5 Tips For Bringing Your Pet On A Family Road Trip – For many people, autumn is the perfect time of year to hit the road for a family road trip. If you have pets, deciding whether to bring your pooch along for the ride can be a difficult decision to make.
Some dogs prefer routine and home comforts, so disrupting their lives by taking them on the road can be very distressing for everyone involved.
If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, the thought of leaving them at home or with a professional pet sitter might be difficult to handle.
If you’ve decided that your pet will be happy coming along for the ride, there are a few key things you will need to remember to make your family road trip as smooth as possible.
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Plan, plan, and plan some more
If you have children, you will already know that taking a road trip requires intricate planning, and bringing your dog along will only call for even more planning.
From scheduling the right number of rest stops to ensuring that your chosen hotels, guest houses or campsites allow pets, the planning requirements will be seemingly endless.
Get your pet used to the car
If your dog is only used to taking short trips to the vet or dog groomer, you might want to build up their time in the car slowly.
Some dogs love being in the car, while others will be slightly more hesitant. In the weeks running up to the big family road trip, spend some time driving your pet around and gradually increase the time they spend in the car.
Keep an eye on signs of travel sickness as a vet will be able to prescribe doggy Dramamine if this becomes a problem.
Be prepared for anything
If you are taking your dog on a long walk in an unfamiliar place, you will need to be prepared for new situations to arise. Dogs can easily run into trouble with local flora and fauna.
Keep your pet on a lead when walking in national parks and trails to stop them from bothering local wildlife. Dogs can be easily spooked and run away, even if they are usually well behaved.
Make sure your pet is fitted with a pet microchip and that their details are up-to-date so that anyone scanning them with a microchip scanner will be able to pull up your contact details.
Safety first
Just like humans, dogs should always be safely secured in the car. If they spend their time in the boot of the car, make sure there are bars fitted to prevent them from accessing the main car. And if they sit in the back seat, make sure they are fitted with a harness and specialist seat belt.
This is as much for the rest of the passenger’s safety, as a dog can easily cause a distraction if they are able to jump around the car freely.
Make sure your pet has a comfy area to lie down, as a sleeping dog will be much easier to handle when on the road.
Don’t forget his essentials
Just like humans, dogs have their essential items they will need when on the road. Don’t forget to take plenty of dog food, toys, bedding, dog shampoo and a pet first aid kit.
The first aid kit should include gauze, anti-bacterial solution, saline solution for irritated eyes, tick tweezers and bandages.
A travel-sized first-aid kit would be perfect, as you can keep it in the car and also take it out walking.
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