Road tripping is something most of us do no matter if we love driving or it’s just a necessity. Sometimes we can ask a friend or a family member to watch our pets while we away but that is not always so. There are many times we have to hit the road and take our furry friend with us. Pets are not born to love backseat rides in our cars, so when it comes going for a long travel it is good to know some basics that will ease up the trip for both you and your pet.
First of all, if your pet is not used to travelling long distances it is good to do some prep work before actually hitting the road. Take your pet for a series of short rides gradually extending the ride time. This way your pet will familiarize itself with your car and get its first experience.
Letting your pet simply riding in the back of the car will most likely result in lots of hair and paw prints on the seats. It is best to prepare a special travelling crate that will make your pet feel safe at and actually be safe at in case of emergency braking for example. If your pet has never been inside a crate before you should first give it time to familiarize itself with the crate. Never put your pet into a crate by force. He/she should associate it with a sanctuary not a prison cell. Travelling crate would be the best choice, however if you have reasons for not buying one you can still make your friend feel safer and have your car protected by looking for a special hammock seat protector. You can find most of the gear you need in the major online pet stores like Petco.com or Petsmart.com but if your pet is a dog there’s one more store you may like which is Orvis.com It’s not exactly a pet store, rather a clothes store but it has a serious section for dogs with some high-end products to consider.
Before you leave home, you may find it useful to get pet emergency phone numbers of your destination to your cell phone and update your pet’s ID tag. You can include not only your home address and phone number but also the such for your destination.
During a ride many pets may feel carsick, so it is better to feed it about 3 hours prior to departure. Don’t feed your pet when your car is in motion. Make sure you take drinking water with you, as water from a new place may cause an undesired stomach reaction that you don’t want in the car. Also make sure you take paper towels, food, bowl, leash, a waste scoop, plastic bags, grooming supplies, medication and a pet first-aid kit. Taking your friend’s favorite toy is also a good idea at it will give him/her a sense of familiarity and lower the stress. Travelling with a dog don’t let him stick his head out of the window. At least not too much because there is a risk of being hit with some flying objects. Remember about that.
Travelling across states it would be a good idea to bring along your pet’s rabies vaccination record and other medical papers – some states may require that. Never-ever leave your pet in a parked car for long. On a sunny summer day your car can become a real furnace in no time what would be serious threat for your pet. Similarly, in winter your car can acts as a locked refrigerator and that is why you should never leave your friend locked in a car for longer than a moment.
So, If you take your trip seriously and do the prep work your trip may become a great experience for both you and your furry friend. All the gear can be found in the pet stores: wag.com, petco.com, petsmart.com onlynaturalpet.com and for dog owners orvis.com