Last week we traveled to the Rush Creek Sheepdog Trial outside of Sidney, Ohio. We took it slow, took two days to get there and two days back, and every day I felt grateful for how fun it is to travel with Skip and Maggie.
Our meandering trip–lots of small roads off the interstate–meant three different hotel rooms, multiple stops at rest areas, and lots of time with the dogs in the car. Given the season, I thought it would be good to have a conversation about what makes it fun, and safe, to travel with dogs. What follows is not a comprehensive guide, that would be a book, but some ideas to get our discussion started. (Speaking of books, do you have one you like on traveling with dogs? Here’s one I found, but I haven’t read it myself.)
First off, safety in the Car: No dogs loose in the car, of course. It’s not just unsafe for your dog, but also for you. A dog flying into the front seat can cause injuries to people as well as the dog, so yes, yes, yes, no loose dogs in the car. There are a gazillion possibilities, from dogs in harnesses in a back seat to crates or kennels. We are using Ruffland kennels because they are so much safer than wire crates, and don’t break the bank. They do well in crash tests IF resting against a back seat or panel, which is true in our car. Here’s an article that does a good job talking about crates and how to use them safely.
We might think this is all obvious, but I saw several dogs on our trip being put into the back seat of a car without any restraint device at all. In two cases, these were big, big dogs. Also known as big, big flying objects, whose bodies couldn’t tolerate a crash, and who could cause severe injury to a person, even if there was no crash, just a panicked, fast stop. Sigh. We need to keep spreading the word, yes? I didn’t feel I could say anything, (good choice on my part I’d argue, but a hard one.) Maybe a poster in every vet clinic?
One downside of some of the safer crates: They can be hot, much hotter than wire crates, for example, so be thoughtful about that. Jim drilled some extra holes in top of the Rufflands–heat rises after all, a fact which people seem to forget often. It might compromise the warranty, but shouldn’t make that much difference in the structural integrity, which is mostly based on the design of the sides, flooring, and material flexibility. We also have battery operated fans, by Frizcol, and most importantly, have a moon roof in the car. I will never, ever, ever, buy a vehicle without a moon roof as long as I have dogs–it makes all the difference in the world. Again, heat rises–it does not want to flow out of an open window on the side of the car, it wants to go to the top of the car and stay there, even if the windows are partially open. With an open roof, we can leave the dogs with the moon roof open, in the shade, on a relatively hot day for enough time to grab some lunch without compromising the dogs in any way. (I’m assuming I don’t need to talk here about how dangerous hot cars are for dogs, but I’d be remiss to avoid mentioning it.)
In and out of the car: We are lucky, neither of our dogs get car sick, and they both love going on trips because it usually means going to work sheep, or enjoy a fun walk. As a result, they pop into their crates readily. As importantly, they have learned to come out of their crates far enough for us to put on their leashes, pause on cue, then jump down when released. (I don’t like leaving a leash on a dog in a crate.) It all makes getting in and out easy and safe. (This pause is important.) I had one client whose dog dashed out of the crate into traffic. Miraculously, the dog survived, but the owners were so terrified that they barely did.
Here’s Skip popping into the crate, and pausing when he comes out on cue. (Feel free to laugh at all the unnecessary cues I gave. Sigh.)
However, I’ve had many clients whose dogs were car sick (see some ideas for prevention/treatment here), or just afraid to get into a car. Many dogs can get over a fear of cars when it’s paired with something they loved. The key is tiny tiny steps leading to entering the car. Treats on the running board, treats on the seat and no attempt to shut the door, etc. My favorite case involved a client’s dog who refused to enter a car until we opened the doors on both sides, restrained him with a leash, and then let the family’s other dog run through the car to get the ball we’d thrown in one door and out the other. After he watched the other dog–oh the agony!–dash through the car a few times, we tossed the ball through for him three times, then shut the far door for a few seconds. A few more sessions and he was thrilled to be in the car.
Relieving your dog on long drives: Jim and I took a lot of smaller roads for part of the trip, which made it easy to let the dogs out to stretch their legs, on leash of course, to pee in grassy areas beside gas stations, fast food joints, or country roads. I’ve learned to not bother offering them water when they get out–which we always carry in the car for them, of course–but to wait until they’ve sniffed around, peed, and are about to go back into the car. Skip always drinks a little at that point, Maggie rarely does. No worries, dogs don’t need as much water as we do. Just be sure to have it available.
About half the drives were on Interstate, and we planned the drives to stop at rest areas along them. Many of them had lovely walks for us all, giving the dogs a good chance to potty, sniff interesting smells, and stretch their legs.
Arriving at the hotel/motel: Jim and I have a routine–dogs stay in the car (yay that moon roof again!) while we check in, find our room, and then unpack everything we need. That way we can focus on the dogs when entering with them, not on also carrying the cooler and the suitcase and the dog’s food bag, etc. etc. Entering motel/hotel corridors goes much smoother if you’ve taught your dogs to wait or “get back” at the door. That way you can open the door, and avoid running into the the family with seven children, two Chihuahuas, and a cat carrier. Granted, I’m a bit, uh, careful (years with a reactive dog), but I never open a hotel/motel door without asking the dogs to “get back” so that I can survey what’s on the other side of the door.
