Traveling with older pets

(This is the third in a series of articles about traveling with pets based upon my experiences as an Innkeeper here at the Silas Griffith Inn and my almost 30 years in the Hospitality business.)

As we age, although we don't like to admit it, we start feeling more aches and pains that weren't there when we were younger. The same holds true for out pets, no matter how good out care is of them, no matter how wonderful our vet care of them is. Arthritis, joint pain, stiff muscles, and love handles are all aging problems for cats and dogs, as well as us humans. But do these issues mean that Fluffy and Fido can no longer go with you on your traveling adventures.

No. It just means you have to prepare a little mores for their comfort and be prepared to make certain allowances for age.

Fluffy and Fido might not be able to take that 10 mile hike with you, but a 5 mile hike would be fine. Their stomach might be sensitive to new water or food, or even too many snacks. And, if they are tired, they may show it a little more a be a little crotchety. Here's a few tips to make your traveling experience more fun for everyone.

• First of all, call the Inn or hotel where you will be staying. Explain that you are traveling with an older pet and see if anything can be done to accommodate Fido or Fluffy. Here at the Silas Griffith Inn we have 4 rooms that open onto a wrap-around deck that allow easy same-level access to the meadow and fields for ease of walking. In the Winter we shovel a path to the deck, and in the Spring, Summer and Fall you walk across nice, soft, pesticide-free grass.
• Talk to your vet about traveling with Fido and Fluffy. He or She might have some insights and suggestions such as pet-safe pain killers or even mobility exercises and stretches to reduce stiffness.
• Bring your pet's regular food. A change of diet in an older pet is the commonest cause of upset tummies and intestinal issues. Keeping them on the same food also reduces stress and gives them something familiar every day. The stress of traveling can also cause tummy issues, so the more you can reduce stress for all of you the more you will enjoy your vacation. Write the feeding directions on the food container so that housekeepers or pet sitters know when Fido and Fluffy expect to eat.
  
• Bring water from home or use bottled water. As for humans, a change of water can cause digestive nightmares.
• If you are traveling to an area with different weather than your pet is accustomed to, plan accordingly. Older pets get cold faster, as do smaller pets. And in the summer, your pet's may overheat faster. Sweaters and blankets for your pet (although I have yet to see a cat keep a sweater on) are a blessing when traveling to snowy areas. And make sure your room has air-conditioning if you are traveling in the warmer months or to warmer areas.
• DO NOT leave your pet in your car for extended periods of time. Extreme heat and extreme cold are very dangerous to your pet. Many Inns (including us) and hotels have pet-sitting services available and either the housekeepers or Innkeepers would be glad to check on Fido and Fluffy while you are away and even take Fido for a walk if needed. But it is up to you, the Innkeeper to ask for this, as the pet sitter will need to schedule times and meet your pet and have written permission from you to care for your pets.
• If your pet is on medications bring enough to last your whole trip plus 2 days. This gives you extra just in case Fluffy decides to spit the pill down the heat vent one morning. Make sure the medications are clearly labeled to prevent any problems.
• Bring copies of all rabies vaccinations and other vaccines and inoculations with you. This is extremely important. If you are traveling most vets also recommend Kennel Cough vaccines just to be on the safe side.
• Spend time with Fido and Fluffy when you travel. From their point of view, they are going with the family to a new and exciting place, and then left alone in a room without mommy and daddy. Take time to play with them and explore the grounds with them safely on their leashes. Find out which channel has animal shows on and leave the TV on low for your pet. The Discovery channel and Animal Planet channels are perfect choices. Move a chair with a pillow beside a closed window so Fluffy can look out and watch birds and people, or just sleep in the sun.
  

Above all, traveling should be fun for all involved, and not a stressful hassle. Fluffy and Fido deserve a good vacation as well as you. Remember that in calendar years they may only be 10, but in dog and cat life-years that's equivalent to early 70's in human life-years. Fluffy and Fido might be a little slower, and more apt to watch the kids play ball than join in the fun. This is to be expected.

Happy Traveling!

