Taking road trips and having your pet with you can be very exciting and fun. But, you have to remember to take good care of your doggy whilst on the road. Because there are few precautions that need to be taken into consideration when taking a road trip with your pet or transporting your dog. You have to make sure to provide your pet with a safe transportation and enough comfort, water, and reasonable air temperature are crucial, so you have to think about how you are going to provide access to water at all time for your dog in the car. And, before beginning your trip, make sure to take your pup for a walk and let him run around for a while so that energy levels of your pet aren’t very high and they will be able to sit still for extended periods of time.
Use crates
Crates are the best option if you are considering taking your dog with you somewhere or transporting your pet, let’s say from a vet. It will be the most comfortable decision for you and your pet and also, it will be one of the safest choices. You just have to make sure you choose a good crate, which is up to all dog car safety standards and which allows great air circulation because cars can get heated very quickly, especially if you are taking a road trip during summer. And, if you want to ensure that in a case of an accident your doggy is safe, you can choose a crash tested dog crate, which will provide extra safety. Even if you don’t get into a crash, when we are driving, we are sitting comfortably, protected by a safety belt if rapid braking occurs, however, our puppies aren’t, so we have to find a crate which will protect our pets from this kind of shocks.
Other restraints
But, if you are not a fan of crates, there are other options out there. If your pet is not crate trained and has not been accustomed to crates, placing them in one might cause additional distress, so you might want to opt for a doggy seat belt or a harness. It might not be the safest option, but it will cause a significantly less stress for your pet.
Bring water and food
Also, make sure you bring food and water and few of your puppy’s favorite toys on the road with you. Water is obligatory, as, already mentioned, cars tend to heat up easily, therefore you will need to provide your pet with water at all times. As for food, similarly with boarding a dog, any change can cause digestion issues, so you shouldn’t change your dog’s diet. Not all places might have the exact same food, so it’s safer that you bring the food that you already have. You can even choose to bring few of your pets’ favorite snacks for the road, as they will bring comfort to your puppy, ease the stress, and keep your pet from starving if you have to drive for several hours. Lastly, toys will bring familiarity to new places and will keep your doggy entertained during the long journey.
Take brakes
Make sure to take enough brakes for both, yourself and your pet. Your pet needs to go to the toilet and run around for a bit after some time in a crate. It is a good idea to take these brakes somewhere where there is a space to run around, like a park or a meadow. Don’t only stop in the middle of a town, or gas stations. Also, if you need to go into gas stations or use a bathroom yourself, make sure that your pet isn’t left in the car alone. Most probably you have other people traveling with you, so you can trust them with looking after your puppy for a few minutes.
Overall, if you take a good care of your pet and provide your pup with all the necessities, there should be no problems when you are on the road with your pet. Also, you might want to check in with your vet beforehand, to learn what you can do in case of car sickness, as some animals also experience nauseous whilst in a car, plane or on the boat. But, overall, all you have to do is to make sure that your pet is comfortable, that there is an access to water and that you take enough brakes. And most importantly, don’t ever leave your pet alone in a car, because during summertime, a car can get hot in a matter of few minutes and can become a frying pan. All you have to do is be careful and mindful and your pet should enjoy your road trips as much as you do.
