The Ultimate Guide to Traveling in Your Car with Your Dogs

Recently, I wrote a guide on how to take your dog with you on a long-distance plane trip. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of limitations to flying with dogs, including the fact that you can only fly with one in the cabin with you, and only if they're a small breed; larger dogs need to be flown separately, and for many people, that's just too much anxiety, too many hoops to jump through, and too much risk.

I don't blame you! Packing away your fur baby and sending them on a plane without you is hugely stressful, and that's even before you read the horror stories.

The simplest alternative is to drive with your dog or dogs to your destination. It's easy to say that, though, and it can often be a lot harder in practice. It's one thing to drive for an hour or so to visit family across the state, but it's a whole other issue if you're trying to manage a cross-country trip. So, whether you're moving for a job or just going on a vacation and needing to bring your pups, how can you do it the right way?

How to Train a Dog to Enjoy the Car

The first and largest hurdle is training your fur baby to enjoy a car ride. Some dogs love it, but others don't, and the last thing you need is a dog with anxiety, nervous energy, or fear huddled in the back, whining for dozens of hours of driving.

The key, as it so often is with dogs, is proper training. Dogs that have anxiety or fear in a car are either very young puppies who aren't used to the noise, motion, and new experience, or are dogs that have been conditioned to find car rides unpleasant. A dog that only ever goes in a car when they're being abandoned at a shelter or taken for an invasive procedure at the vet is a dog that will definitely not enjoy the car.

If your furry friend is fine with the car, you can skip this part entirely.

Step 1: Figure out how averse your pooch is to the car.

The first thing you need to do is determine how averse your dog is to the car in general. If they're fine with short rides but get anxious on longer rides, you have a much easier job ahead of you than if they won't even get near the car in the first place.

Step 2: Work on accommodation.

Your goal, no matter how averse they are to the car, is to work on getting them more comfortable with it. As with most dog training, this just involves exposure and reward. Bring them to the point where they're comfortable, and then push them slightly further and reward them when they sit there. That might mean bringing them to sit next to the car, or sitting in the back seat when it's stationary, or taking them on a short trip around the block or to the local dog park.

Step 3: Extending the trip.

Depending on how long your trip is going to be, you may need to train your dog to be able to lie down and even sleep in the car for a longer journey. It's already stressful to stay on a highway for hours, but if your dog is anxious, fearful, or crying the whole way, it's going to be even worse. It also definitely helps if you can have someone along for the ride who can hang out and comfort your pooch, too.

Training this will generally involve going on longer and longer car rides. Even if all you're doing is driving circles around the city, there's no real way to acclimate a dog to a long ride other than simply taking them on a long ride.

Preventing Motion Sickness in Dogs

One of the biggest risks of a long car ride with a dog is motion sickness. This tends to impact puppies more often than adult dogs, but some dogs just don't have a good time in a car simply because of the motion, making them nauseous and upset. The same thing can happen to people, after all, so it's not surprising that it can happen to dogs.

If your fur baby gets motion sickness – especially if they vomit because of it – you'll need to do what you can to prevent it and prepare for the issues that occur if they do.

• Keep the temperature in the car on the cooler side. While you might end up a little chilly, it's easier for you to wear warmer clothing than it is for your dog to suppress their stomach.
• Make sure there's some air circulation. Depending on the kind of driving, you may be able to open a window, or you might need to turn the car HVAC on higher and aim it towards the back.
• Limit food and water before the trip if you can. For longer trips, you can't really avoid feeding and hydrating your pooch, but for mid-length journeys, you can make sure they go before you go and can delay feeding until you've reached your destination.
• Take your dog on a walk and play with them for a while, at least 20 minutes before your trip, so they're a little tuckered out and are more likely to stay calm or even nap.

You can also talk to your vet about anti-nausea, anti-anxiety, or motion sickness medications for dogs. Medications like Maropitant, anti-anxiety medications like alprazolam and trazodone, and even CBD tinctures may be viable options, but talk to your vet about it first.

Preparing for the Trip

When it's time to actually go on your trip, you need to make sure you have everything you're going to need.

The exact list can vary depending on whether you're moving or just going on vacation, but here's a decent checklist to get you started. If you can think of anything I forgot, let me know in the comments!

Travel Food and Water

For longer trips, there's a pretty good chance you're going to be stopping at just about every rest stop along the way, either to give your fur baby some food and water or to let them stretch their legs, do their business, and relax a bit from that particular leg of the journey.

