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I love taking my dog with me wherever I can. He loves it too, he’s a very social boy. As soon as he sees me going for the car keys he is at the door waiting to see where our next adventure will take us. His favorite adventures, of course, include the pet store and the park. When my dog is travelling with me in the car, I want to make sure that he is safe at all times. safely travelling with your dog is very simple if you use one of our suggested options.
Why Should You Secure Your Dog When Travelling In Your Car?
To prevent the driver from being distracted
A loose dog in the car can be very distracting for the driver. He may paw at or lick the driver to get some attention. Some dogs may move around a lot and try to get in the front seat next to the driver. He could get in to things that are in the car, groceries for example. Or he may start barking at people or dogs that he sees out the window. He could get sick in the car. There are so many things that could happen that could be very distracting for the driver. It only takes a second of being distracted to cause an accident.
For safety in case of an accident
In many places now it is the law for people to be securely seat belted in a car when travelling. This is done to keep people safe in case of an accident. So, if we need protection in case of an accident shouldn’t our dogs need some sort of protection too? If your dog is loose in the car during an accident he has no protection. During the impact he could end up banging in to the windshield hurting himself or could even end up hurting another passenger in the car.
If your dog is unrestrained in the car, he could find rescue workers a threat. He may not let them in the car to rescue his people and could end up biting someone out of fear. Even the gentlest dog can become protective in a high stress situation such as an accident, especially if he gets hurt himself.
Your dog could escape the vehicle if there were an accident. The trauma from the accident could make it very hard to catch your dog if he were to get out of the car. If the accident happened on a busy road there would be a threat of him getting hit by a car.
Options For Safely Travelling With Your Dog
Crate Your Dog
My dog travels in a crate, for me it is the best option. But what crate should you use? The most common type of crate that you see dogs travel in is the plastic crates. They come in many styles and sizes. I would recommend choosing airline approved crates as they tend to be sturdier than some of the others.
I am all for the convenience of wire crates but I do not use them in my car. Wire crates can bend and actually hurt your dog in the case of an accident.
There are some very sturdy metal crates now that are crash tested. They would be the safest way for your pet to travel. Most of these crates would be for people who can put the crate in the car and leave it there.
Crates should be secured in your car so that they stay in place in case of sudden stops or an accident.
Use A Dog Seat Belt
Sometimes a crate just isn’t doable. Maybe your dog is too large and you can’t fit a crate big enough in your vehicle. A seat belt specifically designed for dogs can keep your dog from flying around in the case of an accident. The downfall of a seat belt is that it won’t protect your dog from objects in your car during an accident. The seat belt attaches to a dog harness and then clips in to the seat belt buckle itself.
Use A Car Barrier
A car barrier is designed to keep your dog in either the backseat or cargo area of your vehicle. This prevents your dog from trying to get in the front seat with you and distracting you while you are driving. The barrier can be adjusted or removed when needed and most barriers are designed to fit either a car or an SUV.
There are several options for keeping your dog safe while travelling in the car. It is important to get your dog used to travelling with you even as a young puppy so that he knows how to properly behave in the car. This will also prevent him from being stressed in the car when he needs to go with you.
Related Post: 4 Tips For Keeping Your Dog Healthy This Summer
If you have any tips for safely travelling with your dog, share them in the comments below.
