How Secured is Your Dog in a Moving Vehicle?

Going for a car ride even it’s just around the block is a dream come true for every dog. Having been in this industry (handling dogs) for many years, I have yet to come across any one dog decline such opportunity. Of course, your dog must first get past the car sickness (if any) before he could appreciate the car ride—anticipating the fun time he will have once you reached that destination.

When traveling with my dogs or others, safety and comfort come first to me. Knowing my dogs are properly “confined” allows me to concentrate on my driving, and providing them comfort gives both of us the pleasure of enjoying our journey. So keep your dog secured in a carrier, or under control by a back-seat passenger. Here are some tips to keep in mind when traveling with your dogs.

8 Tips to Keep Your Dog Safe and Comfortable while Traveling in a Car

1. Small dogs should never be allowed loose in the vehicles as they can easily slip into inaccessible nooks or crannies. Can you imagine trying to focus on getting off safely the highway as your child wails loudly in the back seat that her puppy has crawled under your seat and can’t be reached? If you’re driving a SUV, this makes it easier for small dogs to do so without much effort. Boy, can they really crawl!
2. Large dog that cannot fit into carrier should either be well-trained enough to sit quietly on the back seat, or leashed and held onto firmly by a back seat passenger. They should not be allowed to claw at the driver”s arm, climb into the driver’s seat, or block the driver’s sight through the rear windscreen or windows. For medium sized dogs, try this Cozy Cabin Pet Car Seat.
3. Keep all small dogs securely in their carriers and don’t open the carrier until you reach your destination. If your small dog is well behaved, I’d recommend using Snoozer My Buddy Booster Pet Car Seat for 3 small dogs or Solvit Deluxe Booster Pet Car Seat for pampered small dogs who want maximum exposure!
4. If your dog in a carrier seems to need attention and leaps out of the carrier as your child checks on him, stop the car in a safe place and catch the dog first before you continue the journey. Do not keep driving on and meet with an accident when you find that in order to brake, you’ll first have to stomp on Fluffy who is clinging to the brake pedal! :wow:
5. Invest in car seats/belts specially designed for larger dogs. This will prevent the animal from being thrown around the vehicle in the event of an abrupt stop or accident.
6. If you don’t wish to invest in a pet car seat, avoid tying your dog by the neck to any part of the vehicle during a trip. If your dog is thrown forward during sudden braking or a collision, he may choke to death or have his neck broken.
7. If your dog is suffering from car sickness, stop the vehicle in a safe location and tend to him immediately. Do not be distracted and keep turning around to check on him. Remember your eyes should be on the road instead of checking on your dog constantly.
8. Never let the carrier or dog be positioned so that whenever you glance into the rear view mirror, all you see is a large pair of furry ears or a paw print carrier bag!

I can’t say for all countries but I’m positive that there is no law enforcement stating all dogs or pets must be safely secured in a moving vehicle. Does this mean the number of dog reported being killed in a car accident is insignificant to the number of young children involving in a car accident? Unfortunately, I don’t have the figure for you but my take on this is…why wait for the law to be imposed so that dog owners will take action.

You don’t have to go extravagant on pet car seat like the celebrities, any decent pet car seat or carrier will do just fine. It’s a small price to pay for a peace of mind.