Cat Travel Accessories Furry Travelers now carries travel products for your cat!  Find cat carriers, cat harnesses, calming products for cats, cat toys, and more!  

Pet Travel Products Unique and fun pet travel and pet safety products recommended by Furry Travelers, Inc.  Furry Travelers is your one stop pet travel store!

Pet travel blog for information on the latest pet travel products, pet friendly vacation destinations and general tips for traveling with pets safely and conveniently.

Pet Safety Accessories Pet safety products to aid in keeping your pet safe while on the go.  Pet accessories include first aid kits, safety harnesses, booster seats, lighted collars, collar blinker lights, dog life jackets and more.

As the end of the summer nears and early fall approaches, regulation of pets on the beach are eased and beautiful early fall weather beseech you to take your furry friend outdoors to the nearest body of water to play. Here are a few tips for keeping your dog safe around water. 1)      While some dogs live to swim, others may be unable to or simply hate being in the water. Be conscious and considerate of your dog's preferences and skills. Don't try to force him or her to swim if your dog seems afraid or averse; many dogs will never feel comfortable in the water.   2)      If you're taking your dog swimming for the first time, help coax him into the water by starting off in a shallow area. Try calling his name and creating a fun environment by using dog toys and/or treats to play with.     3)      Swimming is very hard work, making it easy for your dog to overexert himself- especially dogs that are drawn to the water. Keep track of the time and evaluate your dog's level of effort to keep your dog from overdoing it.   4)      Never throw your dog into the water. Doing so may cause your dog to feel anxious or fearful of going into the water in the future. Also, since some dogs have large bodies and short legs, they are not built to swim for enjoyment and therefore may be traumatized by the act.   5)      If taking your dog swimming at the ocean, be careful of strong tides. Never let your dog swim far enough out to be swept away by the current. Use a doggy life jacket as a safety precaution.   6)      Moisture in a dog's ear can cause nasty infections if not cleaned properly after swimming. Ask your vet or local pet store for the proper supplies and a demonstration to make sure you are thoroughly ridding his or her ears of the nasty bacteria found in ocean and lake water.   7)      Never leave your dog unattended in water. If you have a pool, make sure to invest in adequate safety products, such as a baby fence or pool alarm to alert you if your dog falls in. Train your dog to know how to exit the pool by teaching him/her to locate the steps or ramp, and providing a refresher course on exiting at the beginning of each swimming session.   8)      Be careful of taking your dog swimming at night. Dogs' vision dramatically decreases after nightfall as well as with age, so swimming in the dark may be extremely scary for dogs, even those who normally love to be in the water.   9)      Just like humans, dogs are equally susceptible to getting hypothermia in cold water. Unfortunately, they may not understand that the water is what's causing them to feel cold, making it easier for an accident to occur. If the water is cold enough to prompt you to get out, it is safe to say your dog is at risk to getting cold as well and should be brought out of the water to regain warmth.   1    Never let your dog drink the pool water, which is filled with chlorine and chemicals that can make your dog sick. Salt water from the ocean and bacteria found in lakes can also be harmful. To prevent ingestion of contaminated water, keep a clean water bowl nearby for your dog to drink from. Se    

