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We all enjoy traveling with your dog on a drive through the country on a sunny day. The way he hangs his head out the window with his ears flapping in the wind is great to see because we can see how much fun the dog is having. But it should be a part of even these short rides and more lengthy trips, to take precautions when traveling with your dog. This is not only for the dog’s safety but those people riding in the vehicles as well.
Sometimes a dog and riding in a car make a bad mix. Some dogs suffer from car sickness due to the constant motion of the moving vehicle. There are pills you can give your dog if they suffer from this. Most dogs are fine in a moving vehicle and look forward to these rides. When traveling with your dog is in your future, it is important to begin training the dog at an early age so they adjust to these rides. The training should be with the aim of getting the dog to remain calm and stay in the spot you have selected for them to ride.
The type of dog you have often decides how well he or she is going to accept rides in a moving vehicle. The hyper, high strung dog is going to be a handful in a moving car unless you are firm in the dog’s training. Those dogs with a more laid back calm temperament often take to car rides as this is business as usual, and calmly stay where they have been trained to sit. Before you start teaching your dog to ride in a car sit down and decide which personality you are dealing with as this is going to affect the approach you take with the dog. For those hyper dogs it often is necessary to purchase a travel cage for the dog. This will prevent the dog jumping all over the place and potentially causing an accident due to your being distracted from driving. As the dog learns to remain calm in the cage you can begin allowing them out until they have learned to behave.
Many people are now using a dog restraint harness attached to a seat belt. This is a great way to ensure your dog remains where you want them, and in the event of an accident they are not going to be tossed around and injured.
Traveling with your dog does not need to be something you dread. With the proper training you and your pooch will look forward to your car rides together.
Does your dog like riding in the car? Please share a few of your stories with our readers.
JOhn Williams
Jul 27, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Dogs should not be on any seat where there is an airbag installed. If there is an accident, there is a high risk the dog will be severely injured or killed. They should not be on someone’s lap, especially a child, because the person probably won’t be able to restrain them safely in event of an accident aand they become a projectile hitting passengers or windows.