Are you planning a road trip? Your dog can make a fantastic travel companion. However, before heading out on the open road, make sure you're properly prepared to keep your dog comfortable, safe, and happy.
Here are the five most important tips for taking a road trip with your dog:
1. Pack for Your Dog's Needs
Before we begin, there a few things you need to know in order to properly pack. When traveling with dogs, here's what you'll need to bring along:
- Important Documents – Bring copies of every document you might need in an emergency, such as vaccination records, medical information, and microchipping information.
- Water and Food Bowl – Travel bowls provide a full amount of food and water but fold down for easy portability.
- Poop Bags – They're an easy way to bag your dog's waste. Picking up after your dog helps you avoid fines, and it's just the right thing to do. Make sure they’re sturdy, though!
- Toys for the Car – Both stuffed toys and yogurt-filled Kongs help keep your dog entertained in the car.
- Dog Bed/Blankets – Bring as much of their home bedding along as possible, as the familiar smells will help comfort them when sleeping in a new place.
- Grooming Wipes – Just like people, being locked in a car for hours, your dog will begin to develop a pungent smell. Keep your pet feeling clean and smelling fresh with Pogi’s grooming wipes.
Also, before you leave, look up vet offices and emergency animal clinics along the route you plan to take. You want a general idea of what resources are available, and where they're located, in case your dog has a medical emergency.
2. Get Them Car Comfortable
Some dogs love car rides and will hop into the front seat with little prompting. Others are far more hesitant. Fortunately, several safe and humane strategies are available to help your dog feel comfortable in the car:
Introduce the car slowly. With the ignition off, allow your dog to sniff and explore both the inside and out. Reward them with treats and praise.
After your dog is comfortable around the car, you're ready to start the ignition. With the dog sitting in the idling car, introduce mild elements of movement and noise, such as the electronic windows or turn signal.
Driving around is the final step, but you're not ready to head across the country just yet. You'll want weeks or months of experience with shorter trips around town. During the first few trips, limit driving to 10 minutes or less, basically just a slow drive through your neighborhood.
3. Make Frequent Stops
Give your dog plenty of opportunities to use the bathroom and exercise. The average adult dog relieves himself about three to four times a day. You know your dog's bathroom habit's best but always err on the side of too many breaks instead of too few.
During each stop, take your dog for a brisk walk, let them use the bathroom, and give them water and a small amount of food. Never let your dog roam off-leash in an unfamiliar area. Even if they're well-trained, an unexpected surprise can cause panic.
You never know what types of conditions you'll find wherever you stop. For a reliable backup, bring along training pads. They provide a safe surface for your dog to do their business. Some dogs, especially smaller dogs, have no issues using a training pad in the car (when it's stopped, of course).
4. Feed and Hydrate Them in Small Amounts
Even dogs who love riding in the car can suffer from car sickness. Avoid feeding your dog for about three or four hours before traveling.
Bring along your dog's regular food. Dry food is usually easiest to handle, as you'll need to find a way to keep opened wet food cans cold. Also, only give your dog bottled water. Unfamiliar water sources can upset your dog's digestive system.
Instead of feeding your dog one or two large meals, give them small amounts throughout the day, typically when you pull over for pit stops. Sticking to small portions often helps prevent dogs from feeling nauseous throughout the travel day.
5. Safety First
Above all, when traveling with your dog, you want to keep them safe.
First, closely monitor the interior temperature of your vehicle at all times. Generally, humans tolerate a hot car interior better than dogs. Your safest option is running the A/C instead of driving with the windows down. Watch the humidity levels, too. If the humidity is too high, dogs can struggle to cool themselves.
Also, never let your dog move around freely when the car is moving. They should always be safely strapped in with a seatbelt harness. It's a harness that fits around your dog and then clips into the vehicle's seatbelt.
Keeping your dog in the back seat is safer than letting them ride shotgun. If they're sitting up front, they can distract you if they panic during an emergency on the road. Regardless of where they sit, never let them hang their head out the window.
Final Thoughts
The key to a successful road trip with a dog is proper preparation. Bring along all necessary pet supplies, including a bed, travel dishes, poop bags, grooming wipes, and more. Also, keep your pet comfortable and safe with a seatbelt harness, temperature monitoring, and small, frequent feedings.
A road trip with a dog doesn't have to be "ruff." Follow the strategies above, and you and your furry friend will enjoy every mile of the journey ahead!
If you want to learn more about dog care as well as the best (and safest) pet products, be sure to stay up to date with our blog.
