Family Fun in the Sun, Dogs and People Alike

So here comes the wonderful summer weather! The summer means different things for all of us but for the majority it means a family summer vacation. Where does a summer vacation leave your beloved family pet, possibly at a boarding facility? Well nowadays places cater to your pets. Some theme parks offer pet boarding, hotels accept pets, and you can travel with your pets with some simple advice.

Days Inn, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Monaco, La Quinta Inns and Suites, Loews Hotels are a few of the chains that allow your pet to stay with you. Some even offer you information about pet friendly places in the area.

A lot of restaurants with outdoor dinning allow you to bring a friendly pet along. But make sure to call ahead and find out if pets are allowed and also a relatively slow time that'll be best for the animal and for fellow patrons.

Well to start there is Six Flags over Texas in Arlington TX, Six Flags Great America Chicago, and Six Flags over Georgia in Atlanta, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles. Disneyland, Disneyworld and all Disney owned theme parks also have boarding during your day. Universal Studios also provides these services. The prices all vary from park to park.

Now you planned ahead it's all about the actual travel. How do you plan to travel?

If you decide to take a plane then there are some simple rules you need to follow.
The animal must be a minimum age of eight (8) weeks old for dogs and cats. The kennel may contain two (2) dogs or two (2) cats but they must be the same species, ages between 8-weeks and 6-months, and weigh less than 20 lbs. Only one pet kennel per ticketed passenger may be accepted for travel in the cabin, as pets must stay under the seat in front of you during the entire flight. The maximum size for cabin pet carriers is 23" long x 13" wide x 9" high. A pet kennel counts as either a passenger's one carry-on bag or personal item - a cabin pet Fee still applies, however.Soft-sided pet carriers are accepted as long as they are constructed of water-repellent, padded nylon with mesh ventilation on two or more sides.Animals must be able to stand up, turn around and lay down in a natural position in the kennel.Pet may not be removed from their kennel/container at any time while on-board the aircraft

If you plan to drive you must also take into consideration your little friends need extra special care.
Make sure you bring plenty of bottled water and a dog bowl accessible. Make plenty of stops for bathroom breaks at dog friendly rest stops. Bring treats, and toys to keep your dog busy. You might want to consider bring either a crate of purchasing a dog harness that keeps your dog safely attached to the seat belt. It keeps them safe and it prevents them from interrupting your driving. DO NOT at any time leave your dog in your car unattended in the summer heat, it's very harmful to them.

Well I hope this little guide helped you plan out a wonderful family vacation including your family friend!