According to the Travel Industry Association of America 19% of all pet owners take their pets with them when they are traveling, up 3% since 2002. The majority of these trips are by car with 6% by air. An amazing 29% of dog owners and their dogs are staying in dog friendly hotels.

And hotels are taking notice by offering unprecedented services such as special dog packages, concierges that cater to your dog, and pet massages. And dogs, my Berry and Wanda included, are lapping up these new dog amenities.

Many hotels and motels are realizing that accepting dogs is usually not a problem. In fact many are noticing that those traveling with their dogs tend to be much more considerate guests.

While motels such as Motel 6, Red Roof Inns, and La Quinta Inns have long been dog friendly upscale hotels like Starwood Resorts, Four Seasons, and the Ritz-Carlton are jumping on the bandwagon. (you can read about our experience with the Four Seasons here). Each of these hotels offer Pet VIP programs that cater to their canine guests with special pet menus, dog beds, special welcome doggie bags and even concierge services during your dogs stay.

The leader in the high-end hotel market is the Loews Hotel Chain. The Loews Loves Pets program has been around since 2000. Loews has even introduced learning vacations for dogs and their owners. Activities include surfing camp, guided hikes with a personal trainer, and even a Hound of Music trip where dogs can howl on their own CD.

So when planning your next vacation, bring your dog along. Your dog is part of the family, and I know from experience that you can really have a fantastic vacation with your dog(s).

If you are thinking about hitting the road with your dog be sure to check out my book, How To Travel With Your Dog which can be found at http://www.spoilyourdog.com. Youll learn everything you need to know about traveling with your dog from my years of experience of traveling with my dogs.