July 1, 2022
5 Tips to Prepare Your Dog for a Road Trip
No matter how far you go, preparing your dog for a road trip is always necessary. Most will get used to it. But some require a little more attention. So here are 5 Tips to Prepare Your Dog for a Road Trip.
Use a Safe Car Restraint For Your Dog
It’s a legal requirement to restrain your dog in many states when driving. Additionally, your insurance provider won’t pay if your unsecured dog causes an accident. There are many great car restraints on the market that simply attaches to your car’s seat belt. Remember larger dogs require more space, so make sure you have a suitable vehicle to accommodate them. Smaller breeds of toys and miniatures like the ones from Kerris Havanese are easy to restrain. You can keep them in secured pet beds at the back of the car with a secure harness.
Don’t Overfeed the Dog Before Setting Off
The average staycation is around 500 kilometres. So any trips you plan this summer with your family and dog will require you to be in your vehicle for a while. And this might mean hungry kids and a hungry dog. If you feed your dog before setting off, you could make any motion sickness worse. Motion sickness is distressing for a dog and causes stomach pains and vomiting. So unless you want to pull over and deal with the mess this brings, hold off on feeding your dog a full meal until you arrive at your destination.
Prepare Your Dog for a Road Trip with Medication
Of course, you can help your dog with motion sickness by getting medication for a trip. Motion sickness is rare in dogs, and older pooches will usually outgrow it. But not always. Motion sickness causes the dog stress and illness. Making a road trip very unpleasant. You can get special medication from your vet. However, if you can’t get hold of your vet, you can help your dog with motion sickness in numerous ways. Some methods include making sure it’s facing forward when moving, taking regular stops, and ensuring the vehicle isn’t too hot.
Take Plenty of Water with You
As you know, dogs love to eat. But they also need plenty of water for a healthy and active life. As such, your dogs should never be without a fresh water supply. And this extends to travelling in your car. The heat of a vehicle means they might need more than usual. And your dog will also lose more bodily fluids if they are stressed, as some are when travelling. So any lost body fluids need to be replaced. You can get a mobile travel bowl for dogs that can easily fit into a carrier or backseat.
Make Pit Stops Along the Way
A car journey can take a while. And just like you, your dog needs to relieve itself from time to time. Even the best-trained dog won’t hold it in forever. And if you have ever been in a car where a dog has done its business, then you know just how unpleasant that can be. So take the time to plan your route along various spots where the dog can jump out, stretch its legs and do what it needs to do. Additionally, your family will also appreciate this, and you get some fresh air and stretch. Stretching and resting a little means you won’t get too tired and makes your trip safer.
Summary
It doesn’t take much to prepare your dog for a road trip. But some of the best things you can do include proper preparation, waiting until you arrive to feed, and taking enough stops en route will ensure everyone’s trip goes smoothly.