Tips

Dog road trip travel advice from the American Kennel Association

By car

•Keep your dog comfortable. Bring along a favorite toy to make your dog feel secure. If it’s hot, open car windows to provide sufficient ventilation.

•Do not let your dog stick its head out the window; this may lead to eye or ear injuries. Also, do not let your dog travel in the back of an open pickup. Your dog could be injured in an accident.

•To help your dog prevent motion sickness, take several short car trips before your journey. Also, feed your dog lightly before the trip, about one-third the normal amount.

•Keep your dog cool in the car by putting icepacks in his crate. Make sure the crate is well-ventilated.

•Put a sunshade on your car windows.

•Bring fresh water and a bowl, and a tarp or tent so you can set up a shady spot when you stop. Keep a spray bottle filled with water to spritz on your dog to cool him down.

By RV

•A dog’s safety should not depend on the air conditioning and generator systems in an RV or motor home. These devices can malfunction, with tragic results. If you leave your dog in an RV with the generator running, check it often or have a neighbor monitor it. Some manufacturers have devices that will notify you if the generator should malfunction.

•Never leave an RV or motor home completely shut up, even if the generator and AC are running.

•Crack a window or door or run the exhaust fan.

•Never leave a dog unattended in a vehicle in the summer months. Heatstroke and death can occur within minutes in warm temperatures.

Source: www.aka.org