Each pet has their own thoughts and feelings on travel. You can do everything right, spend all the money on all the special gear and flight accommodations and still have a Grumpy Gus as your co-pilot. Sometimes, there's nothing your pet wants more to be glued to your side everywhere you go, and other times, they couldn't hate it more.
I just visited one of my best friends on the other side of the country, and one thing I didn't pack was my little beasts.
Don't bring your dog or cat if...
They aren't good with strangers. Smidge is still learning how to make friends with both humans and pets. It takes her some time to adjust to new people and lots of treats, and other dogs can be a crapshoot, especially if they're bigger. That said, don't bring your pet if...
They aren't good with kids, or they've never met kids before, or if your host's children have either a totally different experience with pets or no experience at all. Smidge is very interested in small children and looks at babies adoringly. But strollers scare her and sometimes kids can pet and pat a little too hard and she's a little too reactive. Avoid being a traumatizing moment from someone's childhood, leave unsure pets in a sure place.
Just as important? Don't bring a pet if your host is allergic. Cairo is a big fat lump and can withstand or escape most children and other pets. But, none of that stops his fur and saliva from coating your host's home, putting them at risk of anaphylaxis just for waking up in their own bed. And cats have a (true) reputation of cuddling up to the one person in the room who is avoiding them.
Don't bring your pet if your host is afraid of them. I once interviewed a clown and he told me the worst part about his job was when parents thought it was funny to take a picture of their children, crying and/or visibly afraid, with him. Not only was it the worst, he said it actually hurt his feelings that people wanted to use him to torture their offspring. That applies here. Can you imagine being afraid of, say, poodles, only to wake up one morning to find a poodle dead-staring at you, breathing her wet breath on you, only to shriek directly in your face as she watches you fully open your eyes? Horrifying, I know. If someone has been so kind to invite you to stay the night, don't bring their worst nightmare with you.
Don't bring your pet if there are other options. Hi, this may be a surprise but if you live equal distance from your parents who spoil your pets rotten and a friend who offered you their couch for the weekend, you know what to do. I'm not saying stop having friends, but I 99% guarantee you that your friend was not expecting you to turn her one bedroom apartment into a tiny menagerie. I feel like the phrase "nobody really likes surprises" applies here.
Some people aren't a fan of kids because they're messy, loud and get in the way. Strangely, some people feel that way about pets. Surprisingly, they don't like it when you re-arrange their furniture to accommodate a lazy jumper or when something leaves a mysterious stain on the formal room rug. So, if your pet has trouble doing their business where they should, or has a special set of needs that would require you to take over your host's home, find a sitter.
Last but not least, don't bring your pet if they weren't invited.This is like wedding invites - if it ONLY says your name, ONLY you are invited. No, you can't bring a guest or worse, the whole family. Pets are the same way. If your host says, "let's do a girls weekend at my beach house" and doesn't say "with our girl pets too," then you have your answer.
Common sense is not always in your favor - if you aren't sure if your little demon is invited, just ask! You know, before you hop a plane across the country.
