A puppy who loves to travel and gets to go a lot of places will be well-socialized and adaptable to all kinds of situations and events in his life. If you anticipate traveling with your puppy, as discussed in detail in Chapter 20, there are ways to do it in as green a way as possible.

The first is to be sure you always have biodegradable poop-scoop bags with you. It is both inconsiderate and harmful to not pick up after your dog unless you are in a very remote area. Even national parks that allow dogs require that they be kept on leash so they don't disturb the park's ecosystem. Cleaning up after your dog is part of leaving a park in the same condition in which you found it.

Another way to travel greenly is to consider how far you want to go with your dog in the car. It may sound adventurous to visit a park that's thirty miles away, but if your car doesn't get great gas mileage, you should probably just go to the one that's five miles away — or the one that's within walking distance. So long as your pup is with you and getting exercise, she won't notice.

Consider the supplies you need for your pup while on the road. Bring those from home and resist buying more. Also bring along a few old towels that you can use to dry your dog after a swim, or protect your car seat, or spread over a hotel blanket to keep it clean. Minimize your use of paper towels and anything that's instantly disposable. Get one of those green shopping bags that so many stores offer now and use it as your pup's supply bag for the car, filling it with old towels, an extra cotton leash, a collapsible (and reusable) water bowl, and copies of your pup's veterinary records.