Road trips are a common summertime type of travel, and if you are planning a road trip this summer, you might be bringing your dog along with you. So today I thought I would give everyone a list of things you can do to help your dog feel comfortable in long car rides.
Train For Car Rides
The first thing you can do is train for car rides. Even if you didn't get a chance to, or didn't know you should, train your dog to be comfortable in cars early in its life, there are some helpful training exercises you can do with your dog in the weeks leading up to a road trip.
The first is training outside the car while it is on. Park the car in the driveway (make sure it is in park!) and do some fun training around the car so your dog can hear it running. With your dog on leash, work on a behavior your dog knows and loves (touch is a good one). Do this with all the doors closed and all of them open.
Next, work inside the car. Start with the engine off and put some treats in the car for your dog to find (they may not eat them right away, that is okay. The treats are simply there as a fun surprise once your dog gets in the car). Practice teaching your dog to jump in and out of the car in its own (If you wish to get a ramp, this is a good time to teach your dog to go up and down a ramp). Make sure you work with your dog both inside the car with all the doors open, and both of you inside the car with the doors closed. After your dog is comfortable getting in and out of the car, turn the engine back on and repeat the whole process (It can also help to reinforce your dog for deciding to lay down in the car, rather than standing the whole time).
Once your dog is comfortable being inside and outside the car, with the car on and off, take it on some short car rides around the neighborhood. You can give it treats if you would like to do so, but please limit the number of treats to make sure your dog does not get sick you can offer it something to chew on if it is interested in a chew toy). On each trip, park somewhere and get out to do something fun, then get back and drive home. Gradually make longer and longer trips leading up until the road trip.
Prevent Carsickness
Carsickness is common in dogs, especially those who do not travel in cars very often. Most of the time dogs only deal with car sickness at a young age, but some deal with it throughout their whole life. Either way, here are some tips for dealing with car sickness.
Train for car rides (build a positive association with being in a moving car)
Avoid feeding the dog a full meal before getting in the car.
Keep air flow going either with the AC or with open windows.
Give your dog something to do, like a chew toy or a comfortable bed to sleep on.
If your dog gets really sick, ask your vet if medication is needed and/or consider leaving your dog with a trusted friend or dog sitter.
Make it Comfortable
Some dogs simply do not like the feeling of the ground under their feet moving. To help with this, make sure your dog is set up on something it can easily grip with its claws. You can set out a blanket or a bed, or make sure your dog is directly on the car's carpet. If your dog is riding on the back bench seat, you can cover the seat with a seat protector designed for dogs.
Restrain Your Dog
Having dogs loose in the car can be dangerous and can lead to the dog wandering around while the car is moving, which can cause more stress on the dog. To solve these problems, put your dog in a crate or use a seatbelt made for dogs. You can find dog seatbelts at most pet stores, and they come with installation instructions. But keep in mind that your dog will need some training for both the crate and the seatbelt. Make sure you work on crate training and seatbelt training for at least two weeks before you leave on your trip. If your dog has been trained to use a crate or wear a seatbelt, revisit those topics the week before the road trip to freshen them up in your dog's mind (make sure to make the experience positive).
Play Stops
Especially on long road trips, make time for getting out and letting your dog stretch its legs and play. Bring along a long leash and some toys, or, if your dog has a reliable recall, find a good place to play fetch. I know from personal experience that this is a huge help when it comes time to bed down for the night. If your dog has spent all day in the car, rather than sleep, it will probably want to play when you arrive at your destination. In addition to helping your dog sleep at night, taking play stops can also help with the car ride itself. If you let your dog get out and play a few times during the trip, it might be tired enough to nap for most of the time it is in the car. But make sure to stay safe! Places you may stop at, such as rest stops and trails, can have other dogs (keep an eye out for off leash dogs), trash, and distracting unfamiliar animals and smells. Make sure your dog stays on leash, and always have a reliable recall handy.
Road trips can be great fun! Just make sure you stay safe and be considerate of other people out and about. Please respect leash laws in all the places you visit, as these laws are not just for people safety, but dog safety as well. Too many people let their dogs off leash without having a reliable way to get them back. So please stay safe and help keep other people and dogs safe as well!
If you liked this post, please like, share, and leave a comment! Thank you!
Photo Credit: Andrew Pons - Unsplash
Comments