Travelling with Fido

Everyone loves to travel, including Fido. So as you pack up your family for your Holiday travels, here a a few tips for Fido:

1. DO remember his toys. Traveling is stressful for everyone and having Fido's favorite toy will help reduce his stress levels.
2. DO remember chew toys. When a dog gets anxious or bored it chews. A familiar chew toy or treat and Fido is more likely to ignore all the tempting new items in your room, like those antique chair legs. (Things that guest dogs have chewed at our Inn include chairs, antique dressers, wastebaskets, pillows, plants, curtains, towels, electric cords and phone books.)
3. DO remember his leash. Fido may be perfectly trained for you, but if you leave Fido unattended in your room and there is an emergency, your Innkeeper will need a leash to get Fido to safety.
4. DO bring copies of Fido's up-to-date vaccinations. Just as you get snippy and short-tempered when you are tired and stressed, Fido gets nippy and short-tempered too when he's tired, overexcited or insecure in new surroundings. You will probably never need them, but if a playful nip breaks the skin, those records could help keep Fido out of doggy jail.
5. DO spend time with Fido. If Fido's used to walking at a certain time then its better for everyone to keep that schedule. Regular walks and paying attention to the "Hey - I Gotta Go" dance will keep Fido content. Dogs react to different water and foods just like humans, and chances are Fido will be getting a few more table treats during the Holidays, which might just throw his whole system off.
6. DO inform the Innkeeper if Fido has an accident. Honesty is the best policy and an upfront "Gee, this happened in the room" is so much better than housekeeping walking into a mess. A wet spot on a carpet that sits will destroy the underlying wood and might result in the whole floor and carpet being destroyed. Likewise, doggy toothmarks on an 18th century cedar blanket chest can end up with you being charged the full value of the antique.

So, when you travel with Fido, bring his stuff, bring his treats, and give him the love and attention he wants. and he will repay you with more love and affection than you could ever imagine.

Have safe travels this Holiday Season!

Winter in Vermont

Snow covered hills, romantic sleigh rides, skiing, snowboarding, snowball fights, hot coco, warm fires...Those are just a few things people think about when they visualize Winter in Vermont. But Power outages?

Yup, we have them too!

Tuesday, sometime between 2 and 2:30 PM the power went out up here, affecting over 3,000 people, according to CVPS. That's not really a lot of people, but when its your home and business what do you do? Mom had been trying to order Christmas presents for the rest of the grand kids online, but no power = no DSL = no internet! Brian had been programming, but he has a UPS and had time to save, log out and shut down his computer safely. Me, I was just starting this blog and Poof! Into the ether with that!

Then the beeps and whoops and dings and jingles of all the electronic equipment clammering for attention and power, complaining that they were hungry for power. We silenced the bells and whistles we could and then realized just how quiet the Inn was without the humming of computers in the background. No bzzzz, no whirling fans, no clanks or clicks of farddrives updating themselves for whatever reason. For the first time, I could hear the fireplace gently crackling. The happily purring cats were the loudest sounds in the house.

But what to do? No TV. No video games. Can't microwave popcorn. If it was sunnier I could have read a book, but it was overcast and getting later. Soon the sun would be behind the mountains and night would be upon us at 5 PM.

About now, the dogs decided it was time for walkies, so I grabbed the leashes and off we went into the snowy field. We followed deer tracks to the apple trees and found half-eaten apples. We listened to pileated woodpeckers and others of the woodpecker family rat-a-tat-tatting on an old tree. We saw vole tracks through the snow and watched sparrows and chickadees eat from the goldenrod heads poking up through the snowbanks. I played Fetch the Snowball with two of the dogs while the third kept sniffling grass piles under the snow looking for mice and voles.

Eventually, we all came back to the Inn and put our wet socks and boots by the fireplace to dry. It was just 3:30 and still no power. I started to appreciate just how many windows a Victorian house has. Light was still filtering into all the rooms and the maid closet, with the candles and matches, had a full size window. So, with candles and lamps ready, we waited, and tried to figure out what to have for dinner.

The power returned at 4:30 with its chorus of dings and beeps, pings and crackles and computers loaded, fridges started and lights came on all over. Christmas decorations relit and I admired our tree once again with its simple white lights (all LEDs) and decorations dating back generations in the Great Room. Outside streetlights glowed and the gentle hum of the 21st century returned to the sleepy little village of Danby.