Most dogs love car rides however car sickness, injuries, and possible escapes can occur. Therefore precautions should be taken.
To help your puppy overcome car sickness let your puppy have plenty of exposure to the car. When young, allow your puppy to sit in the car with you and not go anywhere. Let him become accustomed to the idea of being in a car.
Then start by taking short trips. Make sure that you crate your dog on trips to protect him from injuries and possible escapes. Crates and vehicle barriers will protect you from a playful dog that can be distracting when you are concentrating on traffic. The driver needs to get adjusted to having a puppy in the car too!
There are also doggy safety seats for cars. The dog is secured in the safety seat which is then attached to the regular car seat as a toddler’s car seat would be.
When it comes time to take a longer trip with your puppy, there are more things to keep in mind. It’s a good idea to take along some of the comforts of home. Bring a couple of your dog’s favorite toys and treats; also bring water, your dog’s medications and some of his own food. A long trip is not a good time to try out some new food!
It is best to feed a puppy at the times you normally would when on the road too. This helps lower the chance of an upset stomach.
The key when traveling with a puppy is to put a lot of effort into planning ahead. Puppies require a lot of items and care when traveling and if you don’t spend enough time preparing it can be easy to forget something.
