If you’re planning on taking a car trip with your dog, you may be on the lookout for a few tips to make sure your furry friend is as safe and comfortable as possible. Your trip might require more preparatory work than you initially imagined, so allow me to give you a few helpful ideas to get your journey driving in the right direction.
Get a Dog Carrier
You may want to get a dog carrier if you’re heading on a car trip. This is because a dog carrier may keep your dog from making a mess or having an accident in your vehicle. A dog carrier may also keep your furry friend from getting into a dangerous situation. For example, by keeping your pet in a dog carrier, this keeps them from sticking their head out the window and getting an eye infection of some kind.
Travel With Another Person
If it’s at all possible, I recommend traveling with another person in the car. This is because, if your pup starts to get anxious or sick, there’s someone available to keep an eye on your furry friend for the duration of the ride. Or, if you’d prefer to keep an eye on your puppy, it may be helpful to rope someone else into doing the driving to the final destination for you.
However, be careful if you’re traveling with children. It’s pretty likely your pup doesn’t exactly know what’s going on, and any taunting from young kids may agitate your furry friend or make them feel significantly worse. If necessary, try to create as much space as possible between your dog and your child to prevent the situation from worsening.
Make Sure There’s Good Ventilation
Whether you have the windows rolled down or have the air conditioning in your car on blast, it’s essential to try to keep your pup feeling cool. Your dog getting heat stroke is a legitimate risk to be aware of, and these kinds of emergencies are especially likely to happen in the middle of summer or when traveling through especially warm areas.
If at all necessary, try to fix your air conditioning unit by taking it in to a repair shop. By doing this, you maximize the likelihood that both you and your pooch are feeling as comfortable as possible for the duration of your journey.
Take Breaks for Walks and Potty Breaks
Dogs aren’t able to communicate with humans as easily as we’d like to hope, at least in most cases. Because of this, it’s necessary to make sure you take plenty of breaks from driving and allow your dog to take a break from being cooped up in your vehicle.
Taking your dog for short and brisk walks might allow both of you to keep up your energy, as well as keep your pup from feeling too restless while you’re both inside the car. Additionally, it’s necessary to allow your puppy to take as many bathroom breaks as possible in order to avoid an accident or big mess in the car.
Let Your Pup Travel on an Empty Stomach
If you’re traveling with your dog, you might be wondering how often to feed them in order to avoid any big messes or accidents. However, many experts recommend allowing your pup to travel on an empty stomach as much as possible in order to prevent motion sickness.
Not only will this reduce the possibility of your dog using the restroom in the car, but it also makes it significantly less likely that your pup will throw up. But, especially if you know your dog needs to follow a strong routine, it may be best to communicate any questions about feeding your furry friend with your vet.
Regardless of the routine you use to feed your pup, make sure they always have access to plenty of water at all times during your travels. Dogs don’t have sweat glands and will require plenty of water and ventilation in order to stay healthy, cool, and comfortable for the journey ahead.
Head to the Vet
Depending on where you’re heading, you may need to pay a visit to the veterinarian’s office and make sure your pup is feeling healthy. In addition to staying up to date on immunizations and other shots, you may need to have discussions with your vet in order to ensure you have any necessary paperwork related to your dog, enough medication, or a strongly recommended feeding schedule. Pet health insurance is also an excellent way to protect your dog during the trip. Companies like Bivvy offer affordable prices and reliable coverage for any pet, regardless of age, size, or breed. This will ensure your pet is safe and receives the best treatment possible in case an accident or illness arises during your trip.
Further, depending on where you’re traveling, you may need a health certificate for your pup. Essentially, this is a sheet of paper used to claim your pet is up to date on their shots and immunizations and they are generally healthy.
Don’t Leave Your Pet Alone in the Car
If you’re planning on traveling with your dog, it’s important to remember a vital safety precaution. If you ever need to step away from your car, make sure your pup is not alone. If you’re traveling with someone you trust, ask them to stay in the vehicle. Otherwise, make sure to bring your furry friend with you. This is necessary for making sure your pup doesn’t get overheated, especially in the middle of the summer.
Remember that taking care of your puppy is supposed to be your top priority while you’re traveling. By ensuring you’re following your vet’s recommendations and other safety protocols, you’ll be able to have a great trip with your furry loved one.
