Dogs are our best friends, our furry companions, so it’s only natural to always want them by our side. However, traveling with your canine buddy may be more difficult than you bargained for. While it does ease your troubled mind because you don’t have to worry about your dog’s safety while you are you on the move, it adds a certain level of stress to your trip.
That’s why it is crucial to plan your travels with your dog ahead of time, so that you can make the correct arrangements. The following are some helpful doggy travel tips to help your journeys go more smoothly, for you and your pooch.
Use A Crate
Most owners do not like to place their dogs in a crate. They feel like this treatment is inhumane, because after all, would anyone voluntarily choose to go into one? It is pivotal not to project your personal feelings about a crate onto your dog. They typically do not mind and since your travels will likely take them to strange environments, they often feel safer in the crate.
Give Them Exercise
Before you leave to start your vacation, you should take the dog out for some much needed exercise. If you allow your pet to burn off all their additional energy, it is much more likely that they will crawl into their crate and sleep for much of the journey.
Stay Positive
If you act like the crate is a fate worse than death and are continuously panicky during the trip, your dog picks up on these signals and becomes fearful as well. Your vocal tones and body language set the tone for how your dog is going to feel for the duration of the trip.
Don’t Overfeed Them
Giving your dog too much to eat before a trip could lead to a serious bout of motion sickness, which is obviously one of the last things you are going to have time to deal with. Feeding while you are on the move should also be avoided. Find breaks in your travel to give them small treats, preferably treats that are high in protein.
Leaving Them in The Car is a No-No
When the weather is warm, there is no reason to leave your dog sitting in a car for any length of time. The vehicle essentially turns into a furnace and your dog could suffer from heat stroke or even death. Cracking the window open is not going to do much to help your pup and they could still end up dehydrated.
Medication Leads to Reliance
It could be tempting to simply slip your dog a little something to make them sleep and help the trip go faster. However, this is not recommended. The animal could develop a reliance on the medication, which is an extremely difficult habit to break.
