• Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Cameron County News Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Travel

7 Tips For A Road Trip With Your Dog – Autoblog

by NewsReporter
March 6, 2022
in Travel
Reading Time: 7 mins read
7-tips-for-a-road-trip-with-your-dog-–-autoblog
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

It’s never been more common to travel with your four-legged friends. They’re part of your family after all, and besides wanting their continued company and to share your adventures with them, dog sitting costs a lot. Staying with a stranger can also be stressful for certain dogs. 

Really, we don’t need to tell you the reasons for bringing your dogs along. If you’re reading this, you already know why! Here at Autoblog, most of our editors have dogs, and we routinely travel with them. Some are big, some are small, one is really small. In fact, the pictures you see are of my very own dogs, Maggie and Nellie, during various road trip adventures over the years. 

With a little help with reporting from the Associated Press, we’ve put together this list of tips for road tripping with your dog, including tips and advice we’ve picked up over the years. In particular, tips on where to stay, suggested research and gear recommendations. 

Ultimately, road tripping with your dog can be challenging. I’ve driven from Los Angeles to Toronto and back with those two girls up there, in the middle of winter no less, and I know first hand the headaches. Hopefully these tips can help alleviate some of those for you.

1. Teach them to love the car

Long before your road trip, give your dog positive associations with the car.

“Practice makes better,” says Erdem Tuncsiper, who runs P.A.C.K. Leaders Dog Training in Chicago. “Don’t make your big trip their first trip.”

Take them on as many local drives as possible, and give them treats and toys to make the car fun. Drive them to exciting places so they don’t see the car as a direct-to-vet delivery mobile.

If a dog is apprehensive, pet parents “can encourage further engagement with the car by rewarding all interaction directed toward the vehicle — such as looking at, sniffing, moving toward or stepping into — and proceeding with baby steps from there,” says Darris Cooper, national dog training manager at Petco.

Bring along items like bowls and blankets that your dog is not only used to, but finds comforting, says Tuncsiper.

“This includes anything for sleeping, eating or drinking,” he says.

2. Keep your dog as comfortable as possible

“Make sure your dog is not stressed by the sights, sounds or movement of the vehicle,” says Dr. Natalie Marks, a veterinarian at Chicago’s VCA Blum Animal Hospital. “There are lots of additions that can help reduce stress, like playing classical music, spraying pheromones to help relaxation, … appropriate restraint device training, favorite treats and not feeding at least two hours before the start of travel to help avoid nausea.”

Dogs also overheat easily, so provide good ventilation (and never leave them alone in a parked car).

“If your dog pants a lot, he is hotter than you are and needs air,” Tuncsiper said.

Excessive panting can also be a sign of anxiety. If your dog just can’t seem to get comfortable, speak to your vet about anti-anxiety medications, as well as over-the-counter chews and drops.

In terms of physical comfort, we’ve found that bringing a dog bed into the car is a great idea for those with small or medium dogs. Car seats are meant for humans, not dogs, so the dog bed can make this comfier and more familiar for them. You can also still secure them using a safety harness. 

3. Expect the trip to take longer

Dogs need regular stops to run around, relieve themselves and explore all the new, exciting smells.

“We have a two- or three-hour drive-time rule in our family,” says Christina Howitt, co-founder of Find Your Blue, a Kansas City-based travel company specializing in dog-friendly itineraries. “We always make a point to add frequent stops … We also try to avoid driving more than five or six hours total in a day.”

4. Find dog-friendly spots in advance

Traveling with a dog requires more advance planning and less spontaneity.

“Do your research ahead of time, especially for hotels and sightseeing,” advises dog owner Leksa Pravdic, who drove with her dogs, Scout and Pluto, from their home in Chicago to New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. “A lot of national parks don’t allow dogs or limit their access to certain small areas. Look for national monuments or state parks that allow dogs.”

Try looking at photos of upcoming rest stops to see if one might have more grassy areas than another, or even dedicated enclosed dog parks. I have also specifically looked for dog parks in towns along my route with great success. Think about it as a chance for your four-legged buddy to meet the locals.

For hotels, make sure to look closely at each hotel’s pet policy. Many don’t allow dogs at all. Many say they are “pet friendly” but there are significant conditions. First, they often put limits on the size or number of dogs. Second, there are also almost always pet cleaning fees, which can vary widely.  If you can’t find a hotel’s pet fees on its website (it’s often not included on third-party booking sites), make sure to call before booking. Some charge one fee per stay, others charge per dog per stay, others charge per dog per night, which will really adds up. 

For vacation rentals, also make sure to look into the fine print of “pet friendly” places (and also make sure the place is pet friendly in the first place). Most also charge extra fees and have restrictions on size, number and even breed. Still, these can definitely be superior as they can have yards (make sure they’re fully enclosed) and are generally less stressful than a hotel filled with opening and closing doors, people walking outside your room, and — gasp! — other dogs. Bark. 