  Traveling with Your Pet During the Holidays It is hard to believe that it is already the holiday season.   Many of us with pets wouldn't think of spending the holidays without them. If your Furry Traveler is like mine, you are probably planning a road trip. The following tips and information will help your trip be a successful one. Careful planning can make your trip go more smoothly, whatever your mode of transportation.   If you are not staying with family or friends, more and more hotels now allow pets. Be sure to make your reservations well in advance as they can fill up quickly. HOTELS: 5-Star hotels such as Trump Hotels, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton often include extra luxuries for your dog, including special bedding and spa treatments.   If 5-Stars don't fit in your budget, you will still want a nice, clean room. There are many hotel chains to choose from, most offer Rewards Memberships so you can accumulate points and get a free night once in a while. My personal favorite is LaQuinta, www.LQ.com. Many are brand new hotels or newly remodeled with large rooms and all have free internet and even breakfast! There are no extra pet fees (unless there are damages, of course). Their website allows you to check for hotels along your driving route, which helps you decide what city to stop in if your trip takes you longer than one day to reach your final destination. Many of the Intercontinental Hotels (www.ihg.com) also allow pets but you may have to pay a pet fee.  WEATHER: Here is something to think about if you are changing climates. On a recent trip up north, we found it pretty chilly and my Florida dog ended up needing to wear a coat – good thing I was there selling dog products! If your dog has sensitive paws and is not used to the cold, boots might be appreciated. Just because they have fur coats, doesn't mean they will always be warm enough. TRAVELING BY CAR:   Buckling up is an important safety precaution for pets. Many states and provinces now require that pets be restrained while in a moving vehicle and restraints have several advantages. They help protect pets in case of a collision and they keep pets from running loose and distracting the driver. They also keep pets from escaping the car through an open window or door.   Cats and smaller dogs are often most comfortable in pet carriers and crates. Carriers give many animals a sense of security and familiar surroundings and can be secured to the car seat with a seat belt or a specially designed carrier restraint (like a child's seat).   There are also pet restraints available that can be used without carriers, including harnesses, seat belt attachments, specially designed pet car seats, as well as vehicle barriers, and restraint systems.   Absolutely do not leave your pet in the car unattended. Even with windows cracked, and even on a seemingly nice day, temperatures in a car can quickly escalate and kill your pet. If you will have to leave the pet, the pet shouldn't have come along for that trip.   Keep your pet hydrated. On a trip, it's tempting to skimp on the food and water to avoid pit stops. While you do want to cut back a little, just for your pet's comfort while on the go, be sure your pet gets enough to drink and eat. The To Go Bowl allows your pet to drink while traveling and the removable cup can store dog treats for your rest breaks. If you are driving with a pet, plan for plenty of stops to walk you pet, and give the pet food and water.   Your dog should always wear a collar with an ID tag that includes your cell phone number so you can easily be contacted if needed.  Allowing your pet to have his own travel bag will help you keep things organized. Some things to remember in the bag are an extra leash, medications, Hairbrush, food, bowls.   There are so many other great travel products available now than there were just a few years ago. You will be amazed how much easier traveling is when you use some of them. Websites such as www.FurryTravelers.com specialize in pet travel products and are a great one-stop shopping place for your pet travel supplies.   Pet Travel Statistics from Bark Buckle UP:   In an accident, an unrestrained animal is dangerous to the human passengers as well. Even in an accident of only 30 mph, a 15-pound child can cause an impact of more than 675 pounds. A 60-pound dog can cause an impact of 2,700 pounds, slamming into a car seat, a windshield, or another passenger. Even if the animal survives, it can impede the progress of rescue workers for whom every moment is precious.   Unrestrained pets can also distract the driver, and cause an accident. Even pets that are normally well behaved could be frightened by something unusual and dive for the driver's feet or lap. Following a car accident, an unrestrained pet could escape and be hit by another vehicle or cause another collision. A frightened dog may attack strangers who are trying to help.   Bark Buckle UP utilized the Travel Safety Evaluation Booklet used by police agencies nationwide and concluded that 98% of pets do not travel properly restrained, which means that only 2% of pets travel safe in vehicles. Bark Buckle UP, the pet safety national awareness program, works with Police and Fire Chiefs nationwide to communicate to the public the necessities of, "Why Buckle" for your pets safety, passengers, driver and our first responders.   Be one of the 2% that buckles up your pet!  

