Vacation time is finally here and many of us are planning where they will be headed this year. If you decide to go for an adventure by car and to take your dog friend with you as well, a bit of advice might come in handy on how to provide safety for the dog and how to make the journey as pleasant as possible for them.
It might not be as easy as it appears to be to provide safety for the dog and yourself when travelling by car. Not every harness is suitable for a car ride and not every transportation box. First, let’s see the basic rules of driving with a dog:
Therefore, it is safe both for you and your dog, if you put it either into the boot, or in the back seats in the right harness and secured with a seatbelt. What do the individual options involve?
If you decide to transport the dog in the trunk separated by bars or by a mesh (however, this isn’t suitable for larger dogs), you have to remember that no freely moving things are be inside. So you have to find a different space for your luggage or secure them carefully inside the trunk, so that they wouldn’t move in case of a possible impact and they wouldn’t hurt the dog. However, at the same time, there must be enough space left for the dog, so that it could lie down comfortably.
This type of transport is possibly the safest for the dog. Choosing the right box is, however, very important. It is necessary to choose it in such a way, so that it protects the dog upon impact. For this reason, it shouldn’t be plastic.
The Center Of Pet Safety tested several popular transportation carriers and boxes to establish their effectiveness in a car crash. In eight carrier models and four boxes they simulated a front impact at the speed of about 49 km/h (30 mph) using dog and cat figurines. And imagine, that only two carriers and one box passed the test. The other ones either didn’t hold the animal inside, or they didn’t stay fixed. You can see the test here. Here you will find a complete overview of the results of the carriers and here of the boxes.
According to the results, it seems, that not all the products intended for transportation are capable of securing the dog and its protection in case of an impact. Many producers claim that their products have undergone crash tests, but since there are no uniform testing standards, this claim might be misleading.
When choosing a box or a carrier, try to get as much information about the product or experience of other people as possible. Remember to choose the right size:
If you are going to transport the dog in the back seats, get them a safety harness that has a fortified chest belt. The regular one is not enough, it’s not constructed for this purpose and it might not have seams that are strong enough. It also won’t provide safety for you or your dog if you tie them with a regular leash in the car. The safety belt is fastened directly to the buckle of the seat belt and it’s from a material that’s strong enough for it to serve its purpose. The right setting of its length is also important. It should be sufficient for the dog to sit or lie down, but it shouldn’t be able to reach the front seats.
A suitable accessory is a special waterproof cover for the seats or car seats for smaller dogs.
How do you transport your darlings?
Have you ever watched your cat and asked yourself what it might be thinking? It sometimes seems that these furry friends enjoy situations in which you don’t know if they love your or want to claw your eyes out. They only sit and watch you from a...
These special dogs were bred and raised specifically for hunting of puffins and guillemots (water birds). For this reason, they have several very specific and for their purpose very practical physical deviations. For example, they have extremely...
They say there aren’t many activities as relaxing as fishing. And it’s no longer true that fishing is only for men. When my friend told me she takes her dog for fishing, I was really surprised. And I immediately had to question her about how it...
If you like small dogs, it will be easy for you to fall in love with pomeranians. Not only they look like teddy bears with a nice face and look, they will also impress you with their nature. They belong to sociable dog breeds rightfully. Besides their...
Living with dogs is such a natural thing for us dog lovers that we sometimes treat them more like people. We love them, we nurture them but we may sometimes care a bit too much and unintentionally harm our furry friends. Such cases include wrong fur...
Miniature pinscher is also called min pin or German pinscher. There is a great personality with a big heart inside its little body. It is a big warrior,sports dog and a tourist. Perfect sports for this breed are for example dog dancing or agility where...
Some animals are simply talented for water sports. Already as a puppy, Ricochet grabbed people’s attention for her confidence she jumped into sea waves with. Later on, she became a dog hero helping disabled and a role model for many enthusiasts who...
While in the wildlife, their diet depends on natural instincts, rodents kept by humans and other small animals require a regular and balanced diet. What should rodent’s diet include and what should it avoid? What food is dangerous/safe for it? And what...
If you wish to do sports with your dog, you should at first think about if it’s right for you pet, no matter if you want to do it for leisure or top-level. And not only from the point of view of your pet’s nature but also of its physical predispositions.
Have you ever discussed whether a cat or a dog is more intelligent with your friends? Reportedly, scientists already know the answer. In this article, I mention a few facts and observations from a recently published research paper on this topic.
Cats can handle a new human in your family very badly. They are more sensitive to the changes than dogs. Are you interested in what you can do to enjoy this time and not to deal with the problems with your cat?
Are you considering getting a rodent as your new pet but you are afraid it won’t be doing good with your dog under one roof? Don’t be afraid, dogs and rodents can do great together. It is important to teach your dog from an early age that other animals...
