My previous post about what is the best way to travel with a dog; I was still a bit decisive about how I was going to travel to North Carolina with my basset hound Priscilla. After gathering my research and knowledge together, I decided to rent a vehicle and drive. I feel that driving will best suite us for our trip this time around and wanted to share more information with you.
==>To Find Out About Dog Friendly Rental Cars Click Here<==
I found there are several things to prepare for when traveling with dogs in cars making the trip comfortable and more enjoyable for everyone involved. In all my travel adventures with dogs and the research confirms, the most important factor is to get your fur baby prepared for the trip. A few other factors are to make sure you have a plan for your dog’s safety, health, and know what to pack for them to make the trip easier on both the dog and the human. I am all about making things easy and want to be prepared and able to enjoy our trip.
Why Prepare Your Dog For A Trip?
Just Throw The Dog In The Car And Go!
Traveling with a dog in the car is not always that easy and the more prepared you are the better. If you happen to have a dog that loves car rides and rides in the car frequently, it will be much easier to take them on a trip. I am fortunate, Priscilla has always ridden in cars and loves car rides so I should not have any issues on the trip.
Many dogs have anxiety about riding in the car, maybe they relate the car ride to going to the vet or groomers. I don’t think I would like the car if that is the case. I feel if you can get your dog prepared for longer trips by taking them with you around town or short trips. It will ease the anxiety a bit for your fur baby.
Try taking your dog fun places such as a dog park or out for their favorite doggy treat that way they can start to relate to the car ride as a good experience. If you use restraints, which I feel is safer for the fur baby, then you should put those on the dog while you are getting them use to the ride. I feel that bringing along a favorite toy or a blanket will help as they have something familiar. The only problem with getting them use to the car is they may want to go all the time.
Safety For Dogs Riding In Cars – Is It Safe To Travel With A Dog?
It can be perfectly safe to travel with your dog in the car if you understand some important facts that will keep you and your pet safe. Everyone knows how dogs like to be close to their owner and I love to snuggle with my fur babies like everyone else; however, driving down the road with a dog in your lap can be very hazardous as they can get in the line of site, hit the gear shift knocking the vehicle into a different gear or get tangled up in the steering wheel.
Just as people need restraints for safety so does your dog. If a wreck happens your dog could go flying through the windshield of the car and get seriously hurt or worse. If your dog is frightened, a restraint keeps your dog in the vehicle; otherwise the dog could get loose and take off especially if it is scared, and being in a place, not familiar, there is a good chance you will never see that dog again.
For More Information On Restraints Coming Soon
There are many restraints on the market to choose from. One of the different types of restraints includes a strap that hooks into the seat belt in your car, and then attaches to the dogs collar or harness. Another style similar to the previous one slips over the head rest. A regular kennel also works if you can secure it in the seat with a restraining system.
When restraining my pet in the car, I have always used a harness as I feel they are more comfortable for the dog and less chance of strangulation. Many dogs when restrained will actually just lie down and enjoy the ride. Make sure before going on long trips to get you dog accustomed to the restraint system and help them to understand it is for their own good.
A Heathy Dog Is A Happy Dog!
Health is an important aspect when traveling long distances with dogs in cars. I always try to take my dog into the vet right before any long trips to make sure she is doing well, and make sure she is up-to-date on all her shots. Most states require a dog to have the rabies vaccination. I find that it is the best practice that all the other shots are current to safe guard your dog, as you will have your dog in many public places.
When traveling make sure you take all vet records with you, I keep mine in a three ring binder with the clear sleeve pouches for convenience. Vet records are important in the situation that your fur baby gets sick or to prove your dog is up-to-date on vaccinations. I have been in situations before that I have needed to show vet records and if you have them with you it makes life easier.
Car sickness in dogs can be devastating when traveling long distances. You may want to check with you vet about a nausea medication before traveling. With me, I try to be as all natural as possible, I never feed my dogs in a moving car, use lavender sachets in the car to help soothe my dog, and CBD oil has many benefits for dogs, so far, I have never had a problem with car sickness.
==>To Find Out More About The Benefits Of CBD Oil Click Here<==
We all know that dogs are not allowed in many places; however, I need to stress here, never leave your dog in a hot car as it can be detrimental to your dog’s health. If the temperature is 80 degrees outside, the temperature can easily raise by 20 degrees within 10 minutes and about 35 degrees or more in 30 minutes, making the temperature at least 115 degrees in the car. The temperature is a major consideration when making stops along the way if it is hot outside and not a pet friendly stop you will need to keep the stop to a minimum, so you don’t risk the health of your dog.
Exercise is very important when traveling long distances or any time. A well exercised dog makes a calmer dog. Some suggestions I have is each time you make a relief stop, take your dog for a walk as they may need relief too. Many rest stops are pet friendly and some of them even have fenced dog runs for your convenience.