Here are the dogs at home responding to “get back.” They think it’s fun. (This time, please laugh at my thumb in the way. . . Sorry, no energy for editing today.)
No accidents in the hotel! When we first got Skip I watched him obsessively, worried about marking in motel/hotel hallways and rooms. Remember, this is a dog who, as far as we knew, hadn’t seen the inside of a building more than a few times at three and a half years of age. Not to mention being an intact male. Sure enough, he began to lift a leg on our first entries to rooms or hallways, even after I was sure that he peed outside first. No worries, I was ready to stop him instantly, and packed paper towels and urine deoderizer just in case. It didn’t take long for him to learn that “house training” relates to any building (why would they assume that?), so he’s been good for three years now. But . . . stuff happens, right?
Speaking of accidents, you have a first aid kit in your car, yes? We do, BUT . . . writing this reminds me that I haven’t checked it in awhile. I just put it on the To Do list for jobs this weekend. Thanks for the reminder!
No dogs left alone: Places that accept dogs–yay for them!–all ask you to not leave your dog in the room unaccompanied. I can’t imagine leaving one of my dogs in a motel room without me being there, but obviously some people do. Holy moly, I can’t imagine. How many people have keys to your room? A gazillion? Jim and I tag team for breakfasts provided by the hotel, one stays in the room, one goes to get some food. We just never, ever, ever, leave a dog alone in a room by themselves. Call me paranoid, but. Still.
Make your dogs comfortable! We bring water from home, their usual dog food, including their hydrated Honest Kitchen in a cooler, toys to play with, bully sticks that they are used to, and early on, towels and blankets for them to lie on that smell like home. Both dogs are now seasoned travelers, and settle in fast when I say “go lie down.” Maggie desperately misses getting her lie-by-me-and-get-petted time, so I always go down to her and give the dogs a good long pet in the room.
Potty and Exercise Breaks: We know the dog’s routine, so take them out at the obvious and appropriate times. What makes life especially wonderful for us is that Jim goes onto Google Earth and finds places to stay that have large, grassy areas where they can play tug games together off leash. We can’t always manage that (Hampton Hilton in Sidney was great!), but because we have dogs we can trust to stop, wait, and lie down on cue, we can do it IF the area is large enough and I feel 110% safe. On our last night we stayed at a hotel that was doing a lot of construction, and had nowhere to walk dogs even on leash. So we found a nearby park on Google maps, and had a lovely, long leashed walk under some shady trees.
Barking in the Room: Ah, yes, barking. Skip doesn’t know the meaning of the word (literally), but Maggie sometimes barks at noises measuring no more than 2 decibels, perhaps generated in another country, while ignoring people and dogs walking by, knocks on other doors, and every other reason any reasonable dog would start to bark in a hotel room. Go figure. Luckily, she knows “That’s enough,” but I am the first to admit I have to go to her, repeat it, and yes, actually say “Maggie, we don’t bark in hotel rooms,” while looking at her like a disappointed librarian. It takes a few muffled barks, but then she settles down. If this is a problem, I suggest massive quantities of treats to stuff into a dog’s mouth to keep them quiet. I suspect most barking is based on nervousness or fear, so anything you can do to keep your dog confident and comfortable is a great idea. If they are truly frightened, maybe they aren’t ready for that kind of travel?
I could go on and on, but I want to hear from you now. What are your travel hacks? What about camping with your dog? I haven’t even addressed that. Join the conversation and help everyone enjoy traveling with their dog as much as possible. Dogs who are great traveling companions are a joy. Maggie and Skip LOVE to travel with us, and that makes me happier than I can say.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: It could have been a lovely drive to Ohio–we took two lazy days to make the trip–but both travel days were a choke of smoky haze from the wildfires up north. I have so much to say about this, but I’ll leave it to two things: One, it’s hard to wrap your brain around putting a mask on when you go OUTSIDE, and feeling relieved when you go INSIDE and take it off. Two, I should probably restrain myself, but the fact is that I’m just simply furious. I remember listening to lectures from scientists, fifty two years ago–that’s FIFTY TWO years–saying this is exactly what would happen if we didn’t do anything to stop it. Fifty two years we’ve known. And done almost nothing. Okay, sorry. I’m done. Onward.
It’d be nice to perk this photo up, but the fact is this is what the world looked like for three days last week. Dull, smoky, and hard to breath.
The air was a bit better when Skip ran, but still not great. I thought about pulling Skip, worried about the air and his heart, but decided since it was a short run he would be okay. Here are Skip and Maggie watching someone walk to the post to run. It is a gorgeous field and a well-run trial, and I am so grateful that we managed to get there. Thank you Fogt family and all the volunteers!
I was happy with our runs with one exception. In our first run the sheep bolted left when Skip was at three o’clock, but he boogied around at a dead run to nine o’clock and stopped them nicely. Had a good lift, but to stay “one line” he needed to move them ninety degrees to the right to get through the first panels. It’s called a “dog legged fetch,” and requires your dog to stop trying to bring you the sheep on a straight line. I couldn’t fault Skip too much, we’ve been working hard on good, straight fetches so I couldn’t fault him at all. Dog-legged fetches are a special category; we’ll work on them soon.
