by Jennifer Geitenbeek

Created on: November 23, 2010

Part of being a responsible dog owner is to take your dog to the veterinary clinic, or the grooming salon, or even to the dog park for socialisation. If dogs were not allowed to ride in cars, how are you supposed to do this?

We've all seen the dog in the passenger seat of a car, cruising down the highway with his head hanging out the window and his tongue lolling out the side. It's a look of sheer bliss for the dog, but it isn't necessarily safe.

There are many things on the market these days to ensure that your beloved pet is safe whilst travelling. Some of these things are:

Seat-belt Harness.

This harness is put on your dog, and then the seat-belt in your car goes through the harness. It secures your dog in place which does a couple of things. It stops your dog from becoming a projectile should you have to stop suddenly, or have an accident, and it also stops your dog from bouncing around your car as if he was a pent-up jack-in-the-box!

By being secured in one place, the dog is not distracting the driving from driving the car. He is not jumping all over other occupants of the car, and if small, he is not getting under the feet of the driver.

Crate.

Depending on the size of your dog, a crate may not be an option. If you have a medium or small dog, a crate can be a real asset during car trips. Some crates wedge really well behind the front seat of the car (with it sitting on the back seat) which secures it nicely. If you turn the crate sideways so that it is along the back seat of the car, most seat belts are long enough so that you can stretch it over the crate and secure it in place.

The added advantage to using a crate is that your dog can not rush out of the door when you stop the car to get out. The disadvantage to using a crate is that your dog may not have access to fresh air as easily as he would have if secured by a harness on the seat.

Cargo Barrier.

If your dog is large, a cargo barrier either behind the back seat in a station-wagon, or behind the front seat in a sedan may be the only way that you can travel with your dog safely. The point of the cargo barrier is to stop the dog from moving into the front of the car, either by choice, or by accident.

Something you should never do is allow your dog to roam around your car at will, or let him sleep up on the parcel shelf as you drive. Not only is it not safe for you, but it isn't safe for the dog, and I believe it is also illegal is some states.

When travelling with your dog, make sure that he has access to fresh air at all times, and no matter what the weather, do not leave him unattended in the car. Even on an overcast day, the temperature in a car can raise dramatically, causing distress (and even death) to your pet.

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