What To Pack For Your Dog For A Trip
Is There Room For My Stuff?
I absolutely despise packing but it is important to take everything your dog will need with you on your trip. I have made a list below to help you with packing items for your dog for a long trip.
- Dog bed – This can be used for two reasons, one it can be put in the car so your dog has a nice place to ride. The second use is when you get to your destination you can take it inside and your dog has something familiar to them.
- Water – Make sure you bring plenty of water with you or use bottled water as the different cities water supply can upset your dog’s stomach.
- Food – It is the best to bring your own food for your pet as other foods may upset your dog’s stomach and make them uncomfortable. Changing food on your dog on a trip could result in a bad experience.
- Dog Bowls – Bring bowls your dog is familiar with. I know I have had dogs that refuse to eat when away from home but if you give them bowls they are familiar with you will have a better chance of them eating.
- Favorite Toy – Again something they are familiar with, and maybe a chew toy for the road for times when your dog gets bored.
- Blanket – Many dogs like their blankets and if you have one that smells like you if will help with anxiety if you need to leave your dog in the hotel room.
- Pet Records – I discussed the importance of pet records previously in this post under health.
- Medications – Make sure you don’t forget any medications you dog is on.
Prepared, Safe, Healthy and Packed – Let’s Go!
A well-prepared dog for a long trip will make everyone more comfortable along the way. I hope you now have all the information you need to travel in a car with your dog comfortably, safely and anxiety free.
I have one dog that LOVES to ride, and the other who hates it. She is ok for a short venture to town or rides to the lake. Long trips forget it. She will go on a whining fit. We have tried a lot of the suggestions you put out here. Favorite toys, blankets, and food. She doesn’t get sick but she breaks your heart with her whining. Do you know if there is anything supplement wise that may help her mentally relax or tolerate a longer trip? is that possible? I have considered just transporting on a plane but I think her being alone in cargo below would make her even more devasted. Any help to help my Pup would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for leaving a comment, I always enjoy reading what everyone posts.
Different dogs can sure have different personalities just like people. I know I have one that does not care to ride very far in a car and one of the things we do for her anxiety is give her CBD Oil right before going, it really seems to help. You might want to check out my article on CBD Oil and Dog just click here.
Thanks again for leaving a comment and keeping our dogs healthy, happy and well-adjusted.
Hi Dena,
Thanks for another informative and entertaining post on traveling with your dog. The tip about being sure to bring the water that the dog is familiar with really caught my attention because about a year ago a friend of mine was having problems with his dog not being able to sleep well–which meant he wasn’t sleeping well.
It turned out that had moved the furniture around the house and had completely forgotten that in the process he had changed the position of the dog’s bedding.
Did you just nod your head and smile? Yap, In some ways you dog is just like you. After all, you sleep like a log when you’re in your own bed, with the same setting and following a particular schedule.
Dogs, as you point out, also like familiarity, they like things tо bе the way they аrе, іn that similar order, night after night.
Thinking of any change that could have brought on the sleepless nights, my friend restored the bedding position to the way his dog liked it and all was well.
Also, I have become aware, as part of exploring my niche, the psychological bond that humans have with animals. In fact I have read recently that most people’s first experience with empathy involves animals.
This means it’s not farfetched to believe that all you have to do is treat them the way you would want to be treated and most times you’ll be okay.
For example, you would not want to be stuck in a hot car and risk the chances of getting a heat stroke. That means you wouldn’t leave your dog in a hot car.
Great article. Thanks for sharing.
Hello Thabo, thanks so much for leaving such a great comment.
Dogs really are a creature of habit and they love consistency in both their daily routines as well as discipline. Our furry friends may get extremely confused when their apple carts are upset and then not know what is expected of them. You can run into issues when changing a dogs routine or even sleeping area, I know when Priscilla was younger she loved her kennel and slept in it every night, I feel she felt safe there; however, if we ever had to move her kennel for one reason or another she would not go in it to sleep. Some of our furry friends have more issues with this than others, we found if we moved the kennel little by little she would be fine with it, maybe she didn’t notice. Gradual change is always best that is why when traveling with your dog it is best to start out with small trips and work your way up.
I think it is wonderful that you have been researching the psychological bond between humans and animals as the relationships you have with your dog can be quite rewarding, hence, why they use dogs in therapy situations. A dog and a human can form an everlasting bond between the two and your furry friend can sense when you are upset and always willing and show their love and support in a way they know how. Many times just petting your dog can give you a sense of relaxation and this is why many times you will find me cuddled up on the couch with one or two of our fur babies embracing the moment and time spent our dogs.
