You’re planning some summer road trips and of course you’d like to take your precious pooch along. What should you expect?
It’s hard to say. Some dogs love to ride in cars, eagerly jumping in and hanging out calmly until you reach your destination. Then there are dogs who get anxious, carsick, or over-excited while hurtling down highways.
If yours is one of the latter, here are some tips from trainers for making things easier.
Pre-trip Precautions
- If your Rover gets sick while riding in the car, he could be anxious about the experience or just prone to motion sickness. If it’s part of a fear reaction, see Dealing with Anxiety below. In either case, here are some pointers.
- Don’t feed the dog within a few hours before a car ride.
- Leave a window open an inch or two so he can get some fresh air.
- Ask your vet for a motion sickness medication formulated for dogs.
- Cover the seats with a waterproof material and carry plenty of towels for clean-up purposes.
- Pull over immediately if you observe Rover yawning or drooling excessively. Otherwise, those towels are going to get a workout.
As with humans, motion sickness in dogs is often associated with their visual experience. Some dogs do better in a doggie car seat, where they are elevated and can see the outdoors. Others do better with little or no visual stimulation and should be confined in a solid-walled crate. If your dog has trouble in one situation, try the other.
Dealing with Anxiety
Some dogs have bad associations with cars, such as motion sickness or trips to the vet. Others are just instinctively fearful of those big metal boxes that move unpredictably, make loud noises, and release noxious odors.
Here is what many trainers recommend for turning your scaredy-dog into a happy traveler.
- Start by spending time with your dog in the car while it’s parked in the driveway. Sit together in the back seat, give plenty of affection, and speak soothingly. In the beginning, reward Rover for being willing to just hang out in the car. Use food treats and lots of pats and praise.
- Next, leave the dog in his crate or in the backseat while you leave the back of the car and move to the driver’s seat. Again, use affection, rewards, and praise to reinforce calm and quiet behavior.
- Use the same method to get your dog comfortable with wearing a safety harness.
- Begin taking short trips with a fun activity at the end. In extreme cases, drive only a block for starters, then get out of the car and play or take a walk together before getting back in the car and driving home.
- Drive short distances to visit people and/or dogs Rover loves to build even more positive associations with the car.
Take as long as your dog needs in this incremental training process. Rover will perceive any punishment as just one more reason to hate the car!
Safety Issues
Whether your dog loves or hates car travel, there are some precautions you should take to make sure the trip is a safe one for all concerned.
- Don’t let Rover rove around the car or ride on your lap or shoulders. Driver distraction is one of the most common causes of traffic accidents.
- Dogs are safest riding in a crate or in the back seat, secured with a special harness that hooks on to the seat belt or in a doggy car seat that elevates the animal so he can look out the window.
- If you have an open pickup truck, don’t let your dog ride in back, unless he’s in a crate secured with bungee cords or rope so it doesn’t tip over or slide around. If he’s loose, he could jump or fall out, risking serious injury, or be struck by flying insects or debris. The metal bed of a truck gets very hot in sunny weather, which is uncomfortable if not downright dangerous.
- Similarly, don’t let your dog hang his head out the window while traveling. He could be injured by flying debris or insects, or by stationary objects you pass too closely.
- Never leave your dog alone in the car for more than a few minutes, especially in extreme weather. On sunny days, be sure to leave a window open an inch or two so the he has access to fresh air and the hot air in the car can dissipate.
- Use a verbal signal to train your dog to get in and out of the car only on your command. This can prevent him from getting into a stranger’s car or jumping out of the car into traffic.
Other Tips
- Be patient, calm, and positive in all interactions with your dog that take place in the car. No scolding!
- Favorite blankets or toys in the crate or car can help build good associations.
- Some people swear by Rescue Remedy, a homeopathic medicine for calming the nerves.
- Take your dog out in the car for pleasant excursions, not just to go to the vet.
Finally, stop often for potty breaks and exercise, and maintain the dog’s regular feeding schedule, if possible.
Okay, now go pack. Happy travels!
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