He was wonderful in his second run–with that costly exception I mentioned. He got 50/50 points for his outrun, lift, and fetch. Frankly, I thought this was generous; he stopped a bit short at the top and I had to give him a little flank. But, still, it was lovely. And then, he stalled out on the drive. It was a long leg, much longer than we are used to, and he lay down halfway to the gates and wouldn’t move. I tried flanking him left and right; nothing. Finally, he mis-read a whistle cue and started to run back to me. I stopped him soon as I could and sent him walking back up on the sheep. We got through it, which was a victory I felt, made the gates and got the chute, but the judge, logically, nailed us for the glitch, so our score could have been much better. Clearly we have our work cut out for us on long drives–it’s not something I can practice at home, so we’ll work on it in other places. But we both worked together well, and had a good time. What else can you ask for?
Now we’re home, and it is so summer. So so summer. Long, hot evenings, pounding sun, and dry, dry, dry. We’re in a moderate to severe drought, so we’re watering the trees, bushes and perennials often. Especially the trees; even established trees can suffer badly from droughts this serious. Our poor water pump (we are lucky to have a private well, and a generous amount of ground water, at least for now).
The veggies in the raised beds have perked up after I added some fertilizer and phosphorus. I thought I’d say hello through the peas. Clearly, I am putting Botox out of business, but all wrinkles are hard won.
The Asiatic lilies have begun to bloom, they are happy for our help with water, and they make me happy back..
Not much makes me happier than watching the dogs play though. Here they are playing in the front yard.
The barn swallows have been busy. Why is it that baby birds look so, uh, smug?
I hope you join the conversation about traveling with dogs. There is so much to say, and I couldn’t cover all of it!
Abby says
Decades ago, another trainer mentioned that the German Auto Club did a crash test with dummy dogs on the back seat (roughly 30 mph, 13 pound and 70 pound). The smaller dog clipped the back of the head of the dummy in the front seat at 396 pounds in 187 milliseconds (before going onto hit the windshield). The larger went into the back of the seat in front of it at 2100 pounds in 387 milliseconds. I never tracked down the original study (may have been in German) but the numbers are at least ball park.
And scary.
Sandy Grambort says
I’ve put on some serious miles so far this summer, next up a trip north from TX to IL and WI for dog shows and family visiting while there. I recently purchased a large “aluminet” tarp to put over the top of my Nissan Frontier truck with topper, along with some 100# strength small “fishing magnets” to hold the tarp in place once on the truck. It is a miracle when I am stopped or parked at a trial and there is limited shade. My Ruffland crates sit neatly side by side in the truck bed, aluminet tarp on top, Ryobi battery-powered fans on each crate door, and even in Texas’ extreme heat, the temp under the tarp can be lowered dramatically. Paired with freshly-dipped cool-water towels from a cooler laid on the crate floor after a run (we do Scentwork, recently began FastCAT) it has truly made an impact in my dog’s comfort on hot days while traveling or trialing.
Patti McDonough says
Thank you for this great article on traveling with our dogs.
I did learn a few things!
Several times a year I drive my 2 dogs from Mass to SC to visit my daughter.
I struggle with trying to walk them both myself at rest stops.
Milo is a 2 year old black lab. He’s great but can get very overstimulated in new places. By himself I would be ok because fortunately he LOVES treats.
His sister BZ is a 5 year old rescue mix. She is ok in new places but is not food motivated.
If I walk one at a time I have to leave the other in a hot car and they are not happy, barking and whining.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Dianne Fecteau says
Many good ideas here but since my husband died, I do travel alone with my dog so there is nobody for tag teaming. I won’t leave my dog alone in a room for any length of time but for popping down to the lobby for breakfast, I just put the do not disturb sign on and do so. I’ve also taken a quick dip in the pool once arrived and settled, again using the sign. On arrival, I bring my dog into the hotel room immediately along with her bed and water bowl and then unload the car bringing a treat each time. We seem to travel with horrendous amounts of stuff so unloading can take a few trips if I don’t want to leave anything in the car. Each time I enter the room, I give a treat and she seems happy with that. Moon roofs are impossible if it’s raining. I also consider it a security risk to leave one open if I’m not around and so I usually leave my car locked and running so she has AC and can listen to E Street Radio if I have to pop into a bathroom on the road or run into a store to pick something up. Unfortunately, this is illegal in some states but I figure since it’s only a few moments, I can talk my way out of it if a cop came along. My current dog broke out of crates, even once an escape proof one, since she was twelve weeks old and hates them so that won’t work. I use a thingy that attaches to the seat belt holder and her harness. I don’t know how safe that really is but I’m not going to dwell on it.
Deborah Massell says
What a lovely article. I love them all, but this one inspired me to add my own two cents.
