Does your canine pal love going for drives? If so, he’s not alone. Many dogs love adventures! However, there are some things to keep in mind when taking your pup out and about. A Raleigh, NC vet discusses driving with Fido in this article.
Crates
We always recommend keeping our furry buddies crated for travel. This is just much safer! Fido could easily knock into you while you’re driving, which is very dangerous. Your pooch could also step on the power control to your windows. Neither of these is good! If your dog rolls the window down, he could jump out. If he rolls it up, he could get caught between the window and frame, which is very dangerous. Crates also offer your cute pet protection in the case of an accident.
Barriers And Seat Belts
While crates are the best option, they aren’t the only choices. You can also get doggy barriers or seatbelts. Some of these will work better than others. Barriers won’t contain your pet, but they will keep him from jostling the driver. The issue with seatbelts is that many of them don’t let Fido move around very much. That isn’t very comfortable, especially on long trips. Plus, these products don’t offer much protection in accidents. Before purchasing them, ask your vet for advice and check reviews and consumer reports.
Breaks
Many pups love going on adventures. If you’re planning a road trip, make sure to put Fido’s comfort and safety first. When driving long distances, stop every few hours to let Fido relieve himself and stretch his legs. Before continuing on, give him some water, and perhaps a snack.
Safety
We can’t talk about driving with dogs without reiterating how dangerous it can be to leave your canine friend in the car by himself. (The exception would be if you have a Tesla, which has a pet feature.) Temperatures inside cars can reach deadly levels in just minutes! Leaving the car on, so the AC keeps running, isn’t necessarily a good answer. With some models, this could potentially increase the risk of your car being stolen. There’s also a chance that Fido could, as mentioned above, step on the window control, or even put the car in gear.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if ever we can be of assistance. As your Raleigh, NC veterinary clinic, we’re here to help!