Driving with Dogs; 10 Tips for Happy Hounds

Includes FREE Printable Packing List!

Our Continental Cavapoos are seasoned travellers. We’ve had Fur Babies in France, Dog on the Rhine, Dogs ‘n’ Dracula and Pups on Piste. Once, they traversed Austria, Italy and Slovenia in a single day!

In our chosen lifestyle, the journey is as much part of the experience as the arrival. We are, after all, on a road trip. But a vital ingredient to all happy travels is making sure that everyone’s experience is comfortable, safe and stress free.

Here are 10 essential tips that will help you to make sure that your adventures with your canine companions are safe, legal and enjoyable.

1. Get Your Dog Used to the Car

Our pups came from all over the UK and have been car travellers since the day they came into our lives. However, like some humans, some dogs can be fearful or get car sick. It pays dividends to get your pooch used to the car at as young an age as possible – and certainly acclimatise him well ahead of a long trip.

Start with short journeys that end somewhere fun; like the park, or the beach. If your pup won’t even get in the car, put food in the car and encourage him to hop in and out by himself (be patient – don’t lift or force him!) You could feed him in the car for a few weeks before your journey. This will reinforce that the car is nothing to worry about. A favourite blanket or toy will also make the environment of the car smell friendly and familiar.

Travel Sickness – Car sickness is clearly not a training issue, but here are some tips that might help:

• Your vet should be able to provide advice and perhaps medication to calm or suppress nausea.
• Most dogs find the scent of Lavender very calming
• Feed your dog an hour or more before travel
• Secure your dog facing forward in the car
• A crate can help prevent motion sickness as it reduces movement. If your dog is crate trained at home, he may also feel more secure being in a familiar environment

2. Prepare the Car

Waterproof seat covers or blankets mitigate against accidents, muddy footprints or hair. Retractable window shades keep all passengers comfortable in bright sunshine. A familiar-smelling blanket or toy will help to make your pup feel at home in the car. When ours were babies, we also took puppy pads (the cheapest and best were from Home Bargains) and Odor Kill, to clean and remove odour in case of any accidents.

3. Tire ‘em Out before a Trip – and After!

If we can give the puppy-people a good run before a journey, it helps them to chill and rest during the journey. However, as seasoned travellers, they now know the drill. As soon as the vehicle door is open, they leap eagerly in, snuggle down and sleep in the large, secure and comfy bed that we have built for them behind the seats in the van!

If possible, we also have an evening walk on arrival as a treat – and to burn off any excess steam!

4. Doggie Seat Belts & The Law

For yours, your pets’ and other road users’ safety, dogs should be restrained in the rear of the car. Never let your dog travel in the front seat of your car, as he could be killed or injured by the airbag.

Failure to restrain your dog can result in fines, points on your licence and may also invalidate your insurance.

But worse than that, if you don’t, a person or your pet could be killed or seriously injured in an accident. Being hit by a flying pet is just as dangerous in an accident as being hit by a flying human. Colliding with a windscreen at 70mph is not good therapy for a pet. Nor is being flung out of the vehicle into the road.

Rule 57 of the UK Highway Code states: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A Seatbelt Harness, Pet Carrier, Crate or Dog Guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”

Similar rules also apply abroad; in some countries you can be prosecuted under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals legislation as well as Road Traffic Law for driving with an unrestrained dog.

5. Hot Cars

We all know that dogs die in hot cars (and cold cars!) Don’t do it. Not even for 10 minutes. Not even with the window open.

Dogs can also be stolen from parked cars. It happened to a friend of ours.

In some places, it is illegal to leave a dog unattended in a car.

But do also have a care while driving. If your dog is restrained and can’t move freely, use window shades to make sure that they are not overheating or suffering with blinding sunshine shining in their eyes. Carry a large (5L) bottle of water so that you can cool them down rapidly in case they do overheat.

6. Water & Food

Make sure that clean, cool drinking water is always available on long journeys. We use a ‘Road Refresher’ non-spill water bowl, which is excellent not only in the car; it reduces slobber and prevents wet, spaniel ears when not travelling!

In Europe, we have never worried about the safety of drinking water, but as with humans, bottled water is advisable in countries where hygiene standards may not be quite so stringent.

We have food accessible if we are likely to be travelling during feeding-time or in case we get delayed, although we avoid feeding during a journey where possible. We never feed with the vehicle in motion.

In general; Full Tummies + Motion = Sick Fur Babies !

7. Frequent Stops

You know your own pets’ habits. With no pressing destination in mind, we generally plan to do our journeys in short hops, travelling for no more than a few hours per day. On longer trips, we stop every 3-4 hours for a short walk and to allow our dogs to relieve themselves.

• In France and other European countries, there are often many back-to-nature Aires or rest areas along the roads, as well as the more traditional motorway service stations.
• Driving with Dogs is an excellent resource for finding dog walks (and vets) close to motorway junctions, both at home and in France.
• Sniffspot lists private dog parks that can be rented by the hour.

Picking up poo doesn’t seem to be as popular abroad as it is in the UK, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be responsible. However, in Aires, watch where you step!

8. No Heads Out of the Window

You all saw what happened to Vyvyan in ‘The Young Ones’ when he stuck his head out of the train window (his head got knocked off. Click here to see the clip from the comedy classic!) Something could, however, have flown up and injured his eye and, as he was unrestrained, he could also have jumped or fallen out. Then he would have needed to pay a visit to the vet.

Even if he was restrained, it’s important to make sure Vyvyan can’t climb out of the window and be left hanging by his seat belt.

So. No heads out of the window!

9. Packing List

• Water & water bowl + a large water container to cool down hot dogs
• Food & food bowls
• Favourite Blanket and/or toy
• Crate, Pet Carrier, Seatbelt Harness, Dog Guard or other form of restraint
• Doggy Bed
• Collar & Lead – with up to date mobile number (possibly car reg.) on the ID tag
• Seat covers & window shades for the car
• Poo bags a’plenty + puppy pads & Odor Kill disinfectant if required
• Head torch & reflective doggie jacket or collar lights for night time pee runs
• Doggy First Aid Kit
• Prescription medication
• Muzzle
• Doggy coats
• Solid doggy shampoo & Towel (we use a plastic packing box as a bath!)
• Grooming kit (comb, scissors & nail clippers)
• Pet Passport/Animal Health Certificate & other medical documentation (originals, not copies)
• Vet’s details – your own vet & vet at destination

10. In Case of Emergency…

There is a school of thought that recommends leaving your dog’s lead on while in the car, so that he can be controlled easily in case of emergency. I am not so sure about this, since I would worry that if it caught on something, it could become entangled and if connected to the collar, present a strangling hazard.

Our dogs are small and wear a harness each to travel; in an emergency we could pick them up or restrain them by holding the harness. Really, you need to make your own call on this one.

Stickers are also available, which highlight to Emergency Services the number of dogs in the car in case of an accident.

I hope that these tips will ensure that you have safe and happy travels. You may also be interested in my related blogs about travelling at home and abroad with dogs, which you will find in The Wuff Guide to Travelling with Dogs 

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