Considering the time of year I am so glad you brought up the fact that leaving your dog in a hot car risks the chance of your furry friends health. You inspired me to add a video I have seen to my post of a veterinarian showing just how bad it can be for you dog when left in a hot car, you might want to go back and check it out. If it is too hot for you to stay in a car it is really too hot for dog and they are not able to perspire making it that much worse for them. What happens when you think you are going to run in somewhere for just a couple minutes and it ends up being longer? Don’t forget cars heat up quite rapidly. I have been known if running in for something real quick to leave the car running all locked up with the air conditioner going to keep my dog cool, not sure this is a good practice but sometimes unavoidable especially on trips.
Thanks again for the great comment and helping out to keep our dogs healthy, happy and well-adjusted.
I have a little experience with traveling with my dog. Thumper is a three-legged Beagle and she is the sweetest thing. I am fortunate that she travels well in a car. I only take her on short trips though. I will certainly heed your advice if I do take her on a long road trip.
I think on a long road trip a restraint is very important in case of an accident.
Thanks for stopping by my site and it is great that Thumper travels well in a car. There are many fur babies out there that have issues with riding in cars. It is always best to try out shorter trips to get you and your dog ready for a longer trip as you have to be aware of how they are going to act on longer car rides. A trip to the vet or pet store many times does not affect your dog; however, a longer drive may cause anxiety or even car sickness. I also believe a restraint is the way to go as getting into a wreck would be bad enough but if one of my babies were to get out of the car and run off I would be heart broken. Restraints can also be very helpful in controlling your dog in the car, I have had dogs try to crawl in my lap while driving so I use them quite often as it is just to dangerous to let them roam around.
Thanks again for stopping by my web site and I appreciate your comment on Traveling With Dogs In Cars. Remember to bookmark my site and come back often as I update frequently.
I truly enjoyed your post on traveling with dogs, I have a big cuddly Rottweiler who would travel with me in the car, but I have not had the courage to take him with me. I am afraid what he might do if I have to stop and get out of the car without him, I am not sure if my car would get damaged if he becomes anxious?
Great article
Thanks for stopping by my site and leaving a comment. I always enjoy meeting dog lovers out on line. I am thrilled that you enjoyed my post about traveling with dogs and understand with the larger dogs the fear of traveling with them. The best way to find out is to start taking him with you like to a convenience store so that you can go in and keep an eye out for how he is reacting. If he seems to do ok then maybe leave him a little longer at times to see how her reacts. I would take baby steps with him to ensure he does ok in the vehicle before taking him on a trip. If he does become anxious you might try looking at a all natural remedy that I have been checking out at https://thewoodhound.com/is-cbd-oil-and-dogs-a-good-mix-how-can-you-decide.
Again I appreciate you stopping by and ask that you bookmark this site as I am always updating with new articles that you might interest you and your furry friend.
This is a great post on traveling for dogs, as my partner has 2 dog’s one of which suffers with really bad travel anxiety which can be really frustrating, She will become scared within 5 minutes of being in the car, funny enough we were looking into CBD oils to give her while we travel to calm her down, what dosage would you recommend?
Thank you for sharing this post.
Thanks for stopping by my website and I appreciate the comment, please bookmark this site as I am always updating it with more information on hound dogs.
Travel anxiety for a dog can be extremely frustrating and I understand your concerns. In my research CBD oil is supposed to help with anxiety among several other issues that you may encounter with your dog. To find out how much CBD Oil to give your dog and the recommended dosage depends on the weight of your dog and you can find that and many of the benefits over on my post at https://thewoodhound.com/is-cbd-oil-and-dogs-a-good-mix-how-can-you-decide.
If you find yourself with more questions please let me know as I am always willing to help keep our furry friends healthy and safe.
You are more than welcome, I appreciate the advice and support. Its interesting because besides the fact that CBD oil will calm our pets down it will also have health benefits for them too, which is a bonus because unlike other products they won’t come with health benefits.
I have bookmarked your website and will be returning to read more of your posts.
Thank you for your concern, may you have all the happiness, success, and health you desire.
Dean.
Thank so much Dean, I do feel if we can use products that are more natural it is our best chance of keeping our dogs happy and living longer. Many times with all the other stuff out on the market it comes with side affects sometimes worse than the problem at hand. Thanks for bookmarking my page and come back often.
That I will do for sure and thank you for sharing
Dean.
Thanks so much for bookmarking my site I love keeping in touch with dog lovers.
If I understand correctly you prefer more all natural products for your dogs rather than some of the harsh chemicals in prescription drugs. I feel that way too and I have done some extensive research on all natural remedies that I will be posting in the next few weeks. Most times all natural products are better as they do provide more benefits other what you are using them for. If you have had any experience with all natural remedies for our furry friends I would love to hear them.
Again thanks for stopping by my site and check in often.