Wednesday, May 18, 2011

How to Safely Drive Your Dog Around

By James Handley


Every so often we have to take Man's best friend out for a ride. Whether it is a trip to the stores, visiting that large reservation to let him run around, or dropping by the good vet, you need to consider the a set of smart protocols so that you and your dog can reach the destination safely.

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.

Dogs are not born for riding vehicles so you need to provide him with the necessary comforts. Your dog should have enough personal space to stretch his legs if he wants to, and it doesn't have to involve an SUV or truck like a Ford Explorer. His boredom of the journey can also be reduced if you provide him with his most cherished toys and blanket. Whether or not music also helps depends on individual dogs.

Care must be taken to prevent car sickness in your dogs. Disorientation may be mitigated if the dog can be taught to look at the windscreen view. If you will be on the road for a long time, 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.

If you will taking your dog on a long distance cruise, make sure that he will be having an extra light dinner on the night before the expedition. He is also to receive no food whatsoever within the hour prior to getting in the car, and if you have to feed him while the car is moving, do so very infrequently. This should minimise the probability of puking.

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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