Preparing Your Dog for Staying Away: Hotels & Holiday Homes

The sun’s shining in the sky, birds are chirping in the trees, and suitcases are being packed—it can only mean one thing: holiday season has arrived!

While we humans might love a change of scenery, it can be another story altogether for our four-legged friends. For dogs, new places (and the journey to get there) can all feel a little overwhelming. So, what can we do to ease our dogs’ anxiety in new environments?

Well, don’t cancel the holiday just yet. With the right preparation and a few simple holiday tips for dogs, you can keep your pooch feeling safe, confident, and ready to enjoy the adventure right alongside you.

Why New Environments Can Feel Challenging for Dogs

First up, it helps to understand why travel and new environments can make dogs nervous. After all, for us, a hotel or holiday home is a treat. For dogs, it can feel very different.

Unfamiliar Smells & Sounds

A dog’s sense of smell is incredibly powerful. Holiday homes and hotels often have strong cleaning scents or unfamiliar odours that can easily feel overwhelming.

Add new sounds—like corridor noise, lifts, or doors opening and closing—to this, and it’s easy to see why some dogs can feel unsettled.

Loss of Routine & Predictability

At home, your dog relies on a familiar environment and a consistent daily rhythm to feel safe and secure. Regular feeding times, walks, and sleep patterns all play an important role in helping them understand what to expect from their day.

On holiday, these routines are often disrupted—and without that sense of predictability, it’s easy for dogs to experience anxiety in new environments. Changes to timings and activity levels can all add up, making it far harder to relax.

New Social & Physical Surroundings

Alongside these changes, your dog is also adjusting to the new environment itself. Unfamiliar people, other dogs, and different layouts can all make it difficult to settle or feel at ease.

The journey itself can be overwhelming, too—travel can be tiring, and that fatigue often makes dogs more sensitive to everything around them when they arrive.

Preparing Before You Travel with Your Dog

Now we understand why dogs can feel anxious in the car and in new environments, it’s time to focus on how to support them. So, let’s start at the beginning. A smooth trip doesn’t start when you set off—it starts well before you leave the house.

These travel and holiday tips for dogs can make all the difference.

Practice Makes Perfect

Take short trips to new places—like a friend’s home or a different walking route—to gently introduce your dog to unfamiliar environments.

Plan Ahead

Before setting out, make sure to:

• Check that your holiday accommodation is dog-friendly
• Research local walks and dog-friendly cafes
• Understand any restrictions for dogs (like seasonal beach rules)
• Prepare for the weather
• Look up where the nearest vet practice is just in case you require support from a vet during your trip

Pack Familiar Comforts

Bring items that smell like home, including:

• Bedding and blankets
• Favourite toys and enrichment items
• Their usual food
• High-value treats for positive reinforcement

Familiar scents can be incredibly reassuring when everything else feels new.

Managing Travel & Car Anxiety in Dogs

For many dogs, the journey itself can be the most challenging part—particularly for those prone to car anxiety. That’s why one of the most important parts of preparing for your holiday is thinking ahead about how to make travel as calm and comfortable as possible.

Keep Travel Calm & Comfortable

When travelling by car with dogs, you should:

• Ensure your dog is not only comfortable but safely restrained
• Plan regular breaks for toilet stops and stretching
• Travel during cooler, quieter times where possible

Support Travel with ADAPTIL

ADAPTIL Transport spray can be used in the car to help provide reassurance during journeys, making it an excellent tool for calming dogs during travel. Use a few sprays, either in your dog’s carrier or where they’re going to settle, and you have up to five hours of calm! Just be sure to leave 15 minutes between spraying and allowing your dog access.

Using an ADAPTIL Calm Collar can also be handy, providing ongoing support on the move.

Build Positive Associations

Gradually help your dog associate the car with positive experiences by starting with short, calm trips and rewarding relaxed behaviour. Begin with simple steps, such as sitting in the car with the engine off, before progressing to brief journeys of just a few minutes at a time.

Pair each stage with treats, praise, or their favourite toy, so the experience feels safe and rewarding rather than stressful. Over time, these small, positive interactions can help build confidence and reduce anxiety, making longer journeys far more manageable.

Settling Your Dog Into a New Environment

Arriving somewhere new on your holiday can be overwhelming, so it’s important to take things slowly.

Use ADAPTIL for Added Comfort

Plugging in an ADAPTIL Calm diffuser in your holiday accommodation or hotel is a great way to create a reassuring environment, supporting your dog as they settle in.

It takes a few hours for the diffuser to release the comforting pheromone message at the optimal rate, so aim to plug the diffuser in the moment you arrive. Or, if you’re staying with friends or relatives, even better if the diffuser is already plugged in and running in advance!

Let Your Dog Explore at Their Own Pace

Introduce one area at a time, allowing your dog to sniff and understand their surroundings.

Create a Familiar Rest Area

Set up a quiet space with their bed and blankets, ideally away from busy areas like doors or windows.

Establish Boundaries Early

Be consistent about where your dog can and cannot go to avoid confusion and potentially unsettling mixed messages later.

Maintaining Routines While Away

Keeping familiar patterns is key to reducing dog anxiety in new environments. It can be easy to get distracted and carried away on holiday, but remember to:

• Feed your dog at the same time as you would at home
• Stick to regular walk schedules
• Maintain sleep routines

Even small consistencies can help your dog feel more secure and relaxed.

Supporting Dogs Who Feel Anxious

Some dogs may need extra support when adjusting to new environments.

Watch Their Body Language

Signs of stress can include pacing, panting, whining, or withdrawal. If you spot these signals in your dog’s body language, it’s a signal they’re struggling and could benefit from additional support.

Allow Time to Decompress

Give your dog space to relax after arriving before introducing new activities. Travel is often unsettling and jumping straight into new experiences immediately after a journey is often too much too soon.

Avoid Overwhelming Your Dog

Limit exposure to new people and busy environments initially. Instead, aim to build up gradually in stages.

Practical Holiday Tips for Dogs

A few final bits of advice to have the best holiday ever… these holiday tips for dogs can help keep your trip safe and enjoyable:

• Check outdoor spaces for hazards or escape routes
• Keep your dog on a lead in unfamiliar areas
• Bring a long line for safe exploration
• Ensure ID tags and microchip details are up to date
• Plan rest time into each day—holidays can be tiring!
• Avoid overdoing it—too much exercise, heat, or rich food can all impact your dog’s well-being

Enjoy Your Holiday Together

Travelling with your dog should be a joyful experience for everyone. By planning ahead, maintaining routines, and offering support when needed, you can help your dog feel safe and confident—wherever you go.

For more expert dog travel tips, advice on car anxiety, and ways to support your dog’s emotional well-being, explore the rest of the ADAPTIL blog. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest guidance and support for your dog.