How to Travel in The Car Safely With Your Pet

There are plenty of ways to keep your canine companion safe while travelling in the car, no matter their preferences. Whether they want to relax close to you in the back seat or they prefer the luxury of the space the boot has to offer, there’s something to suit everyone. 

You would never travel with a child without a well fitting car seat and your fur baby should be no different. A car seat is great for giving dogs who enjoy looking out the window the perfect little boost to get the best view.  

If you want your four legged friend to travel in style while still being nice and cosy, the Beddies Spencer Fleece Carry Bag Small is a versatile travel seat. It can be used in the car to help keep them secure and comfortable but also doubles as a bag, so the luxury doesn’t have to end there. You can take your pooch almost everywhere and anywhere safely and stylishly with the fleece bag, perfect for small dogs.  

If you’re off on a hike with your canine companion, a dog car harness is a quick and easy way to secure them in the car and can also be used to go on a walk. Harnesses like the Ancol Travel Exercise Harness Small can double as both a car restraint and walking gear. The attachment that connects to the harness to secure them in the car can easily be unclipped and swapped for a lead to help make your walks as seamless as possible. You won’t have to change them out of their car harness and into their walking harness if you don’t want to.  

If you already walk your pup on a harness, you don’t need to fork out for an extra travel one. One of the easiest ways you can secure them in the back seat is using a universal attachment like the Rufus & Rosie Seatbelt Restraint. All you need to do is clip it onto their harness and find the right attachment that fits into your seatbelt buckles. Once they’re buckled in, you can travel safely with them in the back seat.  

You might enjoy taking your pooch out for a nice long walk somewhere new, but after just one trip in the car, you might be brushing hair out of the seat for weeks. Not to mention if that walk is a soggy one that involves a swim, you’ll have a beautiful aroma of wet dog lingering in the seats and following you around even when your pup isn’t in the car. A car seat cover like the KONG Travel Waterproof Single Car Seat Cover can save you from the exhaustive task of getting fur, pawprints and the smell out of your car seats after you drive somewhere with your dog.  

A car seat cover that protects both your seats and your pup is the PetGear Rear Seat Hammock Cover. Not only will it keep your car fresh, but it protects them from falling forward into the footwell or slipping off the seat if you have to break sharply. It also works as a great barrier between the back and front seats so your pup can’t scratch at the back of your chair, and they stay safely in the rear of the car. You should still use a form of restraint when using a backseat hammock.  

If you want something a little more secure so that you can move in and out of the car when your beloved pet isn’t travelling with you, a crate can be helpful. They’re especially useful if your dog is already used to a crate in the house as it’s something familiar that can help them relax and settle in the car. When choosing a crate, you have two choices. A hard wire crate is a popular choice for car travel as the solid build adds protection, or you can choose a soft crate that is a little easier to move around.  

A wire crate like the Rufus & Rosie Dog Crate is super secure for travelling in the car. You can make it into a nice safe space with just a little extra like a Danish Design Fleece Crate Mat Black Small to make it nice and comfortable. You can even cover it with a blanket if your pup gets distressed travelling and does better if they can’t see. A soft crate like the Cheeko Easy Up Transporter Medium is a lightweight option that is great for dogs who are too wiggly to stay still in the back seat or move around so much they’re likely to get tangled in any kind of restraint.  

Dogs can be a distraction to you whilst you drive, no matter where they are, but if you want to travel with them in the boot, you have to find a way to keep them in there. Many leggy breeds can easily clamber from the boot to the backseat, which can be dangerous. With a dog guard for the car like the Streetwize Deluxe Head Rest Dog Guard you can be sure that your pooch will stay exactly where they should be. Don’t forget the Boot Mate Black, a removable boot mat that can be cleaned to save you from having to hoover out all of the hair they leave every time you want to go food shopping! As they get a little long in the tooth, you can get a dog car ramp to still be able to take them out on adventures without doing your back in trying to lift them in! 

Car sickness in dogs is often something that puppies develop, but if you don’t help them get over it with lots of positive, short journeys, they could continue to feel uneasy about travelling in the car. You can help your pet get used to travelling in the car and feeling less sick by securing them properly. A good restraint will stop them feeling off balance and help them to remain comfortable. Some pups prefer a car seat with sides that help them to feel contained or a crate where they can be covered and avoid seeing out the windows.  

You can also look into anti anxiety products that can help them to stress a little less, which can help them feel less sick. The Adaptil Calming Dog Collar contains all the benefits of a plug in but with pheromones that can go with them on car journeys to keep them soothed the whole time. You could also have someone they trust and love sit with them and cuddle them in the back seat while you drive or try the Thundershirt Anxiety Dog Coat. A Thundershirt is a compression coat that lets them feel like they’re getting a cuddle even when you can’t provide them with that comfort.  

For all of your travel essentials, visit us in store and online to find the perfect car travel for your pooch.