5. Pack your pup’s suitcase responsibly

Dogs need a lot of stuff when they travel. Marks says the checklist should include medications, vaccination records, a canine first-aid kit, an extra leash and collar, their ID tag, a crate (in case you need to leave your dog alone where you’re staying) and collapsible bowls.

Bring at least two days’ worth of extra food and water.

There are no shortage of collapsible, travel-friendly water bowls out there. However, we’ve found the MalsiPree Dog Water Bottle to be a game-changing product for road trips (pictured above). By pushing a button, you can slowly dole out water as needed. This reduces the chances of water sloshing out in your car and wasting the limited water you have on board when your dog inevitably doesn’t want to drink it all. 

6. Safety is important

It’s important to consider your pet’s safety while traveling in the car. You buckle up, you’d buckle up children, why do you want to risk your dog being injured or killed in an accident? Furthermore, they could injure you as a heavy in-car projectile during an accident, and can even cause an accident in the first place should they be in the driver seat or distracting you in some way. Seriously, never drive with your dog in lap. 

As such, consider a dog harness for the passenger compartment, a dog-intended cargo area fence accessory or cargo area kennel. For a dog harness, we highly suggest doing research. Many will claim to secure a dog in a car, but haven’t actually been certified for that task (in other words, they don’t really do the job). While it’s nice that you’ll see products advertising that they’ve been “crash tested,” it’s rare they actually say how they did in those crash tests. Imagine if car advertisements did that.

If anything, look closely into how those tests were conducted and whether it looks legit. Unfortunately, there’s little reliable third-party data as you’d find for cars or child seats. The Sleepypod Clickit and Zugopet The Rocketeer received a Center for Pet Safety approval for their crash testing performance several years ago, but that’s about it at the moment. I bought my car harnesses seven years ago based on a third-party test I can no longer find on the internet (sorry), and although they weren’t the most safe, they were more comfortable and still performed sufficiently in a crash. This lack of data may be disappointing, but don’t let that dissuade you. Restraining your dog is safe for them and safe for you.

7. How to clean the car after the trip

So, you’ve had a great trip with your dog … unfortunately, your dog has now been in your car for an extended period of time. That mean it could be a bit stinky (good grief, Nellie, your breath!) and absolutely slathered in dog hair (good grief, Maggie, your fur!). 

A simple hand-held vacuum with pet attachment you already have for the house might be good enough to get the job done, but there’s a good chance it won’t be. For a really thorough job, check our video guide for How to Remove Dog Hair From Car Interiors below.

Features reporting from the Associated Press

Related Posts

eid-holiday-fuels-air-travel-boom-to-pre-pandemic-levels-–-jordan-times

Eid Holiday Fuels Air Travel Boom To Pre-Pandemic Levels – Jordan Times

by NewsReporter
April 14, 2022
0

AMMAN —  The demand for travel has increased during the Eid Al Fitr holiday as the tourism sector is back on track, according to travel agents. Thousands of people are expected to fly out of Amman from April 29 onwards as the public sector is expected to take a long holiday.For...

how-to-make-a-family-trip-with-kids-feel-more-like-a-vacation-–-huffpost

How To Make A Family Trip With Kids Feel More Like A Vacation – HuffPost

by NewsReporter
April 14, 2022
0

There’s a common saying among parents: When you have kids, it’s not a vacation, it’s a relocation. Going away just isn’t going to be as relaxing when you’re traveling with babies and young kids, no matter where you go or how you get there. All those daily parenting tasks —...

ranbir-kapoor-and-alia-bhatt-wedding-live-updates:-couple-to-have-pheras-at-2-pm;-neetu,-riddhima-reach-rk’-–-news18

Ranbir Kapoor And Alia Bhatt Wedding LIVE Updates: Couple To Have Pheras At 2 PM; Neetu, Riddhima Reach RK’ – News18

by NewsReporter
April 14, 2022
0

Read more house for Ranbir and Alia’s Mehendi. Ranbir’s mother Neetu Kapoor and sister Riddhima Kapoor confirmed Ranbir-Alia’s wedding date as April 14 after a long wait on Wednesday night. The wedding festivities kickstarted on Wednesday with a Ganesh Puja at RK’s Pali Hill house Vaastu. It was followed by...

the-best-time-to-book-a-flight-including-tips-and-tricks-–-the-manual

The Best Time To Book A Flight Including Tips And Tricks – The Manual

by NewsReporter
April 13, 2022
0

Most people will, at some point in their lives, need to book a flight. Whether for business or pleasure, booking a flight can be straightforward or a little more complicated depending on certain factors. If a flight is urgent, then the luxury of booking in advance and saving money is...

Cameron County News Online

© 2021 Salt Lake City News Now

Navigate Site

  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • DMCA Policy
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • CCPA
  • Terms of Use

© 2021 Salt Lake City News Now

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT