6 Tips to prepare your dog for a road trip
We all love our pets, don't we? These 4 legged creatures are treated no less than our own kin. So when it comes to travelling on a vacation why leave a portion of your family behind? Although it takes a lot of perseverance and practice, if certain things are considered, it is not difficult to take along your pet for a road trip. Listed below are some key things to keep in mind while preparing your pet for a road trip.
1. Removing the carsicknessMake your pet comfortable with the car by taking him to short road trips around. Get him used to a doggy seat belt or a carrier and check for signs of motion sickness. It is also important to consult your vet and keep sickness and sedation medicines handy.
2. Classical conditioning
If your dog only sits in the car for the dreaded visit to the vet, take him to some recreational places like a park. Soon he will learn to associate getting into the car to go for something fun and look forward to sitting in it.
3. Bathroom training
Most dogs are not comfortable eliminating in unfamiliar places. So if you have a dog who is only comfortable at home, train him by taking him to bathroom at unfamiliar places. This is very essential as dogs cannot speak and won’t be able to convey how they feel. You won't even realize when the poor thing must be next to exploding because it doesn't feel right to go elsewhere.
4. Potty cue
Developing a potty cue is very important if you don't want your dog eliminating at unusual times. Condition him with a phrase like "Time to go" or something like this and when he's done reward him with something. This way he will associate timely elimination with something rewarding and even you will get him to do his business on your demand.
5. Pick the right hotel
Not every hotel is dog friendly. So make sure you book one in advance. You don't want to land up in a strange place at a strange hour hunting for a hotel which will accept your pet. Also, if you are making online reservations, don’t go by the website's word. Pick up the phone and make a call. Sit down properly and plan how and where you'll spend each night.
6. Carrying essentials
Lastly, carry some essentials to ease your pet in case he falls ill on the trip. Carry things like medical and vaccine records, pet tags with your cell phone number, toys, medicines, his utensils etc. Also develop a proper feeding time for your dog and feed him accordingly. Make sure to keep a lot of bottled water handy.
