Many individuals like traveling to the four corners of the United States and beyond, and traveling coast to coast with your dog can take the experience to new heights. Regardless of how much you enjoy road trips, it’s critical to plan ahead of time before choosing whether a road trip with your dog is a good idea.
Even the most seasoned car-riding dog may not feel at ease if it is crammed into the back seat of a car for 12 hours as you travel across the nation. If you prepare your dog (and yourself) for the journey before it begins, you will be able to predict how your dog will react in an emergency and guarantee that you both remain safe and healthy.
Just like you wouldn’t drive without a good supply of snacks, you shouldn’t take your dog on a road trip without adequate planning. Continue reading for our advice on how to prepare for a long and fantastic road trip with your dog or puppy.
What Does Your Dog Require?
The essentials appear to be simple: dog food and medication (if your dog takes medicine). But wait, there’s more. What will the dog eat out of? Where do you keep your food? What about dog bowls and water? All of this takes up valuable space in your vehicle.
Food
The ideal approach is to acquire a 10-pound sealable food bin for the food and then pack any drugs within the bin’s spare area. Include a Ziploc bag with vet records, a feeding bowl, a water bowl, and a foldable travel water bowl.
Things of Comfort
Some dogs, particularly puppies, will require comfort or enrichment items. Because pups grow so quickly, they require multiple feedings throughout the day. Bring some snacks to keep you going between meals.
Add some decent chew toys (particularly for teething puppies) as well as some comfortable bedding for them to spread out on. Some dogs may be fine with a familiar toy or chewable object as an enrichment item, but consider what will keep your dog active or diverted during a period of bumper-to-bumper traffic.
If your dog enjoys peanut butter, this might be a good time to stuff a teaspoon inside a hollow toy. Dogs can become preoccupied for hours attempting to acquire the last lick of the thing.
A Sweater or Coat
You must consider the climate in which you will be traveling. Is it going to be cold? If your dog has a thin coat, no undercoat, or very little body fat, he or she may become quite cold, so bring a dog sweater or jacket.
Preparation and Training for the Road
Before taking your dog on a cross-country trip, be sure they are a decent canine citizen.
Practice the following skills to improve your dog’s behavior:
- Walking on a leash politely without pulling
- Avoid approaching strangers and welcoming them.
- Waiting to exit the vehicle until freed
- Getting to know new dogs
- Returning to you in an emergency circumstance
These actions do not have to be flawless, but some are very necessary, such as waiting to exit an automobile when requested. If you have a flat tire, pull over to the side of the road, open your door, and your dog follows you, it can be a dangerous situation because you are so near to fast-moving traffic.
You must educate your dog to wait—it is critical for your dog’s safety and mutual enjoyment that you work on each of these habits before embarking on your road trip.
Preparing for Medical Exams
Before traveling, you need to make sure your dog is up to date on shots and that you have a physical copy of those records. It is also advisable to obtain a health certificate from your veterinarian. Health certificates are essential when flying a pet anyplace and may be useful if you are confronted by law enforcement regarding the health of your dog.
It’s a good idea to have a full physical before you depart. This way, you can be confident that your dog is in peak health before traveling to the unknown and without a regular, recognized vet to take your dog to right away.
Traveling with a Dog Takes a Mental, Emotional, and Physical Toll
The goal should be to make travel enjoyable for your dog. Make sure the dog has been adequately exercised and is weary before going in the car. A fantastic tip: Treat your dog to a full day of doggie daycare the day before you leave on a long trip.
It is not only excellent for the dog, but it also allows you to load up the car and clean the house without the dog getting in the way. While you are at work, your dog can spend the day playing with other dogs (perhaps even with a bath or spa time). You can get everything done without worrying about the dog, and the dog is rested and ready for the vehicle travel the next day. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
Take frequent restroom stops once you’re on the road so your dog may stretch its legs and scent a new state. Treats should be a consistent incentive for being a nice car buddy. Maintain a lively atmosphere to ensure that your four-legged partner is always eager to get in the car for the next leg of the excursion.
