Traveling Tips When You Want To Take Your Dog On A Road Trip
When you like to travel and you have a dog, you may find yourself wondering if you can take your dog along with you on some of your adventures. If you decide that you do want to try a road trip with your canine companion, there are some tips you should consider to help you out in the process. That way, you can be certain that you are doing everything you can to to care for your dog and make the road trip as fun as possible for the both of you.
Make Sure You Get a Seat Belt for Your Dog
One of the first things you will need to think about when you are traveling with your dog is safety. That includes your safety and the safety of your dog. Getting a seat belt for your dog can help to protect everyone's safety.
If your dog is unrestrained and you get into a car accident, they can get severely hurt. Even a minor fender bender could send your dog flying off the seat and give them a bloody nose or worse. In more severe accidents, your dog can be thrown around the vehicle, injuring you and them both.
There are many companies that make seat belts specifically designed for dogs. These restraints come in different sizes and styles to better fit in with your dog's needs as well as your vehicle type and style.
Only Give a Light Meal Before Traveling
You never know how your dog will do on a long trip until you try it. As such, you do not want to take any chances on your first trip together. One of the precautions you can take is to only feed your dog a only a very light meal the morning before you start your adventure.
Try to give them a quarter to a half of their normal size serving before the trip. You will want to do this a few hours (preferably up to four hours) before the trip. That way, you can give your dog plenty of time to digest and go outside to do their business as necessary.
What you may not know is that dogs can get carsick, just like people. And even if your dog does okay when you take short trips around town, a long trip can be a different story altogether. It would be a good idea to cover the seat in a seat cover in case your dog gets ill while you are out on the road.
Now that you know some of the tips that can help you make your first road trip with your dog a success, you can start packing and hit the road as soon as possible. Contact a vet, such as at Murrells Inlet Veterinary Hospital, for more help.