Travelling is something that many people love to do, but it does take a lot of preparation, and you’ll need to think about what happens to everything you’re leaving behind. Most of the things you’ll need to consider are easy to handle, and you might organise a house-sitting or take some holiday from your job, for example.
However, if you have a dog, what are your options? You might feel it’s fine to leave them with a friend or family member or board them in a professional kennel. Yet this can be hard to do in an emotional sense, not just for you but for your dog as well. What some people decide to do is actually take their dog with them on their travels, and a road trip could be an excellent way to do that. With that in mind, here are some things you’ll need to do if you want to take your dog on a fun road trip with you.
Prepare Your Car
Before you can take your dog on a road trip with you, you’ll need to make sure your car is ready. Unlike if you were to just pop down to the shops or to a friend’s house on a short trip where you might just have your dog lying on the back seat of the car, when it comes to a longer trip, there are more precautions to put in place.
One thing you’ll want to do is place blankets or bedding on the seats. You might even want a waterproof sheet. Although you’ll need to stop once in a while to let your dog stretch their legs and go to the toilet, accidents can happen (you might get stuck in traffic for longer than expected, for example), and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
It’s also wise to engage any child locks you might have; the last thing you want is for your dog to get excited and accidentally open the car door as you’re driving along.
Train Your Dog
Not all dogs are going to be happy in a car for a longer length of time than they’re used to, and that’s exactly what will happen on a road trip. Or they might just not know how to behave in a car because they’re not used to riding in one. In either case, dog training with specialists such as https://www.alldogsunleashed.com/ is a great idea.
Not only will your dog learn how to behave in a vehicle, but they’ll also learn better recall which is ideal if they are in a new environment and you need to find them. This will ensure you both have a good time rather than you being stressed about losing your dog, and the dog being stressed because you keep shouting.
Bring Water And Snacks
When you’re hungry or thirsty, you can stop off at a diner or service station. Your dog might not be able to, depending on the rules of wherever you are. Therefore, you’ll need to make sure you have enough snacks and water for them for the trip. They’ll have a meal when they arrive at your destination, but to keep them happy and content for the duration of the journey, some biscuits or chewy treats can be a great idea.
Although giving your dog water in the car as you’re going along isn’t always practical, make sure you pour them a bowl every time you stop anywhere, whether it’s you taking a break or you’re stopping for them.
This post was submitted by Simone Devonshire
