tips for travelling with your ex-racing Greyhound
I have done a lot of vehicle travel with my Greyhound Sabrina and Roman and Madeline my late Dobermans. I hope the experience I share here will help to make your travel with your Greyhound road trip easier both for you and for your hound.
Travel Vaccines, border documentation and identification
If you are crossing the USA Border from Canada or crossing the Canadian border from the USA, you must ensure you do your research well before you go.
Here are two links to get you started with your dog or puppy’s travel research.
Note that this post of The Lovely Hound Blog refers to the dog category of Pet Dog.
A word or warning. The rules have been changing rapidly in terms of crossing the Canadian border into the USA with a dog so much that I have had to re-do this blog twice this week. So rather than provide erroneous information, I have provided the links above which should be the most up-to-date on this topic.
If you are planning this journey, please ensure you do your research well in advance and also speak with your veterinarian.
Typically, you need a Rabies Vaccine Certificate from your veterinarian to cross into Canada. I always ensure I have the original and an extra copy or two just in case one copy is lost. If you cannot prove your hound has gotten its Rabies Vaccine you will likely need to get another vaccine and then there is usually a specific waiting period. I am not sure they would actually enforce this but better to be safe than sorry.
There is always the option of contacting your veterinarian and have them email a copy but I wouldn’t want to rely on this option, in the event the border is busy or your veterinarian is closed for the weekend or you are at the border outside of their office hours.
If you have gone stateside to rescue or adopt a dog like an Ex-racing Greyhound, you must be prepared to answer to the Canadian Border Services Agency (the “CBSA”) as to why you rescued or adopted a dog in the USA instead of Canada.
Sabrina was adopted in Seattle, Washington and brought to Victoria, British Columbia in Canada. It was an easy answer to make when they asked why I went to the USA to get her. I simply said “There are no Ex-racing Greyhounds in Canada to adopt as we don’t have that cruel sport here”.
The CBSA asked to see her documentation showing her valid Rabies Vaccine Certificate as well as the receipt proving we paid an adoption fee for her and that she was mine.
It was simple and very straightforward.
BUT … if you purchase a purebred dog or a (purebred puppy in my case) from the USA the experience may not be the same.
When I purchased Madeline, my late Doberman, from the USA and tried to bring her across the Canadian Border she was seized by the CBSA and taken from me. Their claim was that I had falsified her purchase papers in collusion with her breeder and that she cost far more than the $1200 USD my receipt and cancelled cheques clearly indicated.
A Doberman Pinscher puppy would usually cost more but because Madeline was the smallest of 12 puppies and the breeder only sold to the American show dog circuit buyer, her price was less. Her American buyers would not be interested in a pet quality Doberman puppy.
Even though I had photocopies of cancelled cheques and the original sale documents the CBSA did not care. They refused to place a telephone call to Madeline’s breeder to confirm my story even though she lived nearby and was on standby in case of an issue. Instead, they took Madeline away from me and said you pay the Canadian Government what we think she is worth and a huge fine for every other violation we can come up with.
My choice was leave a 12 week old puppy behind or pay what felt like a ransom. So I paid them just over $800 CDN for Madeline as well as additional monies for fines and taxes. I had every intention I would appeal the fine etc. when I got home. But the truth is the red tape involved in the appeal process was next to impossible and would require a lawyer who practiced in this type of law. So I let it go - but I will never forget that day.
Travel Tip!
My advice is to do your research and be overly prepared when travelling with your hound to/from a foreign country. Stay calm no matter what and be prepared for anything.
Food, water, toys, meds and beds
Always be well informed on what types of food you can bring across the borders as the USA does not permit for just one example: beef even if in the form of kibble. Their list of prohibited meats etc., is extensive and can be confusing. Every time I hit the USA border the first thing they want is to see my dog food. The USA border workers will not hesitate to confiscate pet food that may be violating their laws.
Whenever you travel with your hound, their well being, comfort and health must always be your number one priority when planning what to bring for them.
