If you are planning a trip and want the company of your furry companion, make sure you train them beforehand to reduce anxiety on the trip. Summer vacation means heading on for a trip with friend and family. But many may want their pets, who are both friends and family, to accompany them on the trips, whether it is for a quick weekend gateway or a longer vacation. As much as you want the journey to be fun and memorable, your pet may feel stressed because travel involves a change in routine, movement, noise and unfamiliar surroundings.ALSO READ: Dogs at risk in heatwave! Pet nutritionist shares 4 must follow summer care tips: From grooming to daily walksEnjoy your beach trip with your puppy, but make sure you train them beforehand to reduce stress. (Picture credit: Pexels)For pets, even a short journey can feel very overwhelming, if they are not prepared in advance. New places, crowded stations, or airports, long hours in a cars and sudden changes in routine can make them anxious.This is why pet parents need to plan ahead before travelling, especially during the summer season. There are a lot of factors which further add to the stress pets may face, from heat, dehydration to humidity and long travel hours.Dr Deepak Saraswat, head veterinarian at Zigly told HT Lifestyle that travel can be stressful for pets if proper planning is not done in advance. “Summer season is usually associated with summer holidays. Going on a long-road trip or catching a train or flight to visit your relatives, people always look forward to summers. But for pet parents, sometimes planning a trip on any given day, can be stressful,” he said.Here's a list of tips from the vet on how to acclimatise your pets before taking them on a trip this summer vacation:1. Familiarity training:Before starting your trip, get your furry companion become familiar to travel conditions. This can include your car, a carrier or a crate. Short practice trips help reduce motion anxiety.Use treats and assuring voice to build positive associations.For air travel, keeping the carrier open at home with treats and items with familiar scents such a shirt or t-shirt inside, can help your pet perceive it as a safe space rather than confinement.2. Maintain routine and comfort cues:Pets rely heavily on routine. Try to maintain feeding times, walking schedules, and sleep patterns as closely as possible.Carry familiar items such as their favourite blanket, toy, or bedding, which act as sensory anchors and significantly reduce stress in unfamiliar environments.3. Manage diet and hydration carefully:Avoid feeding your pet a heavy meal right before travel, as this can lead to nausea or discomfort.Instead, offer a light meal 3 to 4 hours before departure.Ensure regular hydration, but in controlled quantities to prevent motion-related issues.For longer journeys, schedule breaks for water and bathroom needs.Make your trip stress-free by training your pet beforehand. (Picture credit: Freepik)4. Ensure a safe and controlled environment:Safety directly influences a pet’s sense of security.Use seatbelt harnesses or secured carriers in cars, and ensure proper ventilation at all times.Avoid exposing pets to loud noises, excessive heat, or crowded conditions.A calm, temperature-controlled environment helps regulate their stress levels.5. Be calm and patient:The behaviour of a pet parent has a direct effect on the stress and body language of the pet.If they remain relaxed, so too will be the pet.Maintaining a calming presence will ensure a pet, even if excited, remains composed.Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.Adrija Dey’s proclivity for observation fuels her storytelling instinct. As a lifestyle journalist, she crafts compelling, relatable narratives across diverse touchpoints of the human experience, including wellness, mental health, relationships, interior design, home decor, food, travel, and fashion that gently nudge readers toward living a little better. For her, stories exist in flesh and bones, carried by human vessels and shaped through everyday endeavours. It is the small stories we live and share that make us human. After all, humans and their lores are the most natural and raw repositories of stories, and uncovering them, for her, is akin to peeling an orange under a winter afternoon sun. Always up for a chat, she believes the best stories come from unfiltered yapping, where "too much information" is kind of the point. A graduate of Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and an alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Adrija spends her idle hours cocooned with herbal tea and a gripping thriller, scribbling inner monologues she loosely calls poetic pieces, often with her succulents in attendance. On lazier days, she can be found binge-watching, for the nth time, one from her comfort-show holy trinity: The Office (US), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Modern Family. Dancing by herself to her peppy playlists, however, is an everyday ritual she swears by religiously.Read More