Safer Trips with a Dog Car Seat

A dog car seat can make car rides safer for both you and your dog by confining your pet to a safe space, keeping it off your lap and avoiding danger in case of an accident.

cute small jack russell dog in a car wearing a safe harness and seat belt. Ready to travel. Traveling with pets concept

Dogs can be an problematic distraction when you’re driving. Dogs who aren’t well-behaved can distract you by barking out the window or jumping on your lap while you’re driving.

Even well-behaved dogs should be secured in a dog car seat when riding in the car with you because airbags can cause serious injury to your dog just as they can to a young child.

Another life-threatening concern is that your dog might fly right through the windshield if it’s sitting on your lap or standing on your front seat. Securing your dog in one of these seats protects it from the impact of a crash, and keeps it from distracting you while you’re driving.

An unrestrained dog can become a deadly projectile in the event of an impact, potentially causing injury to you, your dog and any other persons riding in the vehicle.

Another concern is that in the event of a serious accident, your dog may escape from your car and run away in fear; even worse would be if your dog became violent trying to protect you from emergency personnel who may need to act quickly to save your life.

For safer trips with a dog car seat, be sure to choose the appropriate size for your dog. The seat can be used as a booster seat in the front, raised high enough to allow your dog to see out the window easily, or if you wish, it can be secured in the back seat.

There are also varieties of car seats that attach to your car’s middle console in the front or back seat. Most of these models are available only for small dogs, but it is possible to find dog car seats that can hold a large dog.

If your dog isn’t comfortable being fastened into a dog car seat, you can buy special harnesses to secure it when traveling. These harnesses attach to the seat belts in your back seat and allow your dog limited freedom to roam around the back seat while the car is moving. Harnesses are available for all sizes of dogs.

You can also purchase nets and gates that will block your dog in the back seat and are available for sedans and SUV’s. Although these products won’t protect your dog in the event of an impact, they will prevent a dog from flying through the windshield.

No matter which method you use protect your dog when driving, please have a safer trip with your pet safely ensconced in a dog car seat. Car seats, safety nets and seatbelts are available at all local pet stores.

 

Car Sickness in Dogs

Many dogs, regardless of breed, can experience carsickness on either short or long trips because they are not able to adjust to the shifting movements and varying speed of your vehicle when riding in your car or truck. Sometimes even a smooth ride on a relatively calm auto trip can upset a dog’s delicate digestive system.

Car (or motion) sickness is caused by an over-stimulation of a dog’s inner ear and it can make a dog feel miserable. But did you know that stress can also make a dog carsick because many dogs associate car travel with an embedded memory, like an unpleasant trip to the vet or being left at a kennel overnight or for a longer period of time where they experienced separation anxiety. Also, if a dog is young and has ever been frightened by a noisy truck or car, he may become stressed when experiencing the same situation while traveling in your vehicle.

The most obvious symptom of car or motion sickness is vomiting. Your dog may also pant more rapidly than usual, salivate, or pace nervously by your car before you even load him into it. If your dog exhibits behavior like this before you even start the engine, it’s likely he’s not going to enjoy the ride and there’s a good chance he’ll get carsick.

Most dogs eventually outgrow motion-induced carsickness, but if you find that your pet is still having a particularly hard time traveling in your car, try using a natural supplement such as Calming Soft Chews from DogsHealth.com. These specially formulated chews have high potency natural ingredients that are properly formulated for optimal results. These chews will help your dog relax whether traveling or staying at home. Calming Soft Chews help with separation anxiety, nervousness, and pacing. They are a safer solution than over-the-counter products that can cause drowsiness in your pet.

You can also prepare your dog for traveling by car if you do not give him any food or water just before you leave on a trip. A dog will travel better if you give him just half or a fourth of his usual serving of food before you leave. Make plenty of rest stops if you notice your dog exhibiting any of the signs of car sickness. You may need to stop occasionally and take him on a short walk, or a little longer walk if he seems unusually stressed. This will give him an opportunity to walk off the stress.

If you have found other useful ways to handle car sickness in your dog, please feel free to share that with our other readers. They would appreciate it.