TOP 3 TRAVELLING WITH DOGS TIPS
Travelling with dogs can be difficult - especially if yours is quite anxious/nervous or gets car sick.
Bellow we've written our top 3 tips in the hopes that it may help offer a better experience for you and your pooch when travelling.
But most importantly , whatever you do - please ensure your pet is buckled in and safe incase of accidents.
TOP TIP 1:
little and often
TOP TIP 2:
Listen to your dog, read the signals and adjust to make sure they're comfortable.
TOP TIP 3:
THINK ABOUT FEEDING TIMES
other tips
• Makesure water and treats are accessible
• Crack a window for fresh air flow
• Don't have the music too loud - they have more sensitive ears than we do
TOP TIP 1:
little and often
The best advice we can offer is to start off gradually.. small short trips, often, and build up to longer ones.
Just to the end of the street and back is a great starting point, then around the block, to the fish and chip shop - that sort of thing once or twice a week. Then build up to a nice park - their favourite if they have one - and spend a lot of time there enjoying it together, lots of sniffs and again with the treats to get back inside the vehicle.
If your pooch has had a bad experience, and backs away from the van and refusing to get in - try leading them out with biscuits and treats, entice them in but don't drive anywhere. Do this a few times over a few weeks and they'll soon start to associate the van with nice pleasurable experiences again and then you can start to build up the distance.
TOP TIP 2:
Listen to your dog, read the signals and adjust to make sure they're comfortable
We had a van before we had Wander - so she's grown up with it which always makes things easier. But over the years we've definitely learnt what she likes and doesn't like when it comes to travelling in vehicles.
For example, when she was young/smaller she was crated, on not slip mats and packed in around our stuff to ensure she wouldn't slide around and we never had any issues, good as gold, slept most of the way, even up to Scotland - quite as mouse and always happy to go back in after a stop.
When she outgrew the crate we tried her on the back seat, safety buckled in – always make sure they are fastened in incase of an emergency stop! – with a cushion, but quickly learnt that she didn't feel 'safe' unless there was a lot of 'stuff' piled up in front of her, and bought her a new bed that had sides which helped. And occasionally she's sit upfront with us if we were driving solo.
When we got the new van we could sit three up front but there was a lot more space between the seat and the dash which made her nervous so bought her a little basket seat to sit in - which seems to have worked a treat in reassuring her.
Some dogs can't settle unless they can see out a window and others don't like to see where they're going.. so just watch, and learn and try and read what makes your dog happy, there are so many accessories available now too from booster seats, to crates, to baskets they key is finding out which is right for them.
Bellow are some pictures of what we have done and trialled over the years... and again I re iterate the most important thing is ensuring they are safe.
Below is wander's new seat - as you can see she still faces the wrong way and hides on motorways and ducks for bridges etc - but she is getting loads better.
TOP TIP 3:
THINK ABOUT FEEDING TIMES
If you're on a long trip - try spreading the feeding out - travelling on a bumpy road after your dogs just wolfed down their dinner in 3seconds flat is not a great idea
other tips
• Makesure water and treats are accessible
• Crack a window for fresh air flow
• Don't have the music too loud - they have more sensitive ears than we do
Tips on travelling with dogs in hot weather can be found here
And general camping with dogs tips and tricks
here
Written by Trish