Luckily, my dog also loves traveling. I harness her in with a short canine seatbelt in the backseat and use the hatch area for my luggage. I do have a moonroof, but it’s never cool enough to leave her in a hot car and I don’t often find shade at a rest stop. I eat as I’m driving, perhaps stupid, but that’s what I do. And when I have to go pee, I keep the car running with the AC on and lock the doors with that special little manual key that snaps in an out of the key fob. It’s very useful so I can leave the windows and the moonroof cracked for some “fresh“ air (Canadian wildfire style), but inside the car it’s super cool. Coincidentally, I drove from New York State to Ohio to visit friends this past weekend as well. I was wishing for a doggy facemask during the car ride, the air was so terrible. Since dogs’ breathing is so much more sensitive I felt really bad for her. Every time we pass somebody who is smoking, she sneezes on a normal day, but these fires have been devastating all across the northern US and she’s been sneezing a lot. I hope there’s no lasting damage for her lungs.
Thanks for your tremendous training tips and your great big heart.
Patty Boyles Somade says
One thing I have learned is that even though I have fans going..never leave them in a hot car (always in shade) but run inside a gas station for a very quick bathroom break…I have a sign in the window stating that I have fans on the dogs and will not be longer than 4-5 minutes. And if possible, I tell the clerk inside the store the same in case there is a well meaning person that wants to break a window to save my dogs. A funny story..I also travel a lot in winter. I went inside the gas station..didn’t think to make a sign for winter travel…and yes, it was very cold outside. When I got back to my car, a well minded dog lover was waiting for me to berate me that I would leave my “Burmese” Mountain Dogs in the car. She told me I must not care that my dogs could freeze to death. I politely told her that my Bernese had ample coats to stand the cold for the 5 minutes that I was on a bathroom break. I thanked her for her concern tried to reassure her that they were happier in the cold. Lol
Laura Anne Welch says
We just did a trip to Chicago and back from NC. I stopped at a town halfway there where there is a great park not far from our hotel, and it was wonderful to be able to walk the dogs around for a long time after having them cooped up on their crates.
One thing that you didn’t mention: whether or not to have collars on the dogs in the crates. I don’t. Several years ago I drove my dog about an hour to go to an agility trial and when I opened the crate and called him, he didn’t come. It was shocking to find that he was trapped in the back of the crate where his rabies tag was caught on a corner of the vent hole in the crate. A trainer at that rial there told me that a local dog had died when it was choked to death by its collar, which was caught while on a trip like my dog’s was. The trainer made the point that, if there is an accident and the dog gets out of the car or, the rescue people open the crate and the dog bolts, no collar is going to help, because a panicked dog is not likely to come to be grabbed by someone he doesn’t know . So, now my dogs are securely in their crates and the collars are clipped onto the leashes right in front of the crate doors.
Donna Baker says
Great tips and ideas …. thank you. My Lab mix is very reactive to unfamiliar people, other dogs, trucks and other large vehicles, so staying in hotels or motels would be challenging. We have only done it once in five years, when I needed to visit a relative in hospice care for the last time. We only stayed one night and ran down the hallway as fast as possible to avoid surprises when he needed a potty break. But, traveling to stay in secluded, private cabins or cottages several times a year with my pup is a favorite travel experience. He rides in a wire crate in the back of my car and can go for hours without a peep or complaint. When I need to stop in warm weather, I follow the same protocol you described … find as shady a spot as possible, open all windows a few inches, open the moonroof fully, and make the human potty trip as fast as possible. Yes, I know he sometimes barks at people walking by the car, but he’s safe and reasonably cool for 5-10 minutes or so. He’s so bonded to me that he adapts very easily to new environments once we arrive at our destination, as long as it’s just the two of us. Well, except for being a bit persnickety about where he will potty, that is!
Anne Thomas says
Fortunately our two dogs, who travel with Bergan harnesses attached firmly to the back seat headrests, are wonderful travelers. But for years we traveled with our Dougall, who was not. We believe we tried almost everything under the sun to help him calm down while traveling, but he yelped and barked and whined the entire way. Occasionally, he would settle down on a longer trip…for a while. I thought I would share what we had tried with him in case there are some ideas people who have a difficult traveler might not have tried yet. Treat & Train (I held the remote and used it when he remained silent for a count of ten. Too distracting for me. So then set it at variable interval, but this didn’t work for a longer trip and it didn’t seem to build better behavior over time anyway). Every kind of “calming” treat we could find, various forms of Rescue Remedy, various musical tapes and CDs made to calm dogs, a Thunder Shirt, windows open a bit, windows closed, crate at eye level to the windows, crate covered, crate on the floor, special eye mask to restrict vision, can of pebbles to shake as a distraction, stop the car when he starts yipping, and probably more I can’t remember! We finally resorted to Acepromazine for long trips and ear plugs —for us, not the dog— on shorter ones. We loved that guy with a passion and still think of him almost daily.
Deborah Mason says
For Patti McDonough – when properly trained, the Gentle Leader head halter makes a world of difference. We have 2 large dogs (Lab & whatever mixes) that pull like draft horses when the leash is attached to collar or harness. But, put on the Gentle Leaders and I can walk both of them with one hand, even one finger sometimes! But, it is imperative to train them to accept it so they will participate in putting it on and not spend all their time fighting it or trying to scrub it off on the ground, your leg, trees, etc. (Susan Garrett has a great video on “Place Your Face” that made it so our dogs eagerly put their muzzles in the Gentle Leader. Just yesterday I was walking both dogs, plus a tiny poodle in Ace Hardware with no issues!
