, swam along in the Bay Of Bengal in Pondicherry, taken several dips in the icy cold rivers of Tirthan Valley and enjoyed their joy rides driving along the country's grain from Coonoor to Hampi to Indore to Gwalior to Delhi and eventually to Chandigarh. Oh and Dasher also boasts of having traveled by truck from Dehradun to Bagdogra.

While Dasher is the water baby who loves swimming around, fetching sticks and playing fetch games, Haachu on the other hand is a wild mountain child who loves rolling in snow, chasing birds and cats, climbing uncharted cliffs. Oh and he is pretty crazy. This adventure enthusiast once even jumped off from the first floor balcony, luckily landing on a soft velvety grassland ( that probably was his attempt at bungee jump)

So here are some pictures of the PAWWWANDERLUST! I shall also give some tips about road, train and air travel towards the end of the post and how you can plan a road trip if you’re hesitant or haven't yet.

How Can I Travel with My Dogs by Air ( within India)

Dasher has travelled by all means of transport including even truck :D but if there’s one thing that we have avoided so far is the plane journey. I've heard mixed reviews regarding the same but yes, there are times when you can rely only on air journeys. So here's what you need to know

Some of the flights that allow pets on board are Air India, Spice Jet and Vistara out of which only Air India allows pets in the cabin. But do note that pets below 12 weeks are not allowed on board.

There are two ways in which your pet can travel by air, either by a cage in the baggage hold or in a cabin ( provided the pet is certified as a service animal or is a small size dog). The charges may differ according to the weight of your dog.

Do make sure that you have an IATA approved cage ready for your pets to travel by air. Also make sure to check with the air crew with respect to the air pressure in the baggage hold.

One needs to get the documentation done in advance which primarily involves a health certificate from your Vet.

How Can My Dog Travel by Train

Now this is something that my mutts have mastered like pros. Dasher and Haachu have done the longest train journeys, from Chandigarh to Guwahati, and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu by train. Check the last picture above :P So here are the two options.

Option 1

Book an AC 1 Coupe. Prior to travel ensure you do the following things

Fitness certificate by Vet

Weighing of the dog at the station 4 hours prior to departure

Payment of necessary charges ( as per the weight of the dog)

Option 2

Book the dog to travel in the brake van in a dog cage. Same documents as above are applicable. Make sure to carry their feeding and water bowls and tie up with the brake van attendant for walking the dog during long halts of the train. In case your dog is motion sick, carry medicines as prescribed by the vet. A small first aid kit is always handy during travels for more than 24 hours.

Travelling With Your Pets by Road

The longest road trip we've done with our furry kids was 2000 km, from Coonoor Hill Station to Chandigarh in Punjab. Apart from that we often do short road trips of about 300 to 500 km during vacations.

First and foremost, travel by road only if your pet is not motion sick.

Carry water, first aid and light snacks enroute. Also feed them a heavy meal before a long drive for they generally don't prefer eating while they're on a move. But feed them well in advance before starting out.

Take adequate toilet breaks depending on the nature of your dog.

Book pet friendly stays using apps such Tailslife, Petpals or even websites such as Booking.com and Yatra.com. Do remember to call up and inform your hosts about the pet and any other specific requirement.

To ensure that your car is clean, use a seat cover for pets and keep a few polythene bags handy.

It will also be prudent to map out prominent vet hospitals enroute in case of any eventuality.

Hope this helps. Do feel free to DM if you have any queries or check our short travel stories on my Instagram. Here's the link. Happy and Safe Travels!

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