Road trip with a pet can be easier and safe

Travel with your buddy even better & safer!

Even when your buddy does travel well in the vehicle with you, this can go very badly without the proper equipment to keep them safe. A well-behaved dog who has always traveled well may one day catch the scent of something that he impulsively wants to chase. This is an instinct that they sometimes cannot control. They can still enjoy the trip with the proper containment to prevent them from jumping or falling out of a window.

I have rescued dogs that have jumped from cars that were injured, limping, hurting, lost, confused. It is a very upsetting situation. The driver may not know when or where they jumped out or how to find them. Let’s do things the safe way and prevent this situation from even happening. They can enjoy the travel just the same, but safer.

If they do not enjoy travel in a vehicle…

That is the case where you can put them in a safe container like a crate with a cover so they do not see the scenery flying past them. Maybe they can be transported more calmly this way or maybe it can prevent them from getting motion sick. Not all of us travel well. Sometimes a vet can prescribe something to help them travel with you better.

I have done better with the proper containment than with the medications… but I have used both. For me, my cats always travel best in crates.

This can be easily seat belted in a vehicle or carried like a backpack

Bubble window backpack style design that can lock into seat belts, waterproof, easy clean, lightweight, with vent holes, and many color choices. Great size carrier for travel with small dogs, cats, puppies and kittens.

This is a hammock style design that can help in your vehicle

What a handy item! It contains dog hair and dirt really well. The material provides traction and the design makes sure that they won’t be falling down into the foot area below. It can be put in the back seat or the hatchback area of the car. In addition, it is adaptable for a passenger to sit beside the dog in the back as well.

Waterproof and easy to clean, nonslip surface. The design of side flaps not only can protect your car door from scratch or mud, but also make it easier for your dog to get in or out of car. 56” L x 53” W standard size or 59” L x 63” W for XL size that will cover most backseats of STANDARD cars, trucks or SUVs. Mesh window allows air circulation and easy view in front.

A gentle barrier to separate your pet in the back seat of your vehicle and keep things safe

Solvit Front Seat Net Pet Barrier
This is an inexpensive solution to pets that insist on climbing up front in the car to be with you. This can be dangerous and distracting for the driver. It is less safe for the pet in the front seat too.
3.4 out of 5 stars for over 500 reviews

Harness and seat belt leash fastener for your dog to have a safety harness – BEST transport solution

The best travel restraint in the back seat in my opinion is a design with a harness for the torso of your dog and a leash to anchor them to a seat belt. This will fit to your dog properly, spread out the force of this harness and belt attachment when needed, and provide peace of mind that your dog is safe traveling with you.

This is a combination that allows you to have a tether and safe harness, but the pet can still be at the window enjoying the wind on their face if that is what they enjoy. When you have the leash set for the proper length, it only takes a second to clip and buckle this into the lock… just like you do with your own seat belt harness. Snap in quickly to go and travel light on equipment.

Harness and car buckle locking lead combination

These have nice harnesses that distribute force well and a lead that anchors to a vehicle seat belt buckle locking mechanism. Just like you, spreading a harness over the torso is the safe way to go. This is equivalent to what the car industry does for our safety. Please don’t have a set up where they are at the end of a collar and leash for stabilization in a car accident. This is for a walk in the park, not safe travel in a car.

small 11 – 33 lbs, medium 25 – 50 lbs, large dogs up to 75 lbs

Medium size fits dogs with 16 to 25-inch neck, 118 to 28-inch chest.

Large size fits dogs with 18 to 30-inch neck, 24 to 34-inch chest.

Seat belt leash fastener for a harness that you may already have and like

These are best sellers that are highly rated. They are both adjustable to the length that you need. You can set it so that they can look out the window, but go no farther. There are ones with a design to collar the head rest for an anchor to the dog collar, but I don’t like anything about that design.

There are ones that are retractable in these leashes, but I don’t like those designs either. They will not recess away when not in use and I value the strength and rigidity needed to perform this task well.

Here is something helpful for another travel issue for some pets… a lift harness

As they get older, our pets may need some assistance. There are harnesses that have a strap to make it easy to lift your dog so that they can get up into your vehicle easier. Maybe they have compromised mobility, maybe they are dealing with arthritis. This can make it comfortable and easy for you to give them just the right amount of assist for what they need to do.

Coodeo Dog Pet Support & Rehabilitation Sling Lift Adjustable Vest Breathable Straps for Old, Disabled, Joint Injuries, Arthritis, Loss of Stability Dogs Walk.

This one is the large, but you can also order this in extra-small, small, middle (medium), x-large, and xx-large here too.

Coodeo Dog Full Body Support & Recovery Sling, Pet Rehabilitation Lifts Vest Adjustable Breathable Straps for Old, Disabled, Joint Injuries, Arthritis, Paralysis Dogs Walk

This one is medium, but you can also order this in small, large, x-large, and xx-large here too.

DOG CRATES

These are so wonderful to have and easy to fold and store!

I highly recommend getting one that is bigger than your dog. If they have to stay in there for transport or temporary containment, whatever, it is so much kinder for them to have room to move around. These are all very nice and very affordable crates.

I got the 42 inch for my large dog… When we made a very big move across the country… It was set it up in the back of the moving truck behind our stuff next to the door. We put 2 cats in there with their food, and cat litter and a night light. That is the best we could have moved them.

MidWest iCrate Folding Metal Crate
30 inch size

25 to 40 lb dogs

MidWest iCrate Folding Metal Crate
36 inch size

40 to 70 lb dogs

MidWest iCrate Folding Metal Crate
This is the one that I have! 42 inch size

70 to 90 lb dogs

MidWest iCrate Folding Metal Crate
X-Large – 48 inch

90 to 110 lb dogs