Dog Travel Done Right

A Few Pointers For Safe Travels With Your Dog

The weather is finally getting nice and hopefully staying that way.  This time of year, it's also fun to bring your pets out and about.  With that in mind, we offer you a few helpful tips on the right way to travel with your dog.  

You may be curious as to why dogs enjoy rides so much in the first place.  Kevin Behand of NaturalDogTraining.com offers a theory:  

"Dogs love car rides because they feel as if they are on a hunt...Why when in a moving car, can a dog feel as if it's on a hunt whereas a cat doesn't? Because dogs evolved to hunt by feel whereas cats hunt by instinct." Interesting.  

Just like cars, dogs love to ride in trucks.  According to Edmunds.com, more than 100,000 dogs die annually after falling out of pickup trucks.  If you're going to take your dog in a truck, don't put it in the back of a pick up.  

Although dogs love riding with their heads poking out of the car window, they can be injured by road debris or bugs shooting into their eyes, noses, or windpipe. Cold air forced into a dog's lungs can make him/her sick. 

Just like people, dogs can get car sick. Some experts say car sickness in dogs is due to stress and not the actual motion of the car. Don't feed your dog a heavy meal just before embarking on a car tip. A light meal a couple of hours before the trip would be best. Take water and a bowl along and schedule breaks every hour or two to let your dog walk around. 

So just remember- use common sense and your dog travels will go smoothly.  Enjoy the weather!