Pets Archives | A Personal Organizer

Keeping Your Pet Safe and Comfortable – Traveling With Your Pet

You know that there’s a lot involved in organizing your home for a pet, but have you considered what’s needed to take the show on the road? A lot of planning is necessary if you want to be sure your pet is safe and happy for a long car ride. Dogs, in particular, have some specific needs that can make reaching your destination a bit tricky. Getting there won’t be frustrating if you follow these tips for taking a car trip with pets for the holidays.

Before Your Trip with Your Pet

There are some actions you should take to prepare for a car trip with your pet. It’s always a good idea to make sure your pet is up-to-date on his shots. This may involve a trip to the vet or could just mean putting your dog’s medical records in one neat place such as a handy folder or a special file. If you’re traveling out of state or across the border, a certificate of health and proof of rabies vaccine may be needed.

Also, you’ll want to figure out the best restraint system for your pet. You may feel bad about restricting your furry friend’s movements, but she probably doesn’t mind, and it’s safer for everyone. Dogs like snug spaces like crates.

Choose a crate, pet car seat, barrier or seat belt and make sure you try it out a few times before your trip, so you know whether your fur baby is comfortable. Keeping your dog or cat in one spot makes sure they’re safe in the event of a sudden stop or accident, and it keeps them from distracting the driver.

What to Pack For Your Pet

You’ll want to bring all the essentials your animal needs each day while at home on your trip. Pack enough food to last the whole vacation so that you don’t end up having to look for your favorite brand while in a new place.

Use compact, airtight, sealable containers to pack food items. You don’t want to deal with doggie treat spills or stale food. You’ll want to save as much space as possible, so your regular storage container may not do.

You’ll need to bring along lots of water to keep your pet hydrated. Gallon jugs will do for transport, but a collapsible dog bowl is a lifesaver for drinking while on the road. Get one for food, as well. Travel-friendly storage like large sealable pouches is great for small toys, grooming supplies and leashes. A well-sealed bin is a must-have if you need to transport litter.

In the Car

You’ll need bags for handling waste on bathroom breaks. These can be corralled in a larger zipper bag or stowed in a small bin.

Be sure to stop often so your animal can stretch her legs, go potty, get a drink and grab a bite.

Don’t forget your pooper scooper. You may wish to store this in a small airtight container to keep things clean and to contain any smell if you’re not able to completely clean the scoop after every use.

Your pet’s favorite bedding may be too cumbersome to bring on your road trip, but a favorite pillow or blanket could help to calm him while traveling, both in the car and when you reach the new and unfamiliar destination.

Finally, rubberized or plastic covering for the flooring and seats can be useful in making sure your car’s interior stays clean and free of damage.

There you have it. You should now feel more confident about organizing your pet’s stuff on a car trip for the holidays. Putting these suggestions into place will ensure everyone has a fun and stress-free vacation.

Getting Your Home Organized For a New Dog

Organization tips to prepare your home and family for a new dog. — My youngest son coming home with our puppy.

If you’ve never had a dog before you may not know just how much preparation is involved in bringing your new furry family member home. Truth is, most pets come with a great deal of maintenance. This is especially true for dogs. They need toys, food, brushes, nail clippers, a bed and a host of other supplies to keep them happy and healthy.

When we got Tuff, our Yorkie, I was surprised by all the steps that were needed to have him safely and comfortably in his new home.

Dogs also require a lot of attention and exercise. Keeping up with your pampered pooch’s needs can become quite demanding, especially if you work from home.

Fortunately, taking just a few steps to organize things in advance can ensure a more pleasurable experience for both you and your pet. Follow these organization tips to prepare your home for a dog. Then sit back and enjoy bonding with your new buddy.

Follow these organization tips to prepare your home for a dog. Then sit back and enjoy bonding with your new buddy.

Give Your Pup Some Space

One of the first things you’ll want to do is set aside some space that is just for your pet’s belongings.

Here at home, Tuff has a wire basket that holds all his toys, and a dedicated kitchen cabinet for his food, treats, and medications.

Photo by John Bynum Custom Homes, Inc. – Look for staircase pictures

Taking this step will help you to remember where you put things like Fido’s monthly flea treatment. It will also lessen the likelihood of your doggie’s things overtaking the rest of your home.

Plus, your dog will probably just enjoy having a place to go when a nap is in order.

Set Up a Spot for Dining

While most of your dog’s items can be kept in one room or space, you’ll probably want to set up a separate area in your kitchen or mudroom for feeding supplies. This keeps the food mess to a minimum and allows you to easily wipe up spills.

Photo by Jenkins Custom Homes – More laundry room ideas

There are some things you can buy in order to assist in containing any messes related to food, treats or water. Dishes that come with a base to contain them are always helpful. These can lessen the chances of bowls being upset or spills happen.

For some reason, some dogs, like Tuff, won’t eat out of a bowl. The solution for us was to give him a small cutting board and place his food on it. This has worked great for us as it’s easy to wash and store when not in use.

Photo by – Look for kitchen design inspiration

Mats are incredibly helpful for placing beneath bowls to catch splashes or crumbs.

Store food in airtight bins to keep them fresh and neat.

Contain Toy Chaos

Those toys! Playing with your dog can be so much fun. It’s great to see the excitement on their faces when tug and chase. Before you know it, however, you could find you have more toys than you know what to do with.

Photo by VanBrouck & Associates, Inc. – Search entryway pictures

There are a lot of considerations when it comes to toy containment. Taking your lifestyle and your pet’s preferences into account can help you decide on a system that works for everyone.

If you do work from home, you may not wish to jump up and down every time your dear doggie wants to play with a new toy. Therefore, it can help to find storage bins with open tops that allow your pup to retrieve his or her own choice of play thing.

A clear storage box with the lid removed or a sturdy basket might do the trick. Just be sure it’s not too deep for your pet to reach the bottom comfortably. You don’t want your pooch to get stuck or hurt.

Create a Sleeping Station

Dogs like snug spaces. The closeness helps them to feel safe. That’s why a built-in is a great way to offer your pet a comfy bed while keeping your other surfaces clean.

Photo by Portico Design Group – Search kitchen pictures

When Fido has a place to go that’s all his, he’ll be less inclined to jump up on your hard-to-clean couch. If you don’t have the room or resources to build a nook, picking up a cozy dog bed will do.

Photo by Barnes of Ashburton Ltd – More kitchen ideas

This may even be a preferable solution for those who work at home or need to get stuff done. Pups love to be near their people.

Moving the bed to whichever room you’re in at the time can help to ensure your dog is comfortable and that you’re able to focus on the task at hand, rather than trying to manage an agitated pet.

Organizing tips to bring a new dog home. — Tuff sleeps on my desk as I work.

Getting your home organized for a dog involves just a few easy steps. Taking these proactive measures will help to make sure everyone is happy and that chaos remains at a minimum.