Wednesday, May 18, 2011

How to Safely Drive Your Dog Around

By Michael Lincoln


Every so often we have to take our canine companion out for a ride. Whether it is a trip to the stores, visiting that large reservation to let him run around, or even to a veterinarian checkup, you will want to follow the a set of smart protocols so that everyone in the car can reach the destination in one piece.

To start off, teach your dog to remain in the back seat whenever he is inside the vehicle. Doing so will lessen the probability of him disrupting your driving, and this can potentially force you to make a insurance claim. When your dog is situated at the right position, get him to stay put by asserting the command whenever he tries to wiggle his way out. Time and persistence will persevere.

You will also want to keep him comfortable. Ensure the dog has adequate space to stretch a bit every once in a while, which some vehicles like the Ford Escape is more up for the task. Try and minimise his boredom by loading some of his favourite snacks, toys, or that towel he enjoys sleeping on.

Remember, it is not uncommon for dogs to get car sick. Disorientation may be mitigated if the dog can be taught to look at the windscreen view. If you will be on the road for a long time, pull over every 2 to 3 hours to let the dogs out and relief themselves. For certain dogs it might seem as if they are just born get sick in a moving car, in that case the vet should be able to help you with some safe sedatives for your dog.

Another note if you are going on a long distance road trip, give the dog a smaller meal on the night before the trip, and do not feed him anything right before he get on the vehicle. Doing so can ensure minimum amounts of contents in his stomach, which can easily be disturbed when he is in a moving vehicle. If you have to settle him down with a snack, do so very sparingly.

Ventilation is also very important, given that a dog is typically more sensitive to heat than human beings. It is quite possible for the temperature inside a car to rise up to twenty degrees above the exterior temperature. This can seriously endanger kids and pets alike. Maintain a decent air flow by pulling down the windows, without leaving a gap large enough for the dog to leap out, of course.

As a bonus, look up for pet safety harness and seat belts both in pet supplies shops and websites. Many of these apparatus are built to work with the car's seat belts. A dog seat belt not only provides the most compatible on board restraint for your animal, it also keeps him from addition injuries in an unforeseen collision.




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