Puppy's first beach trip: How long, feeding, and safety tips?

Lola will have such a fun time at the beach! Dogs just love it! First off, make sure she is fully vaccinated before taking her. Other people will bring their dogs to the beach, and you don't know if they have had their vaccines or not. Her health is very important, so if she isn't fully vaccinated, do not take her. Make sure you take along plenty of fresh water for her to drink, and take a bowl from which she can drink. You probably should take extra water to rinse her off before putting her back in the car so the salt water gets out of her fur and she doesn't get sand in your car. Do not allow her to drink a lot of the ocean water. Too much will make her vomit, trust me that happened to my dog once! Cleaning vomit out of the backseat of a car is not fun. Bring a beach umbrella or something that will give her shade so that she can cool down. Dogs can easily overheat, so make sure she doesn't run around too much, and has plenty of breaks to cool down. The extra water you bring can help with that. You do not want her to get heatstroke, which is too often fatal and is a medical emergency. If she appears to be getting too hot, get her into the car right away and turn on the a/c. Offer her water, and take her into a vet right away if she doesn't appear to cool down. Signs of heat stroke include rapid panting, a bright red tongue, weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you see any of those signs, do NOT delay in getting her to a vet. Do not let her eat anything on the beach such as shells or washed up dead fish because those could make her sick. Bring a leash for her. When she's done at the beach, wait at least an hour before feeding her to avoid her developing bloat. Hopefully these tips help you, enjoy your trip!

What a little cutie she is. I would recommend not taking Bailey out on public beaches or parks or anywhere where other dogs may be until she has received her full series of vaccines, usually completed between 16 to 20 weeks of age. Until she is fully vaccinated she'll be susceptible to parvovirus or distemper, etc. these viruses can live in the environment not just direct contact with another dog so for her protection I'd make sure she's fully vaccinated before you take her out and about to much.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, he can go to the Beach. He shouldn't be taken to dog parks or be allowed to play with unvaccinated dogs. Keep him on sidewalks and roads. Be careful on the beach that he doesn't drink the salt water or eat the sand. Have fun!

It could be that she is just exhausted from playing in the sea all day, or she could have drank too much sea water upsetting her stomach. If you are concerned that she looks really ill, then it's fine to have her seen by a vet right away. Otherwise, allow her to sleep, and make sure to leave water out at all times for her. When she's ready to drink, she will have some water. Sleeping for two to three hours isn't much, I'd be more concerned if she was sleeping all day long. If she still isn't drinking water in the morning and still seems ill, you can bring her into the vet for a health check.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is safe for her to make the trip. I would just make frequent stops so she can stretch her legs and go to the bathroom. I wouldn’t feed her during the trip in case she gets car sick. Kisses to your new pup!

As long as you have started her vaccinations then I wouldn’t think that you have done anything wrong. She may have consumed a little too much salt water, or it could be completely unrelated. I would consider feeding her a bland diet such as boiled chicken and rice his morning. However, if she doesn’t eat or if she vomits it up then she should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Gus. Congrats on your new puppy! It's fine to take him to the house, but not on the beach. Do not let him have contact with other dogs unless they are family dogs who are fully vaccinated. I hope this helps!