The following information was taken from the FDA Veterinarian Newsletter With the summer months rapidly approaching, vacation season will soon be here. We all need a little time away from the monotony of an everyday routine, so as you get ready to retreat, it's important to know how to care for your four-legged friends traveling with you. Most of us travel by car or plane, but each option brings certain drawbacks for pets. Car Travel Car travel is usually less stressful on pets because it allows Freckles and Champ to be close to you, so you can monitor their well-being and come to their aid when needed.  If you choose to drive to your destination, here are a few helpful hints to make the trip more enjoyable. Motion sickness: It's common for pets to experience motion sickness while traveling in a car. To help avoid an upset stomach, don't feed your pet a large meal before travel. Cracking a window to allow fresh air to circulate through your vehicle also helps. If Champ is prone to motion sickness or if Freckles' sensitive stomach acts up again, you may want to put them in the front seat next to you.  Riding up front helps because less motion is felt in the front of the vehicle.  Bathroom breaks: While Champ may snooze for the majority of the trip, it's still important to give him frequent bathroom breaks. Traffic is unpredictable, so if it has been more than a couple of hours, stop and give your dog a chance to relieve himself and stretch his legs. Sedatives: While sedatives may make your pet seem less stressed during car trips, these medications also have a tendency to dull the senses and lessen your pet's ability to react to the environment, which can be dangerous in an emergency. When traveling by car or by plane, avoid giving your pet any type of sedative.  If you think Champ or Freckles really needs a sedative to travel, talk to your pet's veterinarian before your trip. Air Travel For people, flying is often quicker and easier than driving, but flying can be a more stressful experience for your pet. If you decide to travel by air, it's important to keep a few things in mind. Cargo travel:  While you're snacking, reading, and sleeping in relative comfort up in economy seating, Champ is usually traveling in the cargo area below, subjected to temperature fluctuations and loud noises. A cat or small dog may be allowed to travel in the plane's cabin, as long as the pet is kept in a crate and the crate fits underneath the seat.  Check with specific airlines for more information about cabin travel for your pet.  Check on your pet: Make sure to tell the plane's Captain or flight attendant that you have a pet on board. If the flight staff knows about Champ in cargo, they are better able to check on him for you, especially if an unusual situation occurs, such as an unscheduled landing, extended taxi time, or long layover. Walk your dog: If you and Champ have a connecting flight, try to walk him before that connecting flight departs. Many airports provide dog parks just outside the terminal. A bathroom break and a short walk will help Champ relax and stay calm during the remainder of his journey. Crate your pet: During flights, most pets are housed in pet crates provided by their owners. It's important to prepare your pet's crate with safety in mind.  Pet crates should provide ample space for your pet to move around and should also meet the requirements set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) and the International Air Transportation Association (IATA).  When your pet is crated, remember to include: A bowl of dry food; A bowl or other container of frozen water that will melt over the course of the trip, giving your pet constant access to cold water; Appropriate bedding, such as a soft towel or blanket, or shredded newspaper or wood chips if the traveling pet is a hamster, gerbil, or guinea pig; and A label on the outside of the crate that is clearly marked with your pet's name and your contact information.  You should include both your home contact information and your destination contact information. Be Prepared: If you plan to stay in a hotel while traveling, contact the hotel ahead of time to make sure it is pet friendly. Before your trip, research veterinary hospitals in the city or town of your destination in case of a pet emergency during the vacation. Hawaii and Abroad: Traveling outside the continental United States with your pet requires advanced planning.  For international travel, contact the appropriate country's embassy or consulate at least 4 weeks before your trip.  Different countries may require different documentation for your pet's entry. The state of Hawaii also has entry requirements for arriving pets.  For more information about traveling with your pets, please check the following Web sites:  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/ http://www.cdc.gov/animalimportation/TravelingPets.html http://www.avma.org/animal_health/travelingwithpet-faq.asp http://www.avma.org/animal_health/brochures/traveling/traveling_brochure.asp http://www.avma.org/services/vprc/travel.asp  

