Tips For Dogs That Don’t Like Car Travel
by K9 Magazine
Travel sickness is a rare condition that can take hold of certain dogs just as it can individual people. Understanding the cause and effects of travel sickness in dogs as well as, obviously, identifying a potential cure for the problem is often easier said than done. Some dogs get carsick just the same as many small children do.
If you depend on a car for most of your transportation, you will want to help your puppy overcome carsickness as quickly and easily as possible. You can do a number of things to help your dog avoid or overcome travel sickness. Cure Travel Sickness in Dogs: Top Tips From the start, help your dog form a positive association with the car.
Without starting the engine, sit in the car with your dog on your lap for a few minutes every day. Praise and pet your dog. After a week of this, start the motor. Place your pup on the seat next to you.
Pet and praise him, making the experience agreeable. After a week of repeating this once a day, get a friend or relative to go in the car with you for a daily ride. Be sure that your dog has an empty stomach and has had the chance to eliminate before getting into the car. Have your helper sit the dog on his or her lap. The helper must not allow the dog to squirm and wiggle around.
Take a short ride around the block. Each week increase slightly the distance that you travel. (One-week intervals for each of these steps are not cast in stone. Shorten or lengthen the time depending on your dog’s reaction.) Be sure that when you ride with your dog, you have someone in the car to help control him. If that’s not possible, put the dog in a crate in the car. Do not let your dog ride on the driver’s lap or crawl under his or her legs. This can become a bad habit and is very dangerous.
Once your dog begins obedience training and understands to lie down and stay, employ this exercise in the car when travelling. Associate trips in the car with fun. Every car ride should not end up at the veterinarian, groomer, or boarding kennel. Use the car to take your dog to the beach, park, or woods.
Most dogs, like most children, outgrow travel sickness. In the interim, doing the right things can minimise messes, limit nervousness, and shorten the time it takes for your dog to learn that car rides can be a lot of fun. If none of the above steps seems to help, contact your veterinarian. In this article we’re not going to touch on the medical approach to curing dog travel sickness, we’ll leave that for a future article as it is a subject in its own right.
13 Things to Take With You When Travelling With a Dog
In order to have a comfortable and enjoyable time when travelling with your dog, you need to prepare certain things ahead of time. You need to be ready in case of an emergency or any unpredictable situation that may occur. So keep in mind the following 13 items and make sure that you have them ready and available before you go on that road trip with your dog.
1. A dog crate or den with a small blanket inside for your dog’s safety and comfort, or a seatbelt harness if you prefer to have him stay on the seat.
2. An adequate supply of dog food to last for the entire trip. Make sure to bring enough extra food, especially if your dog is a fussy eater.
3. At least three gallons of extra water for your dog. If you are going to a different country, keep in mind that the water there may be different from the water you have at home. Since your dog may be sensitive to the differences in the water which could make him sick, be sure that you carry enough water to last for the entire trip.
4. A water bowl, particularly one that is heavy enough to prevent spilling so that it can be used inside a moving vehicle. An alternative to this is to teach your dog how to drink out of a water bottle.
5. A first-aid kit specifically made for your dog.
6. A suitable collar with a clear and legible ID tag.
7. Two – five chew toys.
8. Extra toys for him to play with, which will also help to keep him busy during the road trip.
9. An extra lead and extra collar. It’s amazing how many problems you can encounter if your dog’s lead and collar breaks!
10. Any vitamins or medication that he is currently taking.
11. Paper towels and plastic bags to clean up after his potty breaks.
12. His regular grooming kit, which includes a brush, flea comb, nail clippers, toothbrush, and other items that you regularly use during his grooming sessions.
13. Thick towels and large blankets in case he decides to jump in a river or run in a muddy ground when you stop the vehicle for breaks.
