Ultimate guide to remote living with your dog

Remote life as itself has a lot of good sides. First of all, you are able to choose your workplace and to manage your schedule all by yourself. In other words, you have complete control over your flexible schedule, while working in the office means sitting at least six hours at one desk while trying to finish all those piled-up tasks that simply seem impossible to get done. Next, instead of traveling two hours to the same office every day and stressing out because of traffic, you will be able to use that time to get things settled or even get some more work done. Also, of course, you are able to become a so called “digital nomad” and work from literally anywhere. You aren’t under any unnecessary pressure, there is just you and your work.

Now picture all that and add travelling as well your furry friend to the equation. Seems like heaven, doesn’t it? Here is how to manage remote living along with your dog.

Perks of traveling with your dog

Dogs are probably better travel buddies than humans, even though traveling with them can add quite a lot of extra preparation and paperwork.

First, dogs are happy to follow you wherever you go, and your dog definitely won’t argue your choice of destination, accommodation, music selection or activities. They will never ruin your mood nor your moment by being grumpy or by saying the wrong thing.

Moreover, a dog is a fantastic ice-breaker when it comes to meeting locals, and their nose always knows where the good street food is. And speaking of locals, everyone will think you are one, because you have a dog with you (not everyone is brave enough to travel with one), so you won’t be the victim of tourist scammers.

Finally, having that familiar companion that loves you unconditionally with you will soothe your soul. When they are well trained, dogs will be well behaved and will never embarrass you. There will be no grumpiness and moodiness, belly rub and a treat or two will solve all problems.

Required paperwork

There is nothing worse than arriving at the airport and realizing you don’t have proper documentation while approaching the security checkpoint. The same goes for pets – no documents, no flying. And while every state has its own regulations and rules, the most common types of documentation, besides passport are:

Acclimation Certificate:

This document features hot and cold weather extremes regulations, since there are species that simply aren’t accustomed to extreme colds and can be harmed by a sudden weather burst while waiting to be placed in storage. Make sure you check this with your airline.

Certificate of veterinary inspection:

This is also called Health certificate, and is basically a document signed by a vet, and states that he inspected your pet for diseases and overall state of health. Have in mind that this document is only valid for a certain period of time so make sure you check with your state in order to ensure it doesn’t expire before your flight.

Rabies vaccination:

Rabies is a pretty nasty disease in both animals and humans. And while the number of victims has significantly decreased, it still hasn’t reached zero. Many states require a checkup within a certain amount of travel days. Hawaii, for example, has quite a stringent animal air travel policy, so make sure you check this with your state as well as state where you are flying.

Additional documentation includes Confirmation of feeding, Live Animal Checklist and tranquilizer consent forms from a vet.

Required gadgets

Let’s start with the basics. If your dog is short-haired, bring a sweater for them to prevent chill from air conditioning.

If you think they will be stressed while flying, consult your vet about medication you could bring along.

Folding water and food bowls can really come in handy, as well as dog booties, towels and a stroller (in case you have a senior dog that tires easily).

Depending on where you are going, in order to prevent accidental food poisonings, make sure you have quality food such as Royal Canin for dogs with you – not only it is safe, it can also be ordered online, which is great.

Finally, make sure you toss in some dog toys, so your furry pal can entertain themselves while you are doing your work.

Things to also have in mind

Of course, travelling with your furry best friend is a beautiful experience, but everything has a not-that-pretty side we would like to warn you about, so you are prepared.

First, flying can be quite a stressful experience for animals. Not to mention that conditions aren’t always dog-friendly, since temperatures can fluctuate, noise can be tremendous and air pressure can significantly drop. This can leave bad consequences, since airlines do not consider animals to be family members – they consider them as cargo. So, in order to make sure your dog is safe, make sure you arrange for direct flights, if possible purchase a space for them in the passenger cabin. Of course, a vet visit is mandatory, and ask around for other people’s experiences with this issue before booking an airline. 

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Having a dog is a blessing all by itself, and bringing yours to remote work with you will make this experience a hundred times better. Finally, we wish you and your furry friend a bon voyage!