How to Prepare Your Dog or a New Family Member for Car Trips
If your puppy is afraid of being in the car, it might be difficult to drive with it, even on errands. Some puppies have tantrums, cry, and even vomit when driving.
Puppies are not included in this scenario. Your newly adopted pet may have difficulty riding in a vehicle.
It is always good to learn and know what you can do to help your new dog overcome his or her concerns and become a good traveling companion both at home and away.
Why Do Puppies Despise Cars?
While some pets enjoy automobile rides, it’s clear why others develop a phobia of them. Many automobile excursions end up at the veterinarian’s office for immunizations and uncomfortably cold thermometers put in awkward places.
You may want to calm your terrified pet, but avoid imitating the sounds your dog is making. When you produce what you believe to be soothing, sympathetic sounds, your dog may interpret them as its own whining. You may be reinforcing that car rides are difficult and frightening even for humans, giving your puppy an excuse to continue complaining.
Reduce Travel Anxiety
Associate autos with exciting and happy activities, like going to a park and beaches instead of just a visit to a vet. Desensitization requires patience and effort, but it works whether a pet is terrified, sick, or merely hyper. When your puppy discovers that a car ride signifies nice things, it will eagerly anticipate each trip.
Set its feeding bowl near the car and enable it to eat if it is very scared. If you’re comfortable with it, after a few days, leave the car door open and feed the dog in the back seat. Throw non-messy snacks in the open car door for the pup to find in between feedings.
Your dog should be taught about the pleasant things that can happen when you are near an automobile. Try playing a game or performing feats near the vehicle. If the car doors open and the dog gets in, don’t fuss; just keep playing as if nothing happened.
Check that the automobile is securely parked, away from the street, and that the parking brake is engaged. Playing games in the street or with a moving car is never a good idea.
Take a Seat in the Vehicle Quietly
Go in the front seat behind the steering wheel when your dog is eating or otherwise distracted in the rear seat. Just sit there like it’s no big issue for a while, then get out, so it realizes nothing scary happens when you’re in the car as well. Do this for a single day.
Start the car the next day when you’re driving, and your dog is chewing on treats in the back seat. Then turn off the engine and go without getting anywhere. Repeat this three or four times during the day until the pet accepts it as normal.
Take (Very) Brief Trips
Lastly, after starting the automobile, drive to the end of the driveway and come to a complete stop. Repeat this process two or three times, always letting the pet out once you return. You may be moving too quickly for your dog if it whines, paces, or displays signs of agitation. It takes some time, but it works.
Continue to increase the amount of time spent in the automobile in small increments—a trip around the block and then home, then a journey to the nearest fun place, such as the park, before returning home. Take your dog somewhere he or she will enjoy. Make each automobile ride upbeat and positive so that the dog looks forward to the next one.
Train in the car
It’s a good idea to crate-train and confine your dog while driving. A stray animal in the automobile might endanger both the pet and the driver. Purchase a seat belt, a car barrier, or a kennel.
Problem and Proofing Behaviors
Airbag deployment can crush puppies, so keep them in the back seat. Numerous accidents have occurred when a dog gets underfoot, and the driver is unable to properly use the brakes or accelerator. Besides, if your dog is in the front seat, you might get distracted, and that can lead to an unpleasant situation.
As your dog outgrows a car-size crate, consider installing a gated barrier or fitting the dog with a harness and using the seatbelt for safety. While your dog may not enjoy it at first, it is the most secure option in the long term.
You can gradually reduce your dog’s concerns by making the majority of your car journeys to places your dog would appreciate. With patience, you may train your pet to not only accept but also enjoy automobile rides.
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Begin slowly and gradually increase your dog’s car rides. Begin with short daily automobile rides to work or the park. Then, gradually progress to hour-long car journeys to exciting destinations such as a lake or another park.
A lovely mountain, river, or lake is usually within an hour’s drive of any big city and would make a terrific day excursion. If your dog hasn’t been on many lengthy vehicle rides, make a point of taking him on one or two that last 5 to 10 hours.