Road tripping with dogs can be tricky. When in front of the wheel, you’re responsible for all passengers, including your dog. A misbehaving pup can become the epicenter of the distraction. Some dogs feel anxious when it comes to car rides. Others cant settle and try to get into trouble. Make your dog feel calmer and prevent them from climbing over, and concentrate on driving knowing the dog isn’t chewing on a seatbelt and whatnot.

Crates

According to a number of safety tests for dog restraint systems, crates are known to be the safest alternative. If your car is large enough, a regular-sized crate can be placed and secured in the back area. There are different types of crates suitable for animal transportation, such as wire crates, plastic vari kennels, and airline kennels.

Wire crates are a popular and convenient option. However, the bars can be flexible and with some extra dedication, the dog can squeeze out of the wire crate. The crash tests have also proven that wire crates are likely to bend on impact.

Plastic vari kennels and airline kennels are made of solid plastic and are perfect for dog transportation. Unfortunately, the vari kennels cant fit into every car.

Restraint Systems

There is a variety of restraint systems for dogs, which are also pretty safe for car travel. This option is more suitable for smaller cars, where fitting a crate is not an option. Ideally, look for a restraint that buckles into a seatbelt, or some kind of permanent seat attachment. Make sure it comes with a back harness so that the dog won’t jerk forward when you suddenly hit the brakes.

Dog Seats

Small dogs can usually get away with any kind of elevated dog beds. Energetic puppies, however, can jump out of these beds or fall out of them.

The worst way to travel with dogs is to have them sit on the driver’s laps. In addition to being extremely distracting to the driver, the dog can end up hurt. Traveling with dogs becomes even more dangerous if windows are rolled down and the dog is half hanging out of the window. It’s not uncommon for dogs to climb out or fall out of the windows, even while driving, just because they saw something interesting or simply slipped.

People with dogs in the car are likely to get into an accident due to not paying attention and hitting breaks quickly. In that instance, the dog can fall out or even launch off the windshield. Dogs often become lost after car accidents – in many cases, dogs get scared and end up running away from the place of the accident.

Leaving the dog in a car

As the summer is almost here, warmer weather can get your car really hot really quickly. When its 70 degrees and sunny outside, it can take just a few minutes for your dog inside the car to overheat and get sick. Do not leave your dog in a car, unless it’s an absolute necessity. If you need to make a quick stop to get gas or groceries, make sure to park in a shade and keep the car running with the AC on. Lock the door and use the spare key to unlock the car. Don’t take more than 5-10 mins to run your errands while the dog is waiting in the car. Unexpected things can happen, AC might stop running or your car can run out of gas – technology can fail.

Take these tips into account next time you’re in a car with the dog. Remember, safety is #1 priority.