We use the Gentle Leaders when we know we need them to be on their very best behavior – stores, entering/leaving trial venues. And we always “pay” them for putting them on & when we take them off. A small cookie is good pay.
Jacqui says
I just adopted a bonded pair of mini aussies and would like to take them places. My car can’t handle 2 crates, but I could put 1 larger one in the back. Any opinions on 2 dogs in 1 crate? They are stuck together like glue most of the time.
Marcia says
Consider buying an electric vehicle! Teslas have “ dog mode”. This means you can set the interior climate to a comfortable temp and exit the car with doors and windows locked, confident that the temp never varies from your setting. We just did a road trip with our 70 pound dog who was happy as a clam in the car if we had to run into a store for an errand or get lunch indoors. The Tesla is easy to travel with , simply charging every 250-300 miles at a charging station. These are mapped out for you on the Tesla app when you enter your destination. The charging stations are generally in open parking lots with plenty of green space to walk a dog unless you are in the heart of a city. We bought the Tesla expressly bc it’s so great for dogs!
Teresa Merisotis says
I have been traveling more with my two Aussies over the last year or so. I think the biggest thing for me is to have a plan (what to bring, where to potty, walk, play, etc.) and stay relaxed and calm. If I am calm the dogs are usually more calm!
When traveling with my husband and dogs we definitely tag team and if it cooler outside we will put them in the car so we can eat together. I am also one for telling my dogs to wait before opening a door or elevator. You just never know what might be on the other side! I have enjoyed doing these trips – mostly 3-4 hour drives up to Maine from CT and I think the more we do these kinds of trips the more my dogs have been able to relax.
Janet Noble says
As to your solicitation about camping with our dogs, I have full time RV’ed with my dogs for about 7 1/2 years! (Is that really “camping??” VBG)
The biggest issue I have encountered is other people having their dogs off leash and having NO control! My dogs – a Rottweiler and a Scottish Terrier – have been attacked FIFTEEN times! Good thing I have exceptional control over my guys or it would have been UGLY! They are so fast to tell me their dog is friendly…what they don’t get is my dogs are both service dogs and their dog running up to them, friendly or not, is NOT helpful or wanted! When I share that with them, it is always, “Oh, I did not think of that!”.
One thing I practice every day, every time we go in or out of the rig, is waiting until they are told to exit or enter. I mix it up as to who goes first and how long they have to wait. I don’t want to make it where they ALWAYS have to wait for me to go first as, in case of an emergency exit being needed, I just need them to GO when told!
I also have a lovely “yard” of x pen panels made up outside the garage entry to my toyhauler! I don’t have them out there by themselves or use it for potty times but it is a lovely place to sit with them and read as they watch the world go by!
Linda Gallacher says
I have spent over 50 years traveling and showing my dogs in a variety of venues. I hate the stress of finding a decent motel that will take 3+ dogs. Over the years I have had a travel trailer, fifth-wheel and now a Motorhome. The dogs love their home away from home and are far less stressed than in a motel. I love the ease of transporting and preparing meals for myself and the dogs. A generator keeps the unit cool even when we don’t have hookups.
Lisa Olinda says
I just took our 15 month old rescue husky on her first road trip without her pack last weekend. It was definitely a learning experience for her and me. She had no human interaction for the first 5 months until we rescued her. At home she is very confident BUT she was not happy at rest areas or even at the campsite with strangers. The tail remained firmly tucked between her legs. She loved the hiking and the tent experience. I discovered she will NOT cross a bridge with a grate and water. I carried her 60 lbs across four times. We came home a day early to cut down on her stress. I plan on working with her more BUT also will be sure to find areas with fewer people when we travel. I think having one of her pack for the next trip will help as well. Because I have a small car, I use a harness and seat belt for her. She loves the going as long as people aren’t involved. Small rant, I was amazed at the amount of people who wanted to pet her when her body language was clear she was stressed. I just told them “no, she is in training.”
Nana-Mary says
Many years ago, (2003, to be exact) we pulled our brand-new travel trailer from Wisconsin to Colorado. Our daughter (20 years old) came with us, and she sat in the back seat of our truck, with our 6 month old Westie and 3 month old Springer Spaniel. We had both dogs in the same kennel due to space (I wish I could attach a photo of them – it was the sweetest site, showing them cuddling, sound asleep.) Our trip out to Colorado was uneventful, and we met up with family members who joined us in Aspen. Unfortunately, our trip home would not be considered “uneventful.”
We had just cleared Vail pass, when the (brand new) stabilizer hitch broke and caused the trailer to fishtail. We ended up rolling over, landing upside down. Thankfully, we were all fine. Our daughter had a mild shoulder separation, but my husband and I were uninjured. The truck and travel trailer were totaled. (Thank goodness for good insurance! It was a $50,000 claim.)
