Taking your dog on family vacations is a great idea. Genetically hardwired to be pack animals, dogs thrive best when they are an integral part of your family's activities. Keep these safety tips in mind when traveling with your furry friend:

• Keep a collar with an ID tag on your dog at all times. Shelters around the country are filled with pets that became separated from their families. Ironically, many of these dogs have on collars but no tag attached. The point of a collar is to hold identification! Most pet stores have machines that will make an ID tag in a matter of minutes for under two dollars. Secure the tag with a sturdy clip. Should your pet become lost, the ID tag is his only ticket home.
• Microchip your pet. Most vets charge between $25 - $40 for this service. This is a back up to (not a replacement for) the collar/ID tag. Should the dog's collar somehow come off, there's still a way for your pet to be identified. Most shelters are equipped with the scanning technology required to locate a microchip underneath the dog's skin.
• Keep your dog on a leash. In a strange place your dog is excited by all the new smells, and there's a tendency to bolt off. Dogs can cover an incredible amount of ground in a short amount of time. A leash ensures that you won't spend your vacation distraught and looking for a lost pet.
• Take collapsible water and food bowls. Bowls that fold for ease of carrying are available in pet stores and online. Offer water at regular intervals, even in the car. Check out Doggyville.com's "Lap-it-Up" pet bowl system, which can be folded and attached to your backpack or belt and includes a mesh pocket for storing treats.
• Take a copy of the vet records. Should your dog become ill on the trip, you'll have current information to show the veterinarian who sees him on the road.
• Pack medications your dog will need. Include routine heartworm or flea preventative your dog may be due for while you're on your trip.
• Never leave your dog unattended in the car. The interior of a car gets very hot very fast. Dogs can die of heat stroke literally in minutes. Parking in the shade and leaving the windows cracked does not ensure that your dog will be safe-- heat builds up even with the windows down and the shade will change as time passes. And dogs left alone in cars may be stolen or harmed. If your family stops to eat at a restaurant, take turns walking the dog while everyone else is inside. Check out www.animed.org for more hot weather safety tips for dogs.
• "Never allow a pet to sit in your lap or someone else's while traveling in a car," says Janet Weiss, President of Stopping Pet Overpopulation Together in Atlanta. "An airbag will kill a pet or he'll be thrown all over the car during an accident. Always crate or use doggie seat belts in the back seat. And never travel with pets in a car trunk or the back of a pickup truck."