Product Review - Bark Stix Organic Dog Treats   FurryTravelers.com was started to help pet owners travel with their pets safely and easily by offering the best pet travel products.  Once in a while, however, we come across non-travel related pet products we think are so great that we add them to our product line-up.   I don't recall how we originally found Bark Stix (maybe they found us), but after speaking with the owner a few years ago and hearing about the company, I knew I needed to test them on my own dogs, Cookie and Katie.  They loved every type of treat I gave them!  What I love about them is that they are 100% organic, nutritious, and made in the United States.    Here are three of our favorites:    Sweetie Pies   Sweet Potatoes are considered by nutrition experts to be one of the 10 healthiest foods one can eat.  That goes for dogs, too.  Sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.  And dogs LOVE them!    Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, chicken liver, potato flour, honey and sea salt.   Sadie's Big Stix and Lucy's Short Stix These fun, nutritious stix are shaped like a bread stick and measure 9-10 inches for Sadie's and about 5 inches for Lucy's - a best seller.   Fart Busters This all meat chicken treat is made from whole Free Range chicken with a proprietary blend of digestive enzymes that can aid digestion and help with those 'aromatic' moments that come between dog and guardian. Like all of our treats they are manufactured in our facility in Northern California. The chickens are locally sourced from small farmers and raised without the use of antibiotics or animal by-products and are fed a vegetarian diet.   There are several varieties of Bark Stix dog treats.  To see all Bark Stix Treats, click here.  

The Fourth of July can be an exciting and festive time of the year for our families and friends, but that's not always the case when it comes to our pets. The loud and unfamiliar noises that dogs hear on the 4th can commonly upset and scare them. We want to make sure that all your pups have a safe and settling 4th of July this year. Here are some useful tips when preparing your pooch for the 4th!   1. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise earlier in the day. 2. Keep your dog's inside during fireworks, preferably with human companionship. If it's hot, make sure that the air conditioning or fan is running! 3. Provide a safe and familiar place inside for your dogs to retreat. 4. If possible, keep the windows and curtains closed (the less they see the better). 5. Make sure all your dogs are wearing ID tags with a properly fitting collar. (Dogs have been known to become Houdini around the 4th of July.) 6. Leave your dog something fun to do – like a new toy or bone. 7. We also recommend (and sell) the ThunderShirt- a proven effective, all-natural solution to pet anxiety and fear caused by things like fireworks, thunderstorms, separation, travel and more. You can learn more or buy the ThunderShirt here: http://www.furrytravelers.com/m7/3095--thundershirt.html We hope these tips help, and that everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July!  

Last week Furry Travelers exhibited at the largest pet trade show in the US - Global Pet Expo.  We decided we would take Cookie and Katie with us.  This would be Katie's first event and we were a little concerned how she would do.  She's a bit more timid than our other dogs have been.  Cookie was there though, the professional Furry Traveler and we hoped she would be a good influence on the younger pup.   Travel sickness:  For years I have heard from customers with dogs that have motion sickness and as a result get sick when they travel.  I have done my best to direct them to a solution, but until I experienced it first hand, didn't know how difficult that could be.     Our newest dog, Katie, has terrible motion sickness.  It is so bad that she will vomit just going a few blocks!  And when we do find a way to settle her stomach so she doesn't get sick, she drools so excessively from anxiety that we fear she will get dehydrated on a long trip.  We were traveling about 3 hours so we figured this would be a good test.  We finally found the right combination for her:  Dramamine the night before and first thing in the morning, combined with Rescue Remedy to calm her anxiety.    Our Pet Zip Dog Stroller was another needed product for the trip.  While we were setting up our booth, this kept them out of harms way and during the show, they spent most of their time in it, enjoying watching all the activity around them.  During slower times, we took them out to stretch, get tummy rubs from our booth neighbors and treats from some of the other exhibitors.  They even helped us get more traffic into the booth.  Who can resist these cute faces?     On this trip I also tested a new product that we have carried for a few months now - Doggy Baggage.  What a great bag!  I was able to keep all the girls stuff in one convenient place and stay organized, too.  6 outside pockets to keep important items handy (medication, brushes, water bottle, leash) and the bag itself is large enough to hold food, dishes, To Go Bowl, toys - everything else you need for a great trip.   And of course we had our To Go Bowl!  This allowed the dogs to drink whenever they wanted while in the car and we just put it in our Doggy Baggage when we went into the hotel or trade show to then be used on the floor.  Of course we stored the girls favorite treats in the removable cup, too!   The trip was a great success!