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Provided by Kurgo, 2018 Take Your Dog To Work Day® partner | May 18, 2018 

Are you planning a summer vacation this year? Do you plan to bring your dog? You are not alone.  According to a recent Kurgo Survey, over 88% of people plan to take their dogs on vacation this summer and over 87% will take that trip by car. A road trip is a great way for the whole family to connect as well as an up-close look at the country around you.

However, when traveling with a pet—whether for a summer road trip or simply a local drive around town—there are few precautions and preparations you need to take to make it safe, comfortable and fun for everyone. Here are some helpful tips from Kurgo, the leader in dog travel safety products.

[Note from PSI: 62% of PSI member businesses indicate they offer pet transportation. The tips below are important to keep in mind—whether you are transporting your dog or a client’s.]

1. Make Your Car Dog Ready.

We all make a little mess while road tripping whether it’s spilling our drink or losing a snack wrapper in the seat crack. Dogs do too. To protect your seats from dog fur and any mud they might track in as well as to be prepared for easy clean up in case someone gets a little car sick, consider with a waterproof car seat cover or dog hammock. They are easy to install and create a cozy spot for your dog to ride along.

2. No Dogs in the Front Seat.

With an increasing number of distracted driving accidents, make sure your dog is not the cause of one. Nearly 30% of drivers admit to being distracted by their dog while driving (AAA/Kurgo Study).  Dogs just don’t belong in the front seat no matter how much they want to be close to you. They need to be in the back seat or cargo area in their own space so you can focus on driving and not on keeping your pet out of the steering wheel or off of your lap. By using Pet Barriers, which fit between the front two seats, you can gently keep your dog back where he belongs.

3. Everyone Buckle Up – Dogs Too!

You would never leave the driveway without buckling up your children, so why drive with a loose dog?

Uncontained dogs are dangerous – for you and them. An unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at 50 mph will exert roughly 500 pounds of force on anything it hits, while an unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert about 2,400 pounds of force. This can injure and even kill other humans in the car, not to mention injuring the dog too.

Your dog is also part of the family, right? So, they need to be buckled up for their own safety. If you use a crash-tested dog car harness, your dog is safely buckled up just like you.

4. Hydrate Often.

Dr. Susan O’Dell, Kurgo’s consulting veterinarian recommends stopping every hour or so for a potty break and a water break. Dogs tend to pant more in the car due to anxiety so always be sure to hydrate them. For convenience you should bring along water and a dog travel bowl. Throw a 2 gallon jug of water in your trunk and you will always have water handy.

5. Keep All Heads, Arms, Legs inside the Moving Vehicle.

Dogs should never be allowed to stick their head or body outside of a car window while the car is moving. “Even though dogs ‘like it,’ it simply isn’t worth the risk of your pet possibly being clipped by a passing vehicle, having debris kicked up into their eyes or exposing their lungs to exhaust pollution,” says. Dr. O’Dell.  By keeping your windows up, you also prevent your dog from hopping out when stopping at a new, exciting place.

6. Restrain Your Dog Before Opening the Door.

Hundreds of pets are lost or injured each year when they dart out of cars uncontrolled.  Before opening the door at a pit stop or new destination, make sure your dog is tethered so they cannot jump out and run off. A dog car harness attached to your car seat belt system will work, but you can also attach a leash to a fixed point in the vehicle and attach that to a harness. Never drive with a secured leash on a collar as you might choke your dog on a sudden stop.

7. Never Leave Your Dog Alone.

It should go without saying that a dog should never be left unattended in a car, regardless of the weather or the amount of time you’re gone.  The most obvious danger is heat, especially when considering that when the outside temperature is 70 degrees, the interior of the car can reach 89 degrees within 10 minutes and 104 degrees within 30 minutes. So, make sure you can include your dog in vacation activities or you have a back-up plan like a pet sitter that can make sure they have fun on vacation too.

For more tips, check out this Pet Travel Safety Tips Video.   

About Kurgo Products

Kurgo is dedicated to helping people get out and enjoy the world with their dogs. As the leading pet travel and outdoor products company, Kurgo makes everything from crash-tested dog harnesses for the car to car seat covers to outdoor gear like dog backpacks and booties. Go together.