So, the reason for this story? It’s all about the dogs. Just before the wreck, our daughter pulled the Westie out of the kennel to play with her. When the rollover happened, the Springer was in his crate and didn’t seem to mind the acrobatics. The Westie flew from the back seat to the front seat, where I caught her. She was physically unharmed…BUT for the rest of her life, she was terrified of riding in the car! (And I didn’t blame her, either.) After the rollover, we travelled back to Wisconsin in a rented U-Haul truck, and to calm her down, we put a baseball cap on her (backwards, so she couldn’t see .) That was the only thing that calmed her down.
We learned a lot from that accident, primarily that dogs need to be restrained. We now use seat-belt leashes, paired with sturdy harnesses, and the dogs we have now get very excited when we pull out the harnesses.
Karen says
I have done a lot of driving through Europe on my own. By choice my border collies wear crash tested harnesses on the backseat. I have 2 reasons for this, the back of the car is a crumble zone and if rear ended on a French highway I would rather it was the luggage that was crushed. The other is our collective safety, there are a lot of issues with people being robbed on the highways and service stations, and so far no one has messed with a women with 2 good sized dogs.
Clarissa Bergeman says
Although we now live outside Washington DC, I grew up on a farm in Iowa and so enjoy hearing about your life (and seeing photos) of farm life.
In addition to numerous shorter trips, we have driven from Northern VA to Phoenix, AZ twice with our Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Each time, we took our time and spent five days on the road out and back. Our Pembroke is a great little traveler and reasonably quiet in hotels, although he shares some of Maggie’s concerns.
My tip would be to acclimate your dog to wearing a muzzle as I did a few years ago. The muzzle offers some protection against a couple of hazards. First, when stopping along the way or walking at our destination, it can provide a defense against the tasty things folks uncaringly or accidently leave on the ground. Our guy is an expert at finding dried chicken bones and other flavorsome litter at rest stops, in the grass at city parks, and in nice residential areas—and he is exceedingly quick to make his move on these items.
Secondly, knowing our dog’s appetite for all things edible, our boy now enters motel and hotel rooms in his muzzle and immediately goes into his soft crate while I carefully search the floor with a flashlight. What I’ve found under beds and behind other furniture is not a pretty sight, but it has been a worthwhile mission because, in addition to stale pretzels and other snacks, I’ve found both prescription and non-prescription pills on several trips. Unfortunately, staying in upscale lodging does not seem to guarantee the absence of these hidden threats.
Our sweet boy gets a lot of stares and some interesting comments while wearing his multi-colored Bumas muzzle, but one emergency trip to the ER in Denver was enough. Fortunately, there was no need for surgery.
Clarissa Bergeman says
Although we now live outside Washington DC, I grew up on a farm in Iowa and so enjoy hearing about your life (and seeing photos) of farm life.
In addition to numerous shorter trips, we have driven from Northern VA to Phoenix, AZ twice with our Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Each time, we took our time and spent five days on the road out and back. Our Pembroke is a great little traveler and reasonably quiet in hotels, although he shares some of Maggie’s concerns.
My tip would be to acclimate your dog to wearing a muzzle as I did a few years ago. The muzzle offers some protection against a couple of hazards. First, when stopping along the way or walking at our destination, it can provide a defense against the tasty things folks uncaringly or accidently leave on the ground. Our guy is an expert at finding dried chicken bones and other flavorsome litter at rest stops, in the grass at city parks, and in nice residential areas—and he is exceedingly quick to make his move on these items.
Second, knowing our dog’s appetite for all things edible, our boy now enters motel and hotel rooms in his muzzle and immediately goes into his soft crate while I carefully search the floor with a flashlight. What I’ve found under beds and behind other furniture is not a pretty sight, but it has been a worthwhile mission because, in addition to stale pretzels and other snacks, I’ve found both prescription and non-prescription pills on several trips. Unfortunately, staying in relatively upscale lodging does not seem to guarantee the absence of these hidden threats.
Our sweet boy gets a lot of stares and some interesting comments while wearing his multi-colored Bumas muzzle, but one emergency trip to the ER in Denver was enough. Fortunately, there was no need for surgery.
LisaW says
Yay you’re traveling, so good to hear. For years we would either stay in Airbnb’s or camp. Olive and motels were not a good combo (our other dogs always liked the adventure of a road trip and a cheap motel :-). Recently, we tried a motel with Olive, and since her hearing is not so great, and she’s content just to have a small adventure and hang out with us, it worked well. (There’s something to be said for making accommodations as needed and then seeing how things might change over time.)
We always had to find back roads and out-of-the-way places to take Phoebe out for a pee and a stroll on trips. We tried a rest area once, and she refused to go anywhere near where other dogs had peed never mind pooped! They have dog “walking” areas, so we couldn’t really get away from the field of smells. So, trips took longer but were more adventurous and kinder on all of us.
I’ve noticed Olive likes the road a bit less as she ages. Our old dog Grace was like that, too. Both were raring to have their next adventure as teenagers, but in Grace’s last few years, you could tell she’d have rather stayed home. Olive’s becoming the same way, so we’ll have to balance that out.
The smoke has been thick and acrid and ominous in the Hudson Valley. It’s what Westcoast folks have been living with for years, and I share your fury.
Love, love, love the pea peek-a-boo. Your smile is contagious.
Jann Becker says
“Disappointed librarian.” Love it.
