Thursday, May 19, 2011

Giving Your Dog a Lift? Advice For Transporting Your Pooch

By Geoff Smith


Every once in awhile, you need to give your dog a ride. Before you get behind the wheel with a hound on board, know that there is a list of safety guidelines you should keep in mind. It doesn't matter if you will be travelling intercity for a holiday, or just driving him to his health checkup at the local vet.

Point one, 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 car 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.

Riding a car can also be tedious process for any pet, so it is up to you to offer some creature comforts. There should be enough area for the pooch to spread out his limbs, and you might need to consider a larger transport and look for large car reviews if you got yourself a sizeable hound. Try and ease his travel anxiety by bringing along his most prized trinket or cloth. Ideally you don't want to have to regularly turn around to calm him down, as this can be dangerous for your driving.

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. During a considerably long trip, pull over every 2 to 3 hours to let the dogs out and relief themselves. Some dogs will also be naturally inclined to get car sick no matter what you do, in that case you will need to get some appropriate sedatives like Dramamine from your vet.

Whenever you will be expected to drive him somewhere afar, give the dog a smaller meal on the evening prior to the journey, and refrain from giving him any food shortly before he get on the vehicle. Doing so can ensure minimum amounts of contents in his stomach, and the travelling motions can often induce him to vomit. When using treats in the car, 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.

If car travel will become a regular occurrence for your canine, you might be interested in searching for some dog seat harness, some of which are constructed to work directly with your car's seat belts. Using a specialised dog seat belt no only keeps him still, but it can also keep him alive if you have an unfortunate vehicle accident.




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