Prior preparation prevents....

poor pooch performance! ;)

Today we pick up our foster dog Kizzy, so here are some of the things that we are preparing to make life easier. Perhaps they will help you too!

Kizzy is on her way!

Today is the day! Before Ryan and I head off on the road to collect Kizzy, I thought I would share a few of our tips to help you prepare should you be in the same position.

1. Know where you are going, plan your route and be aware of any requirements

Kizzy is travelling internationally, so even though we know what time her flight lands; we won't be picking her up at that time. Also, she will be arriving in to a collection centre and will require certain paperwork. Please make sure you have everything to hand!

2. Be prepared... (of course!)

You may not have a dog arriving from abroad, but you will need to make sure you have a few things ready for your pet. Here is a short list of what we are taking:

1. Water and travel bowl

2. A light meal (important if your pet has been travelling a while)

3. Poop bags

4. Bedding and/or a towel

5. Somewhere secure to travel in your car (NB: you can now be fined in the UK if travelling with an un-secured pet).

With Kizzy, we also need cleaning supplies, bin liners and scissors to get her out of her crate and the crate cleaned.

Also, we will be taking a slip leash as she may be worried and this is the quickest and safest way to secure her without getting in to her personal space (she won't be on this for training however). Making sure you have a way to secure your dog and keep them safe is very important!

What should you pack?

3. Be safe

Your pet doesn't yet know who you are. Think about this when approaching and moving them. Give them time and space to make choices. Any animal has the potential to react if it feels cornered and scared, so the best protection (for both of you) is prevention.

Try not to crowd your new pet or handle them unnecessarily. If you cannot avoid some handling (for instance we have a high boot in the car with a dog tent) consider taking a muzzle - a basket muzzle will allow your dog to pant, drink and eat.

4. Calm is key

Think about how to make your dog comfortable during travel and when arriving at the home. We have arranged for our resident dog (Inca) to be at a boarders for the evening so that Kizzy has time to settle in before we have the dogs meet (look out for the next blog on this coming soon!) In addition, we have given her a space of her own in a quiet area.

Also, if you are not used to travelling with a pet - remember - it isn't nice to be flung around in the car, please be a considerate driver :)

I hope this helps! Keep your eyes peeled for more blogs coming soon. If you have any comments or questions I would love to hear from you. Please either comment below or get in touch via info@petmind.co.uk or on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram (@PetMindUK).

Thanks for reading!