Car safety equipment for dogs

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Recently, we took a long vacation with our 80+lb Lab, Vance, and I’m sharing tips and tricks about travel with a pet. Today, I want to talk about the products that keep your dog restrained and safe when you take your dog on a road trip.

If you plan on doing any car travel with a dog, it’s crucial that you have a way to restrain your dog in the car. This way, you don’t have to worry about your dog jumping out of the car if a door is opened, about your dog climbing onto your lap and causing an accident, or about your dog getting unceremoniously dumped on the floor should you have to slam on the breaks. A dog safety belt can also help keep your dog safe if you get into a car accident.

The Easy Rider Car Harness is a great price and has some extra padding to make it a bit more comfortable.

The Kurgo Harness pairs nicely with the zip line (below) to let your dog move around in the car while still being safely secured.

The Kurgo Dog Zip Line Restraint lets your dog walk back and forth on the back seat so that he can get comfortable. That’s perfect for long car rides if you have a dog who gets a little restless and likes to change positions. Vance likes to switch sides in the backseat from time to time so that he can check out what’s happening out each of the windows, and this gives him the freedom to do that while still keeping him restrained.

This Pet Lookout is great if you have a small dog who likes to be able to see out the windows. You’ll want to use it with a harness (instead of a collar) to keep your dog secured.

If your dog absolutely will not tolerate a car safety harness, you might want to pick up something like this backseat barrier which will at least prevent your dog from being able to climb into the front seat. It’s not as secure as a harness, but it might be helpful.

Do you use a vehicle dog harness during car travel with your dog? What kind?


Is a Dog Ranch right for your dog?

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I’ve gotten a few emails from readers about my series on travel with a pet wanting to know what I think of boarding your dog at a dog ranch.

I think it’s a great idea! A dog ranch tends to be set up for long-term boarding and it’s much more dog-friendly than caged kennels. Often, they’ll have lots of play time during the day for your dog. That helps your dog get plenty of exercise and have lots of fun while you’re away. Plus, by ensuring your dog has plenty of activity during the day, he’s more likely to sleep comfortably through the night (instead of missing you terribly).

A dog ranch is essentially like preschool–dogs learn some, hang out with their peers some, and nap some. When the dog ranch is good (and do make sure to check references), it’s a safe, comfortable place for your dog to hang out while you enjoy your vacation or business trip.

Another nice thing about a dog ranch is that they very often are on large pieces of property which means if you have a dog who likes to run that there’ll be plenty of room for him to stretch his legs. They also tend to be far away from busy highways and well fenced so that your dog will be safer there.

Of course, we loved having our dog with us on our recent vacation, but if you’d rather not (or can’t) take a dog with you when you travel, a dog ranch can be a perfect place to board a dog while you’re away.


Dog allergies when you’re on the road

Filed under: Healthy Dog, Travel with a Pet | Comments Off on Dog allergies when you’re on the road

I’ve been talking about our vacation over the last few posts, sharing my tips for car travel with dog, travel with a pet and pet friendly hotels. But, today I want to talk about something a little more personal.

Vance has really severe allergies. I’ve talked about his dog allergies before but on the road they take on a whole new meaning. We have to keep his diet limited to foods he won’t have an allergic reaction to, plus he has reactions to ant bites and bee stings.

So, all of that means we have to be really prepared when we take him on a trip. We have to make sure we take plenty of dog food, and that we have his antihistamines. I always check in with the vet about where we’re headed to make sure there’s not some other preparation we need to make.

Dog allergies when you travel with a pet can be a real headache, but if you prepare in advance, they don’t have to put a damper on your vacation. So, stock up on all the elements you need for your pet first aid kit and make sure that you have everything you need to keep your dog safe, especially when you’re dealing with dog allergies.

Do you do anything in particular when you travel with an allergic dog? I’d love to hear about it!