Jennifer says
I travel alone with my dog and so I have a small whiteboard in my car. I write the time I leave the car and where I am (In McDonald’s etc) and that my dog might bark because he is anxious but he is ok. I put it on the front dashboard.
Erin says
This is such great information! I would love to see an entire post about camping with dogs. We just brought our dogs camping for the first time (10 year-old husky/ Malamute and 2.5 year-old pit/ husky/ lab) and learned a lot…and still have a lot to learn!
For example, we know our pit mix doesn’t like to go to the bathroom on leash. She’s peeing more frequently the more we walk her (we’ve only had her for 7 months), but she does not poop. Fortunately, we were only camping for a little over 24 hours, because she hardly peed the entire time and didn’t poop once. Aside from teaching a cue to go to the bathroom (which I am strongly considering), any other advice for situations where she has to stay on leash for an extended time?
lak says
Oh yes….the smoke. So glad it cleared MI recently! My dog is seat belted in back seat with harness! She can stretch to lie down and look out window and even sit in middle of seat, but when that seatbelt locks it holds the dog firmly just as it would do for a person. She does not seem to mind it a bit. And after not belting her in and seeing her in the rear view mirror rummaging in the back seat with the seat protector over her head I realized even short drives require belting in, that is after I stopped laughing!!!!! I would love to crate her but I have a very small car and large dog! We follow the same rules when checking into hotels…and yes I felt much safer when staying at a hotel with my dog.
Trisha says
Jennifer, that’s brilliant re the white board!
Trisha says
Erin: I’ve had dogs who did exactly the same thing; I associate it with nerves. My dog Misty didn’t pee for 24 hours the first time I took her traveling. I actually called the vet, worried her bladder would be compromised (if not explode). This was in the mid 80’s, when I was in graduate school, and Misty got far too little experience off the farm. My bad. Teaching potty cues is easy and a life saver to me. We use ‘go pee’ and ‘hurry up,’ and they haved helped us immensely.
JoJo says
One thing that might help folks who find the cost of a good quality crate daunting: think of it as part of your car. You wouldn’t buy a car that was missing all the safety features for you, would you?
I came to car crating late in life when started to participate in dog events, plus added a rescue who came crate-trained. My first crates were wire and a quickly learned were totally unsafe in an accident. I researched and asked friends about their favorite, secure travel crates and was put off by the prices. However, once I thought of my crate as a car feature (have a Variocage Double), the price was a nonissue. Also found crate pads that have temperature-adjusting foam inserts, so each dog gets her own comfort level.
Kathi says
Great article. I have traveled, both in hotels and tent camping, with assorted dogs over the years, and learned from every experience. I’m about to take a vacation with my 3 year old “pandemic puppy.” He has gone from spending every car ride vomiting and defecting to him loving to go for car rides. I think he’s ready for his first road trip.
This will be a two day journey from Ohio to Maine, five days there and then two days back. I bought him a seat belt and will start practicing with that now. (Yes, bad me. I have always driven with my dogs loose in the car. Never had a bad experience, but I think it’s time I stepped up my game.)
Keeping the moon roof open at stops is a great hack; I also like the whiteboard idea. I will utilize both tricks on this trip. I will be bringing his wire crate to use in hotel rooms. He is comfortable in it and it will allow me to leave him alone during my meal times.
Barbara says
I would add two things:
– I have taught my dogs to check under beds for objects that are not floor/dust. They alert to any object under a hotel bed when we enter the room.
– Sniffspot app…I use other people’s backyards and fields for doggie downtime when we are traveling. I can usually find a place where for an hour, my dogs can be offleash, sniff, relieve themselves, and be backyard dogs. They get a break from being ‘good’ and I get a break from monitoring that they are on their best behavior.
widogmom says
Yes times a thousand on the crates…if you get into even a minor wreck, your dog is at risk of exiting the car in all the excitement and getting hit or going missing. Also yes on the Google Earth (and Street View) for scoping out dog-friendly rest stops, but check the image date…I’ve found myself at places that have, uh, gone downhill since the Google car swung by last. Also, check updated info with hotel chains who may have changed their pet policy (lookin’ at you, LQ), because what used to be free may now be a fee. Oh, and check the hotel room floors for any potentially hazardous and/or tasty debris from the previous occupant. Mostly, have a wonderful time with the WHOLE family!
Trisha says
Good point to check the image date of the hotel on Google Earth, widogmom. The first place we stayed on this last trip was downright creepy. Waist high weeds, deserted lot around the back where our room was . . . Found out it was in transition from one owner to another. All worked out well, but, well, creepy is never good.
Trisha says
Barbara, good point about checking under the bed (a point made by several others, thank you!), and you must know a heck of a lot of people to use their backyards while you’re traveling!
Jen Smith says
We travel with our dogs regularly. I start them out learning about “strange” places when we’re socializing. I’ll take them to friend’s houses, stores that let dogs in, restaurants, and such. We heavily work on settling in space from a very young age. I also prefer to book AirBNB / VRBO homes where you can leave your dogs (crated) and if they bark a bit no big whoop. I try to tire out the dogs so they’re happy to crate before we leave them to do non dog activities. Do tons of research on dog friendly restaurants, parks, things to do in whatever area we’re going to. Our 7 year old has been to Maine, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida (for 5 weeks!). Our 2 year old has been to New York City, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. I highly recommend CGC / CGCU type classes if you want to travel with your pups – and as you mention – crates are a must!
