Road trips are always a wonderful experience for anyone fond of traveling. All you need to do is get in the car, turn up the gas, and drive off anywhere you want. But what do you do if you’re traveling with your dog?
Aside from packing your canine companion’s favorite chew toy and blanket, is there anything else that you should bring? Don’t fret! To make it easy for you, here is a list of pointers that will make your trip a lot safer and enjoyable for you and your pet.
Bring a pet carrier
If you’re planning to bring your pet on a road trip, you need to make sure that you’re carrying a pet carrier along with it. No matter your pet’s size, it’ll always be better if you have a travel crate anywhere you go. Indeed, you’re a driver who ensures everyone’s safety when on the road. But in the course of an accident, you need to ensure that you tie the traveling crate down. You can either put it on the back seat or the floor.
The New York Times Magazine says that there are specially designed travel crates with seat belt guides that fit well into the carrier. But in case the one you have doesn’t have the same feature, you can always go with bungee cords or ropes.
Don’t put them on the front seat
Yes, having your fur baby with you in the front seat is probably the best feeling ever. But PetMD says that the front seat is not a place for an animal, even for your canine pal. So, even if he attended dog training, it’s best to put them inside the crate as often as possible. So, it means that there’s no holding your pet on the lap while you’re driving or on the passenger seat. Even if your dog is big enough to fit the side seat belt over him, it won’t guarantee his safety if ever there’s an accident. Keep in mind that the car has specially designed safety features meant for an adult-sized human body if there’s an accident. So, the results could be fatal for them.
Put your contact information in their collar
No one would want it to happen, but if you lose your beloved pet during a road trip, you’ll have better chances of finding him if he has your contact information in their collar.
Losing a pet during a trip isn’t unlikely to happen. That’s why you need to get prepared for everything that might occur. You can consider getting your canine companion microchipped or even tattooed to make it easier for others to know his owner.
Bring enough food and water
Traveling on the road is not exactly the best time to try new foods with your dog. Keep in mind that pets don’t have any training to holding it in until you arrive at the next rest stop. So, it would help if you made sure that your pet has already defecated before you travel. It’s also best to bring enough food and treats with you as soon as it’s your pet’s time to eat. Remember to bring collapsible pet bowls so you won’t have any problems feeding your pet. Since it’s foldable, you can easily stash them in the corner and then fill them for the next rest stop.
The same principle applies to your favorite feline pets. So, if you’re planning to bring your fur baby with you on your next tour, ensure that you have everything ready for him so that he’ll stay comfortable all through the trip.
