Follow These Car Travel Safety Tips For Your Dog

At last – winter has turned to spring. Soon enough, spring will turn to summer. As the weather starts to get a little warmer, and the evenings a little longer, many of us will start to think about planning a summer getaway – likely with our dogs in tow.

One of the advantages of a cross country roadtrip is that it is relatively easy to bring your dog along with you. For many dog owners, this is preferable to leaving their four-legged family members behind at home. However, bringing a dog with you on your travels – and doing it safely – is more complex than you might initially think.

More generally, many of us also like to bring our dogs in our cars when we take them out on public outings in local settings. How can we ensure that we are taking the right precautions to keep them safe?

In this article, we’ll look at some of the fundamental aspects you need to consider when traveling with a dog in your vehicle.

Preparation is key

Whether you’re heading out on a long road trip or simply driving to your local downtown area, preparing your vehicle in advance is often half the battle when it comes to keeping our dogs safe.

For longer road trips, you likely spend some time in the days beforehand preparing for your family. You make sure that the essentials are packed, such as clothes, toiletries, and activities to keep the kids entertained.

It’s no different when bringing a dog along for the ride. You’ll need to make sure you pack enough of their regular dog food, treats and water for the duration of your trip, and ensure this is easily accessible within your vehicle if you’ll have to feed them while you’re out on the road. Also, don’t forget to pack any medication that your dog has been prescribed.

In addition, make sure that you have packed all of your dog’s equipment. Double-check to make sure you have packed their collar, their leash, and any toys or games to keep them occupied. This is also a great time to make sure that their identification tag is up-to-date and contains the correct contact details.

Finally, consider putting together an emergency kit that you can easily store within your car (this is actually good practice whether you are traveling with or without dogs). Once you’ve made your kit, it can remain within your car – so it doesn’t matter if you’re embarking on a month-long road trip or driving your dog to a friend’s home a few minutes away – it will always be there if you need it. Your kit could include first aid supplies such as gauze and bandages, a small pair of scissors, miniature water bottles, a flashlight, and a warm blanket. This provides additional peace of mind in the event that your car breaks down and rescue vehicles cannot immediately reach you.

Invest in a high-quality dog crate

When it comes to traveling safely with our dogs, the biggest danger of car rides is that you could get into an accident. While humans are restrained by seat belts, some dog owners don’t give a second thought to letting their dog roam loose in the vehicle. If the car is involved in an accident (especially one where the car flips), this can be extremely dangerous and potentially fatal for your pup. Some dog owners even leave their dog in the bed of their truck while driving – a practice that the American Humane Society estimates leads to thousands of dog deaths every year.

The best way to mitigate the consequences of car accidents is to purchase a durable, resilient dog crate that fits securely inside the vehicle. Many manufacturers now make dog crates to very high safety standards that can withstand significant impact. Be sure to do your due diligence in this area – a cheap, plastic crate will likely not be made to the same standards as some of the newer, molded varieties that are designed to dissipate energy in the event of an accident.

As a final note, keeping your dog confined to a crate reduces the risk that they could interfere with the driver’s focus. While it may seem ‘cute’ to let your dog hang their head out of the window of a moving car, it is a) distracting for the driver, and b) dangerous for the dog, particularly if debris flies up from the road or the car needs to make an emergency stop.

Take your dog on short car rides

Car sickness is surprisingly prevalent in dogs, and this can come as a surprise to inexperienced dog owners. It is especially common among younger dogs – particularly puppies who are younger than one year old. This is potentially because their inner ear is not fully developed, and this plays a pivotal role in their balance and equilibrium.

To get your dog used to the car – particularly if they have never been on a long car journey before – take them on shorter trips first. Building up from 10-15 minute journeys can help you to assess how your dog may deal with longer trips. If your dog does suffer from motion sickness, keep the car as cool as possible, and offer regular access to fresh water (a bucket that hangs on your dog’s crate can be a great option). Anti-nausea and anti-anxiety medication is also available; speak to your veterinarian to discuss potential remedies.

Make regular stops on longer trips

During every road trip, stops are inevitable. Whether you need to fill up on gas or fill up on food, there’s a good chance you’ll need to make a few stops within the course of a day. Even just the feeling of stretching our legs is a welcome relief after several hours confined to the car.

When you make a rest stop, don’t just take your dog out to the bathroom and consider it sufficient. While humans can listen to music or podcasts, or engage in conversation with other passengers, our dogs are basically stuck in their crates with little to occupy them – physically or mentally. When you stop, try to find a spot where you could throw a tennis ball for them, or pack a puzzle game that can engage their brains. This will make the ride far more pleasant for them – and reduces the chances of them being uncontrollable or destructive when you actually reach your destination.

Never leave your dog unattended in your car

This should go without saying, but it is worth repeating – do not leave your dog unattended in your car, ever.

Even if it doesn’t seem particularly hot outside, temperatures inside a locked car can escalate very quickly. Different states and jurisdictions have varying rules on what can be done if a dog is left unattended inside a car – for example, in North Carolina, a 2013 law means that law enforcement and other authorized officials can break into the vehicle if they believe the dog’s welfare is at risk.

In conclusion

Whether you’re planning your summer road trip, or simply driving for a playdate a few minutes away, we sometimes take our dog’s safety in our vehicles for granted. If we wouldn’t start driving a car without putting our seatbelt on first, why would we take the risk and not implement safety precautions with our dogs, too?

Following some of the guidance in this article will make traveling with your dog more enjoyable – and, just as importantly, safer (for humans and canines alike).