Every year, millions of people travel with their dogs over the holidays. And every year, many of those people vow not to do it again next year. Long car rides and airplane rides can be extremely stressful for our dogs and for us as well.
Considering safety issues such as crates for car travel and whether a pet is healthy enough (physically and emotionally) to travel by air is important. If the dog is too big to fly in the cabin, going by car or briefly boarding your dog may have enough advantages to outweigh the disadvantages. It is essential to teach your dog to be comfortable in a crate before driving over the river and through the woods for hours with your dog in that crate.
Pre-trip planning such as making advance reservations at pet friendly hotels, bringing along copies of medical records in case you need to see a veterinarian while you are away, and ordering up-to-date ID tags with the contact information of your destination are all ways to make your trip smoother.
The Bark Magazine- http://www.thebark.com/content/holiday-travel-pets