Speaking of doing their business, you'll also want bags to clean up after them (most rest stops ask that you do this but don't provide their own bags the way a dog park might), wipes to clean up if there's a mess, and possibly even puppy pads for the car if there's no convenient place to stop and there's an emergency.

Pre-Trip Vet Checkups

One important thing to do before you embark on your trip is to take your fur babies to the vet to make sure they're in good health. You can talk to the vet about anxiety and motion sickness, as well as pain, general illness, and other considerations. Your vet will probably have some advice that can help, as well.

If you're moving and this is the last time you'll see that vet, you may also want to make sure you get physical copies of important paperwork, health certificates, vaccination records, and similar records. All of this should be available electronically at whatever other vet you pick at your destination, but having hard copies can smooth the way to setting up at your new location. If you're not moving, having copies of important documents like vaccination records can be good in case an incident happens, and you need to prove good health.

If you've been putting it off, this is also a good time to make sure they're up to date on their vaccinations and have a microchip with accurate information on it. The last thing you want is to lose your pup at a rest stop or overnight stay and have outdated information on that chip!

Plan Your Journey

For shorter trips, you might not have to stop overnight somewhere with your pooch. For longer trips, you might need accommodations that allow pets. Depending on the kind of trip you're planning, you may need to call a hotel ahead of time, or you might need to make sure your Airbnb or VRBO or whatever kind of short-term rental you pick allows them. Unexpected fees, cancellations, or denials can throw a huge wrench into your plans, so make sure to prepare ahead of time.

You'll also want to make sure you have all of the relevant supplies you'll need. Things like:

• Collars and tags, with spares, just in case.
• A leash or harness for whenever you need to bring your fur babies to unfamiliar places.
• Paperwork, medications, and grooming items to keep them comfortable and happy.
• Toys to keep them occupied and distracted as necessary.
• Food and treats for longer trips and stops. A water bowl is also helpful.
• A bed they're familiar with so they have a place to curl up and sleep.

Your exact list of items will depend on the kind of trip you're taking and where you're going to be staying, so customize it as necessary.

Extra Tips for a Smooth Road Trip with Dogs

Now, let's cover a handful of additional tips that can make your road trip smoother when you have a dog – or several dogs – to bring with you.

Bring a doggy first aid kit.Your human first aid kit – which you should also have in your vehicle at all times – can cover some basics, but a dog-focused kit can make sure you're prepared for anything. These kinds of kits can be found online for as little as $30, so it's easy to pick one up and keep it with you.

Consider a doggy car seat.These are raised, secure, and comfortable platforms your pooch can use to watch out the window without getting in the way, risking hitting buttons with their paws, or otherwise being a bother. They're also more comfortable than a normal car seat or the floor of the vehicle. If you buy these ahead of time, you can also make sure they smell like home and are more comforting for your fur babies.

Make sure to plan your route. The unexpected can always happen, from road delays and construction to accidents, so make sure you know where the rest stops are along your route and have some idea of where you can pull off the highway to a park or even just a fast-food place to get a break if an emergency happens. Similarly, make sure you know about pet-friendly lodging along the way.

Don't forget to leave time at these pit stops. You might only need a couple of minutes to hit a restroom and have a snack, but your fur baby will probably take a good deal longer to get comfortable enough to do their business. Make sure you aren't on a tight schedule that forces you to hurry this along.

Dogs in Cars FAQ

To wrap up, let's answer some of the most common questions about traveling with a dog or dogs, especially long distances.

Do dogs dislike car rides?

That depends a lot on the dog. Some dogs are perfectly fine or even excited to go on car rides, even longer trips. Others are initially excited but get tired or bored being cooped up in a vehicle for more than an hour. Others are fine for short trips but get motion-sick on longer trips. It really comes down to the individual.

How often should you stop for a break with a dog?

Generally, the average is every couple of hours, which is coincidentally often the distance between rest stops across America's highway system, though this does tend to vary regionally. If you have puppies or older dogs who may have incontinence or other issues, you'll need to stop more frequently.

Is it better to drive or to fly with a dog?

This depends on a lot of factors. Flying is a lot faster for long distances, but it can be more expensive. And if your fur baby is a larger breed, they'll need to fly through a pet cargo service and can't fly with you on a plane. Most dogs handle car rides a lot better than plane rides, though. In the end, it's up to you and what works best for your needs.

So, did I miss any important questions you may have about traveling in a car with your dog? If so, be sure to leave a comment down below, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible with an answer!