Anyone else excited to travel to see family and friends again for the holidays this year? While some of us may choose to board our furry friends while we travel, lots of people like to pack up their bags, car and pup and go for a good old car trip to see loved ones. If you are one of those people, we’ve got some travel safety tips for you.

First, of course your dog is going to love to sniff all the smells coming in from the outside world as you cruise down the road. But, please, please don’t roll your window down more than an inch or maybe two. Why? Well, it will be cold. It is November after all. And secondly, you don’t want your window down so far that your dog could jump, or fall out of the window. And even a window rolled half-way down is enough space for your travel companion to get out. Sounds silly, I mean what dog would jump out the window of a moving car, right? Turns out quite a few. Dogs are curious and playful and if they see something cool outside that they want to check out, they may just jump up and go do that. So, please keep those windows up or at most, cracked open.

Next, please don’t leave your dog loose in the car. I know, it may be a long ride and it seems unfair to keep your buddy restrained the whole time, but that’s what pit stops are for! Leaving your dog loose in the car can be quite dangerous. What if your dog sees something and starts jumping around, maybe even up to the front seat? That could end in an actual disaster. And what if you need to swerve or stop short? You’ve basically got a furry missile in the back of your car. You, other passengers and your dog could get seriously hurt in this scenario. If your car doesn’t have the space for a crate, like those from Ruff Land Kennels, for your dog to safely travel in, consider buying a car harness, like the Kurgo tru-fit or impact harness, or the Sleepypod Clickit Sport, to keep your dog safe. They are like a seatbelt for our four-legged friends.

And lastly, if you don’t often take your dog in the car, it may be worth building up to that long drive to Grandma’s house with short rides, maybe just start around the block on street cleaning day and build up time and distance in the weeks before your big trip. This will help reduce both your dog’s stress and yours during your holiday travels. And as fun as the holidays are, they can also be stressful. So why not avoid one more stressful situation if you can?

If you have any questions, need more tips about traveling with your dog, or have training concerns, let us know. We’re here to help.

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