Puppy Travel

Slowly increase the length of your trips

Assuming all goes well, you simply go on longer or more frequent trips as your puppy’s confidence grows. Be slow and patient and you should soon start to make progress.

How to keep your puppy safe while travelling in the car

Dog car safety isn’t just about keeping your puppy protected; it’s about taking care of the driver and passengers too. Take time to train your puppy to be calm and quiet in the car so they don’t distract the driver or cause a nuisance to other people in the car.

Use a crate or a dog barrier

If your puppy is sitting in the foot well or boot, use a crate or dog barrier to keep them safely contained. If this isn’t possible and your only option is to have your puppy sitting on a car seat, make sure they’re wearing a harness. Harnesses are like dog seat belts; they come in different sizes and attach onto ordinary car safety belts. A harness can take a bit of getting used to so you might want to give it a trial run in the house first, giving your dog lots of praise for wearing it, before you use it for real on your journey.

Don’t let your puppy travel in the car with the head out the window

It might look like great fun, and probably is, but if you do it too much they could get an eye irritation or, worse, get injured by something you drive past. There’s also the risk that they could slip out of their harness and jump out of the window. It’s absolutely fine to open the window a little bit so your dog gets plenty of fresh air, and on hot days you can use a window guard that lets you open the window more without allowing your dog the chance to jump out.

Hot weather precaution

If the weather’s hot you can also buy shades that attach to the windows to prevent strong sunlight coming in. Both the window guards and the sunshades are great for when you’re moving but even with the windows down and the sunlight protected, cars can heat up very quickly. NEVER leave your dog in the car on warm days, even in the winter, as it can be fatal.

Include frequent breaks for long car journeys

If you’re going to be travelling with your dog over long distances, make a habit of stopping every couple of hours. You’ll probably both appreciate a toilet break, a drink of water and the chance to stretch your legs – just always ensure that your puppy is wearing their collar and ID in case they escape.

What to do if your puppy is anxious about car travel

If your puppy gets particularly nervous in the car ask your vet about using synthetic pheromones which are available in different formats – including dog bandanas! The scents are believed to be similar to the reassuring pheromones that mum will have emitted naturally when they were a puppy, so it should calm them down and keep them relaxed for around four hours.

Also try to provide them with some kind of familiarity in the car to make them less stressed, such as a favourite toy or a rug that smells like home. This is especially helpful for young puppies.

Car sickness in puppies

Car sickness in puppies is very common although some dogs do grow out of it. If your furry friend gets queasy in cars it makes sense to put down waterproof sheeting where they tend to sit or lie and always carry lots of paper towels and a cleaning spray in case they’re ill.

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A car sick puppy is an unhappy puppy – and no one wants that – so don’t travel when they’ve got a full stomach. It’s best to hold off feeding your dog for two to three hours before you travel as a precaution and always give your dog a walk just before you set off so they’re not anxious about having an accident. If car sickness becomes a frequent problem, ask your vet for their advice.

Remember to be patient and aim for gradual progress. Soon your puppy will become familiar with the car and know what to expect when they hear the door shut and the engine running – a great journey with a travel companion they love and plenty of off-key sing-alongs.