Hitting the Road with Your Dog? Lizzy's 5 Must-Know Tips
It's Lizzy here, CHO (Chief Happiness Officer) at Labs of Love! Since I am a happiness officer, I wanted to tell you about my happiest weeks of 2025. That was when I went on a two-week road trip to Scotland with my mum Ellen and dad Geert-Jan.
As you might know, I live in the Netherlands. That's a country in Europe. And if you take a very big boat in the afternoon from the Netherlands, eat, sleep, sniff other doggos, and poop on that boat, you wake up in the north of England the next morning!
This was the first time in my life that I had been on such a big boat, and also the first time I saw the huge mountains in the Scottish Highlands.
During those two weeks, I hiked, swam, cuddled with lots of people, and took several rides on trains, a gondola, buses, and the hop-on hop-off bus in Edinburgh. I also ate Scottish and English sausages, visited castles, went to lots of pubs and dog-friendly restaurants, slept in hotels, cottages, pods and shepherd huts, and of course wagged my tail a great deal.
I know that most of my fur-iends live in the Americas (I am still in my Outlander phase...), but you have cars, vans, motorhomes, and road trips where you come from too, right? That's why I wanted to share some of my experiences and give you a few tips to fully enjoy a road-trip vacation.
Tip 1: Let your humans do some homework
My first tip comes from my mum: ask your humans to do a little extra preparation and research when you go on a road trip. She says it was really helpful to know in advance where I was allowed to join my mum and dad, and at which places we needed to make another plan.
In England and Scotland, there were lots of places where I was allowed to go, so I felt very welcome! For example, at the Culloden Battlefield, I was allowed in the shop, the restaurant, and the fields, but unfortunately not inside the exhibition.
But honestly, that turned out just fine. My mum and dad took turns staying with me, which meant I had a great time getting free snacks in the souvenir shop and receiving cuddles from friendly people. Much more fun than looking at old stuff behind glass (or whatever happens at a boring exhibition).
Tip 2: Don't drive too long without a break
My second tip: don't drive too long at a time. A good rule is a maximum of two or three hours before taking a break. That way we can stretch our legs, have a drink, empty our bladder, and maybe even... you know... get rid of the smelly stuff.
If you are a pooch who gets a bit nervous in the car, breaks are also great for relaxing and having a proper sniff around. Sniffing is very important work!
If you get a bit carsick, it's also wise not to eat anything about three hours before getting into the car, motorhome, or van. Luckily, I was not anxious or queasy in the car, but I did find the gondola a little scary at first. I snuggled safely in my mum's arms just to be sure. But on the way back down from the mountain, I was a big girl and looked out of the window to watch all the other gondolas going by.
Tip 3: Don't forget the important stuff
Another important tip: make sure your humans pack all your necessities. Think of your chip number, the phone number of your vet at home, vaccinations if necessary, enough food, medicine if you take any, a water bowl, at least two leashes, poop bags, a comfy blanket, your favourite toy and ball, and maybe a towel or two if you plan to swim (which I highly recommend). A bathrobe is also convenient to take with you.
My mum and dad think that using a harness while travelling is more convenient and safe than a collar, especially if you are using an ISOFIX in the car or if you are sleeping on a campsite and using a dog tie-out stake.
It is also nice to bring something that smells like home. After a long day of adventures, having your own blanket or bed makes every hotel, cottage, or shepherd hut feel a bit more familiar.
Tip 4: Mix up your adventures
The best road trips have lots of different activities. I loved hiking in the mountains, walking through the big city and the small villages, visiting castles, and relaxing in pubs and dog-friendly restaurants.
It's also nice to have a mix of on-leash and off-leash moments (when it is safe and allowed, of course). Sometimes it's fun to explore freely, and sometimes it's perfectly fine to walk politely. Here are some of my favorite on-leash and off-leash moments of my Scotland trip:
Tip 5: Be careful in the wild
If you're wandering through areas where coyotes, brown bears, or rattlesnakes roam, it's smart to let your humans keep you on a leash and your eyes peeled. Nature can be wild, and some of the locals are definitely not looking for a new friend.
Personally, I was safe—my only "dangerous encounters" were with a herd of crossing seniors! Yep, we even found a warning sign for them. Those tricky humans zig-zagged across the path like pros, but I handled it like a champ: polite tail wags and strategic side-steps.
So: leash yourself, enjoy the scenery, and watch out for both the four-legged and two-legged wildlife! 🐕
This year my pawrents say they're taking me camping in the Netherlands, so no mountains for me this time. But our small country has a lot of water, so I'm pretty sure I'll have a blast anyway (and possibly very wet paws).
I hope you all have lots of fun adventures this year with your pawrents too. I'd love to hear about your travels and road-trip tips, so feel free to share them with me!