Dog Car Travel Made Easy

     Most dogs enjoy going on trips with their families in the car. It does not take long to train most dogs to ride in a car. 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.