Going on holiday is so much fun, but the thought of leaving a family member behind is a dreaded prospect. More and more people are choosing to partake in long-distance travel with dogs. Your little friend gets to come on holiday, and you love having them there.
If you’re planning on travelling with pets, it’s crucial to plan. We have compiled the top ten tips and tricks you need to think about.
10 Tips for Safe Car Travel with Dogs
1. Keep your pet restrained
If your dog is jumping and bouncing around during long-distance travel, accidents can happen. It is crucial to keep your dog safe and restrained while you focus on driving. Dogs should also be in the backseat away from airbags – because if an accident were to happen an airbag could kill your dog.
Use a dog seat belt to attach to your dog’s harness to keep your dog safe in the rear seat in case of a sudden stop.
2. Build up to long trips
Getting your dog used to car travel is essential to making sure your pup feels comfortable on longer distance trips. Gradually increase the length of the shorter trips and take your time doing so.
3. Light meal well before you go
Long-distance travel with dogs means not as much time to go toilet whenever necessary. That’s why you should only feed your dog three hours before the trip and not during the journey. This will help avoid car sickness and the likelihood of them needing to go number one or two.
4. Never leave your dog alone in a parked car
This is pet owner 101. The inside of a car gets extremely hot – especially in summer when many people are travelling with dogs. Though you may only duck into the store for a minute, if someone sees your dog, they may want to break the window. That is unless you drive a Tesla and have that fancy “I’m fine” warning on the screen.
5. Pack a travel kit with all the essential information
Include the following in a travel kit before taking long-distance travel with dogs:
• Your pet’s health records
• Proof of recent immunizations
• Regular food
• Water
• Medications
• Bowls.
• Waste bags
• Scoop (if you use it)
• Toys for the trip (new ones for novelty and old too)
• Pet first-aid kit.
6. Make sure they have their collar
Most pets are microchipped, but not all wear a collar. Ensure your dog has a collar with an ID tag containing your home address and cell phone number for convenience. Long-distance travel with dogs means that your dog will be in an unfamiliar place and if they get lost, it’s handy to have some location information. You could even get a temporary tag with your holiday location on it.
7. Bring water
Drinking water from an unfamiliar source can sometimes cause your dog to get an upset stomach. Bringing enough water in a bottle for you and your dog will help prevent this. A dog’s travel bowl can come in very handy.
8. Travelling with dogs requires a seat cover
Invest some money into purchasing a good quality car seat cover providing your dog with lots of space while protecting your car at the same time.
If you are planning car travel with dogs, KULULU has a great selection of all the essentials you need to make the journey a success.
No Comments