Why would you want to fly when you can control the wheel and explore it as per your wish? It won’t be wrong to go for a road trip: an opportunity to do away with all your worries and make memories that you will cherish throughout your life. The road trip will be overwhelming for both – you and your pet. However, it would help if you made specific additional arrangements to ensure an epic road trip experience. Since you are going to be in a car for many hours, it might get exhausting and uncomfortable for your dog to travel without any hassle.

Some pet travel tips will help make the road trip a good time for all. Here are seven ways to make your excursion protected and fun while you travel with your four-legged friend.

1. Check Up Your Dog’s Health

It is the essential thing that needs to be done before taking your dog on any trip. At times, pets that have had medical problems in the past are not best suited for road-trips. Healthy pets, too, require several things before going on the road trip. As per your destination of travel, your pet may require shots of additional immunizations. In such cases, the veterinary doctor you refer to can guide you on taking extra acre if need be. It is equally vital for you to ask your vet whether your dog is fit for traveling or not. If it is, buy anti-nausea or stress-reducing medicines that could be given to your dog if needed.

2. Find A Perfect Spot For Your Dog In The Car

When you travel with your pet in a car, a safe place should be assigned. Preferably the pet must be contained in a carton or a container that must be secured with a seat belt. To make the journey more comfortable for your little friend, you could put a Bobby Bed in the crate and help ease your pooch’s joints during the ride. If there’s room, you can also even keep its favorite toys, blanket, etc. in the container. It is also a safe option to make your dog lie down in the back seat. With this in mind, getting a toy to keep your dog occupied is the best option when wanting them to sit down for the entire trip. Investing in treat dispenser dog toys or toys that are long-lasting are both good options to keep your pup entertained on their travels. This way, your dog will sit tight and get to know his place in the car! The need to assign a place to your dog is to make him feel like he’s still home and safe. When the dog feels safe and comfortable, it will not get restless and irritated, and the road trip would be a smooth one.

3. Make Sure Your Pet Feels Safe While Travelling

It is essential for you to never leave your dog alone in the car while you’re out. This is primarily because the temperature conditions inside the vehicle can prove to be harmful to your pet. If you are not sure whether to leave your dog outside while having meals at a stopover, try to have food in a place that has a drive-through facility. This way, you’ll have your food without having to leave your dog outside or alone. Either stop by a drive-through facility on your route or get your food packed and have it in a park or where your dog can accompany you.

One more way to ensure its safety is to wear a collar and proper dog clothes with an ID. Make sure the ID has all your details like the address and a mobile phone number. This is to ensure that if the dog runs away or goes to a place where you are not around, someone might be able to contact you after reading the dog’s ID card.

4. Never Leave Your Dog Alone

You must take care of your dog like you would take care of a baby. The worst you can do is leave them alone at any point in the trip. Leaving them alone would risk not only their safety but their health too. It is not advisable to keep your car’s AC on because your dog might feel too cold if the actual temperature drops by a significant margin. Similarly, you must not step out of the car without leaving the car’s windows open as your dog might end up getting heat stroke. Therefore, it is essential to be with your dog and never leave your furry-friend alone for the best road-trip experience.

5. Take Regular Intervals and Breaks

Always allow extra travel time on road trips for frequent bathroom breaks. It is preferable to stop your car after every two to three hours and let your dog out. You know your dog’s routine better, so halting according to that would also be helpful. This would serve two purposes – first, your dog will be able to urinate, and second, the pet will get a chance to stretch the leg and take a short walk. You can step out of the car and pull yourself as it’ll help reduce your fatigue.

If the dog starts feeling restless, these breaks will help overcome such problems. During the breaks, remember to hydrate and have light snacks. Also, you would get a lot of time to click pictures amid picturesque spots with your travel buddy.

6. Practice For Long Distance Routes

You must go for such drives with your dog before the actual trip. Several pets are happy with riding around the town. Long outings can be a lot of fun, along with your little pet. One of the best techniques to ensure that you have a great trip with your little furry friend is to do some mock runs and jogs with him/her.

Take your dog on a more drawn out ride than a common one and make him practice sitting. If your dog is comfortable with venturing into the outside world, be happy, because he might just be ready for going on an actual trip with you. Moreover, you must monitor your pet’s behavior before taking your little four-legged baby on a long road trip.

7. Pack Enough Essential Supplies

You must pack an essentials kit for your dog when traveling by car. Their collar is vital as it is the only way for a stranger to identify them should they get separated from you. You can also get a flea collar for dogs which will help to keep fleas and ticks off them when they go running through long grass, meaning they won’t have to suffer any painful bites along the journey. Other items that you must pack for the trip are plenty of food and water, dog’s ID, favorite bites and toys, dog wipes, poop bags, blankets and beddings, and his container. You might not be able to find these items easily in the place where you are traveling. Pets appreciate the solace of home and feel protected with their guardians. Therefore, you must make them feel comfortable. You must also carry and pack any medicine that they might require, like nausea, stomach disorders, etc.

Conclusion

Preparation is the stepping stone of every trip. Plan your route, budget, playlist, accommodation, snacks, and medicines a day before the trip. If you make plans on the same day of travel, a lot of time would be wasted, and you won’t be able to reach your destination on time. Make sure you do as many things as possible and make your pets have the best time of their life. Also, make sure you keep all the mentioned tips in mind while planning. Also, remember to pack stuff of your dog’s preference.