Here is my Travel Checklist for Sabrina:
Water bowl, food bowls, jars for re-hydrating her food, spoons, and Kong to stuff for enrichment.
Her food and treats. (I do a quick check to see if her current food/protein is permitted to cross the USA border. If not, I plan for a stop at the nearest pet supply shop to stock up. Sabrina’s food line is Stella and Chewy and Blue Buffalo - both available in the USA.)
I bring an old smelly toy and tuck it into Sabrina’s travel crate as she loves to cuddle her stuffies. I usually buy her a new toy that she can have, once we arrive at our destination.
Medication/s and copies of the prescription/s, just in case.
Bed and a soft fuzzy blanket.
I don’t usually travel in the winter months with Sabrina, but if do, I pack her booties, winter outer-wear, and sweaters for inside if its really cold.
Travel Tip!
Always have your hound’s travel documents at the ready, as well as your bag of non-prohibited dog food. Do not empty the food into a secondary container as you may have this taken away. The food will need to be examined at the unique USA border crossing at which you are travelling to ensure it’s safe to bring into both that state and the USA. Without labeling this cannot be done.
pet friendly Hotels
There are so many more options for pet friendly accommodations than there ever was. Including, hotels, motels, yurts, cabins and cottages. But Sabrina and I do have our favourite pet friendly accommodations and they are all hotels.
Here are our favourite hotel chains:
And,
Our favourite boutique hotels:
Always check a hotel or motel Pet Policy as some allow dogs but have size restrictions. Find out the pet fee ahead of time (if applicable) and what they require that you sign to guarantee any damage caused by your dog will be covered by you. If you are not familiar with the property ask them to mail you a copy of their Pet Policy.
Travel Tip!
I always call and book my reservations over the phone, when booking a hotel for Sabrina and I. Just in case there is a discrepancy on their website it’s always better to have something in writing and a name attached to it.
Vehicle travel with your hound
Sabrina loves to travel in her Canine Camper Travel Crate (shown below). It’s perfect for tall dogs like Greyhounds and can be easily stored when you are not using it or you have a shortage of extra space.
If you are new to travelling with your Greyhound, I recommend a soft-sided travel crate. They are perfect for keeping your hound safe and cozy while highway traveling. They also work well for getting your hound to settle at your holiday destination.
You can socialize your hound well in advance with basic crate training and then you can show them how to get in and out their travel crate while it is in your vehicle.
You can even implement short practice sessions for example by driving somewhere fun with your Greyhound. Let them out and have a walk and then get them to jump back into their travel crate and head home. Reward them with lots of treats and cuddles.
Travel Tip!
When I stay in a hotel with Sabrina and I need to run an errand within the hotel or do something where Sabrina cannot come - I pop Sabrina into her crate. Put the 'do not disturb’ sign on the door and let the hotel front desk and the housekeeping department know she’s alone in the room. I provide them both with my mobile phone number. In the event of an emergency I am minutes away from my room and Sabrina. Never leave a dog alone in a strange place, unless they are in a crate.
before you leave - hound travel checklist
Food and medication
Toys, blanket, bed
Collar, leash, tracking collar
Clothing for winter weather
Border travel documents
Bowls, spoons, etc.
First Aid kit (including tick removal tool)
Brush and shampoo
Dog waste bags
List of pet supply shops and emergency veterinarians
Greyhound Tip!
Keep your greyhound’s routine as normal as possible to avoid a sensitive tummy upset.
It is always so exciting around our home when we are getting ready for a Greyhound Getaway.
I try to keep calm so that Sabrina remains calm and doesn’t come down with a tummy issue before we leave or while we are are travelling.
I keep her routine the same and even put her travel crate out a week in advance so she can be reminded of it. And that for the most part when she is in it she is off to somewhere fun.
I always make sure I have a bag of Olewo Carrots and Olewo Beets packed with her food. And I even go as far to make some up and put in a little cooler just in case Sabrina gets a bit of excitement gas. If you know what I mean.