Motion-Sick Mutts

Something to keep in mind when traveling with your dog is carsickness. Your dog can get it! Start out with small trips that do not all end at the vets’, and get him accustomed to the motion of the car. Encourage him to lie down, and give him a toy to keep him occupied. (No food until you are POSITIVE he doesn’t get carsick. Even then, watch the food intake very carefully!) Ask your vet for more tips, and remember that whining and pacing are both signs of anxiety or sickness in a dog.  Anxiety can lead to your dogs’ sickness and not the motion!  Make sure your dog is used to cars before you set off on a roadtrip across the country.  

Roll down the windows a little bit, but remember that if a dog can fit their head out the window, they can probably fit the rest of them out as well (if they try hard enough, and some dogs will). One of my dogs is sensible, and would never jump. My other dog, on the other hand, has tried and tried and TRIED to jump out the car window. It’s all just so exciting to him!  Keep in mind that if your dog puts his head out the window he could easily be injured by flying debris or gravel (or this time of year, salt off the road).  No matter how much fun it is, it’s a no no.

Another thing to remember when traveling in a car with your dog is he needs to go potty, possibly more often than you do, depending on his age and how much he drank before going! After all, it wasn’t as though he KNEW he’d be in the car for three hours, so he drank that whole bowl of water he found so handily in the bathroom. Momma forgot to give him his water bowl this morning!  Give him plenty of time at each rest stop, and thank your lucky stars you trained him ‘go potty’!  I know it’s one of my favorite commands/reminders.

~By Brittany Welch