To make dog car travel easy get your dog used to riding in the car by
taking him on short trips to start. If you get your dog as a puppy and
anticipate it going in the car with you at all, start taking the dog
with you in the car early in its life so he recognizes this as routine.
The earlier a dog begins riding in the car, the faster they will learn
how to behave on a trip.
Some dogs get car sickness. If your dog
is one who experiences this talk to your vet. Like medications that can
help people avoid getting sick in the car, there are medications to help
dogs with this situation. If your dog is very upset, very sick or very
nervous while riding in the car you will want to travel with your dog as
little as possible.
The safest method to transport your dog is in
a pet crate. Also available are harnesses and seat belts to secure your
dog while traveling, but most dog owners train the dog to sit on a seat
and ride. Your dog may move from seat to seat, but do not encourage it.
Never allow your dog to ride on your lap or anywhere near the driver's
seat. A pillow and/or a blanket may encourage your dog to select a spot
to ride.
Always make sure your dog is wearing its identification,
vaccination and license tags. If there is a traffic incident or your dog
gets lost you want to make sure he can be identified. Depending on the
city and state, a dog without a rabies vaccine tag may have to go to the
pound for a period of time to be tested or quarantined until rabies can
be ruled out.
If you are taking a long car trip, take food and
water for your pet. The dog may need an extra drink of water if he is
panting or excited. Taking the food is a good idea if you are traveling
during an hour that the dog is used to being fed, otherwise you will not
feed your dog a lot in the car.
Do not allow your dog to hang out
of a car window while you are driving. They love the fresh air, but
bugs and other debris may get into their eyes, noses or mouths. If he
wants to sniff a little, open the window an appropriate amount for him
to get some fresh air.
When you arrive at your destination, make
sure you put your dog on a leash if he is getting out with you. Never
allow him to ride with or stay in the car with the leash on. It can get
caught on something inside the car and cause injury to him. If your dog
is waiting in the car, make sure there is nothing he can eat or swallow
that will harm him, and make sure it is not too hot or too cold outside.
Depending on the area and weather you may want to leave a car window
opened a small amount for air.