Pet etiquette, do you have it?
Guest post by Robbi Hess
The countdown to Blogpaws 2011 continues and I am in the midst of stringing up a dog bone chain — you know like the ones you made out of red and green construction paper at Christmas time when you were a kid. I’ve made my travel plans, have found a roomie for the conference and have made my plans for 
BlogPaws is a great event for pet lovers who are coming with pets in tow and I’d love to bring Henrietta but I know her limitations with crowds and especially with unfamiliar locations, sights, sounds and yes, other four-legged would-be friends.
Hen and I have driven cross country three times now and she is an amazing traveling companion when strapped firmly into her harness and surrounded by the sounds of the road and her toys, blanket and food dish. When we stop at rest stops and hotels for the evening though, she works herself into a state of anxiety that isn’t good for either of us. She paces, pants, jumps (and barks) at every noise — not good for a restful night’s sleep for either myself or the other hotel guests.
Typically when we make a rest stop there other families traveling along with their beloved pets and again, it is a time fraught with high tension for Henrietta. As much as it pains me to consider leaving her home and for as much as I know she will pant, pace and fret while I am gone, her anxiety levels will be much lower if she stays behind than if she travels along to Virginia.
The point of all of this?
Pet etiquette, do you have it?
Is your pet going to be a good guest and a good attendee at BlogPaws, or anywhere that you take him or her along with you? Will your pet be nervous or is he one of those pets that simply thrives in chaos and new environments? Does your pet make a good hotel roommate? Will he or she play nice with others in the doggy daycare setting?
Believe me, it’s very hard for me to not want to bring Henrietta along to show her off because she is the “cutest and best Poodle in the whole entire world,” as I tell her every night but she’s not much of a party-goer and we know our limitations.
Make sure you track me down at the conference because believe me, I have a cell phone full of pictures of Henrietta!
I traveled cross country with my two cats; they were good sports about it. I felt bad for my cat Benny because I didn’t realize how small his carrier was when compared to the ‘new carrier’ I bought for CeCe. I was thankful we were able to stay in ‘pet friendly’ hotels.
BTW: I bought Benny a bigger carrier. He now has room to stretch out.