How to Travel with Dogs in the Car

This is how you should take your dog in the car

Vacation travel approaches, and as every time this happens, questions arise about how to travel with dogs in the car. Traveling with a dog, a cat, a bird, fish or a hamster is much more common than it seems, although dogs are probably the most traveled animals aboard the vehicle. After all, they are the most faithful companion animals, so we should not be surprised if they want to accompany us on our trip.

And for the trip with our animal to come to fruition, there is nothing better than following some simple recommendations.

With dogs in the car, the trip starts long before

Before leaving on a trip, it is important to verify that the animal is in good condition. A visit to the veterinarian will allow us to know the status of the animal. In addition, if it is an animal that is usually dizzy, maybe the veterinarian can provide us with some type of medication to help him.

On the other hand, if you travel outside of country it is advisable to inquire about the possible requirements that may exist to enter or leave the country with a pet.

When it comes to preparing for the trip, it is important to bring water, food, toys and hygiene items. If we carry a suitcase, the dog also needs it. And this suitcase will be the one that will help you, too, to be more relaxed during the journey.

Inside the vehicle, the animals must be conveniently seated. Let’s not forget what the General Circulation Regulations say in the article most used in case of fines:

Article 18. Other obligations of the driver

1. The driver of a vehicle is obliged to maintain his own freedom of movement, the necessary field of vision and permanent attention to driving, guaranteeing his own safety, that of the rest of the occupants of the vehicle and that of the other users of the road. via. For these purposes, you must take special care to maintain the proper position and keep it the rest of the passengers, and the proper placement of objects or animals transported so there is no interference between the driver and any of them.

Then comes the whole part of the screens and mobiles, by pure addition to the original text, but the first thing that was written in that article spoke, precisely, to place people, objects and animals to avoid unnecessary risks.

Where to place the dog during the trip?

In case of a hard braking or a crash, the dog can hit and hurt himself, hurt the occupants of the car, or can even get projected out of the car. That is why it is essential that the travelling dog must be well located and subject to ample space and safety.

If we talk about small or medium dogs, the ideal place for them to travel in is a carrier. The best location for this is the floor of the car, behind the front seats. This location is the safest and it is also where less heat will pass during sunny hours. It is very important to bear in mind that, in the event of a crash, it can be dangerous for the carrier to be placed on the seats, even if we use the seat belt to tie it down.

Almost for any size of dog there are some special harnesses that are attached to the safety belt or directly to the seat. Those who only hold the dog by the collar are not very safe, nor for the animal, and if the harness has more than one anchor point, the dog will go more safely, move less and there will also be less risk of getting sick.

If we talk about large dogs, it is best to travel subjects inside the trunk, if this is large and has ample space. If possible, it is recommended to place a grid or separation network between the trunk and the area intended for people, and even between the trunk area that we placed the animal and the area where the suitcases are located.

In any case, it is advisable that the dog get used to that space in which it will be, surely, a few hours. It is important to let him explore that place a few days before the trip. In this way, it will not be so difficult to face the journey you have to make.

And that brings us to the next point.

Do not get tired of the trip; He would also get tired

Traveling by car is fun. For an animal, the journey on board a vehicle can be stressful. Traveling with dogs in the car is like that, and that’s why we have to foresee that our pet needs to rest, almost as much as drivers need it. Or even more, especially, if the dog is not used to traveling.

Take advantage of the stops we make every two hours or every 200 kilometers. They help not only to provide you rest as a driver, but so that the animal can stretch its legs as well. It is very important to hold it with the strap before opening the car door, or the dog may be tempted to go out and run without precaution and get run over.

Also in those moments you can give a little water, some biscuit, but not too much food, just in case the animal gets dizzy when you get back in the car.

What if we do not travel with a dog but with another animal?

If our pet is not a dog but a cats, hamsters or cockatoos, more or less the same recommendations apply. If the animal is small, it is advisable to be very attentive to the loss of water that may suffer during the journey. If we talk about a bird, obviously we will take it inside a cage if we do not want it to end up fluttering around the cabin.

In general, it is a series of tips for traveling by car with dogs, cats, birds or any other type of animal that, in the end, appeal to our common sense as human beings.