Happy National Puppy Day!
Happy National Puppy Day!
Traveling with your new puppy can be an exciting experience, but it can also be stressful. If you are planning a road trip with your pup, there are some things to consider beforehand.
What should you do before a long trip?
Puppies do not have the stamina of adult dogs, so make sure you give them plenty of time to rest.
If this is the first time you're planning on taking your puppy on a trip away, make sure to take a few practice trips before the big journey. Some puppies can get motion sickness very easily and a few short trips will help them adjust and get used to the car before their big trip away. To prevent motion sickness, don’t feed your puppy right before the trip, as this might cause them to feel worse.
If possible, plan the trip so that you leave early in the morning or late at night when traffic is lighter and there are fewer distractions for your dog. This will also help keep them calm during the trip.
Who let the dogs out?
A loose dog not only endangers your dog in the case of an accident, but it also distracts passengers. A crate or a pet carrier fastened with a seat belt is the safest method of travelling with your dog. Use a dog seat belt harness instead of a pet carrier if one is not available and make sure that it's secure in the rear seat to avoid air bag injury.
Try to stop every hour or so to let them stretch their legs, drink water and relieve themselves. It’s especially important that your dog has plenty of space to turn around, stand and walk around if they are in a crate.
When the weather starts to get warm, never leave your dog in the car. Luckily, some manufacturers such as Tesla have now introduced special features such as ‘Dog Mode’, which allows you to set a temperature in your car whilst your away. The feature also leaves a message on the screen which tells people passing by that your dog is safe and in a cool space. However, its best not to rely on this at all times.
Sounds and music
Switching the radio on in the car or playing our favourite music is something that most of us do automatically as soon as we step in the car. A 2017 study show that dogs (like humans) love to relax with music too. The study suggests that the two genres that keep dogs the most relaxed and less stressed are soft rock and reggae. Meanwhile, classical music is the best for calming down stressed pets.
Make sure not to play your music too loud though as puppies are much more sensitive to sounds than humans.
Treats
A car ride can be a scary experience for puppies so make sure you give your pup plenty of love and care, and plenty of treats!