Kat says
I have two giant dogs that really dislike being crated. They are in the far back of the minivan with a barrier between them and the backseat (third row of seats folded down to give them more room). Not having them better secured is something I worry about. The time we clipped a deer that tried to cross the busy road in the middle of the day the dogs didn’t even bump the barrier so I feel a bit less worried now.
The dogs know that they must NEVER get out of the car without permission so they wait until we have their stairs in place and they’re leashed to a person. D’Artagnan is pretty solid but we still watch Falkor like a hawk.
D’Artagnan is a great traveller. We haven’t tried it yet with Falkor Bash. He’s still pretty shy of unfamiliar places and he’s inclined to bark at anything he doesn’t recognize as a normal sound.
When we take D’Artagnan on a trip I walk him around outside the hotel while my husband checks in (roles might reverse if the area is sketchy) then we go to the room together with D’Art and whatever essentials we grab. I stay with the dog while husband brings in the other stuff. At breakfast one of us walks the dog while the other eats then we switch. Quite a few places have size limits on the dogs they’ll accommodate but I’ve found when they learn he’s a registered Therapy Dog (and I’m careful to make sure they don’t mistake that for being a Service Dog) they’ll waive the size rule.
We have a couple of bedspread size dog blankets that we take with us. They smell of home but more importantly they can go over the bed so the dog can be on it without messing up the hotel bedding. If we’re in a room with two queen beds he gets one. He generally prefers the floor but seems to appreciate the option of being up if he wants.
Normally my dogs don’t wear collars but travelling they do. Their harness and their collar have a Road ID flat tag with our contact info. The tag fits flush to the collar or harness strap so it can’t get caught on anything.
Suzanne Reynolds says
When traveling alone with my dogs in the summer I’ll plan my route around stops at chain pet stores — most have public bathrooms and allow pets inside. Bonus is a nice bit of air conditioned sniffing about and we usually purchase some treats. If I need the dogs to potty in a hurry while on the road, I’ve had success googling the nearest vets office — my dogs can always find inspiration in the parking lot of a vets office.
Marguerite says
I travel with one or two intact male standard poodles (depending on whether someone is available to take care of the older one at home). My minivan has two Ruffland crates, one for each dog. The van has a keyless entry that will lock the doors while the engine is running and the A/C is on. Otherwise, pushing down the “lock” button doesn’t do anything.
I compete in and judge some dog sports, and in situations where it’s possible to combine both competition and a paid judging gig, I’ll grab the opportunity. My older guy is only “mostly” reliable at holding his pee, so when he’s in a motel room, he wears a “male wrap.” One afternoon the younger dog showed too much interest in the doormat, so he had to wear one too. Now I just slap one on each dog once we’re in the room and marking has never been an issue. In dog-friendly places, there’s no telling what invisible material has been left behind.
When I travel to a competition with only one dog, I bring two soft crates, one for the show site and one for the motel. They have always been very well behaved in their crates, which is more than I could have said about my loved but problematic rescued rat terrier. (He met Trish at a book signing in Alexandria, VA, many years ago. She gave him a cookie.)
If I have to bring two dogs, I bring two soft crates for the show site and one extra-large crate that they can both fit into for the short amount of time I might need to go pick up hotel-based coffee or breakfast. I’ll hang the DND sign on the door and haven’t had any issues. Managing four crates for two dogs is really more than I signed up for, but using just one for the motel cuts down a wee bit on the chores to pack up and leave.
I like the little whiteboard idea. I think I might have one sitting around somewhere. And HI to Clarissa! I hope you and PWC “Simon” are well and happy.
Suzanne Reynolds says
When traveling alone with my dogs in the summer I’ll plan my route around stops at chain pet stores — most have public bathrooms and allow pets inside. Bonus is a nice bit of air conditioned sniffing about and we usually purchase some treats. When traveling with a dog that did not like to pee or poop on leash I had success googling the nearest vets office — he could always find inspiration in the parking lot of a vets office.
Katy says
I always travel with a baby gate to keep my dog back from the door, same as we do at home. It doesn’t work in all rooms, but it’s great when it fits. My dog is highly reactive so we do airbnbs, so that’s another good thing to keep in mind for sensitive dogs. And getting a car harness that’s crash test approved by Center for Pet Safety is one of the better decisions I’ve made with my dog.
Donna says
I’ve travelled by car with all of my various dogs for more than 20 years- some loved to travel, others learned to love it. I’ve used harnesses that attach via an attachment that clicks into the rear seatbelts. My sedans don’t have enough room for crates, the seatbelts allow them to stand, turn around & lie back down as they choose. Linus 2.5 yr old golden often chooses to stand (even on a 9 hour drive from NY to western PA); Amber 7 yr old golden had been initially car sick- she’s a retired breeder female, so she never saw the inside of a car until she came home to us. I use Cerenia for her, prescription med from the vet with good results. I also use canine calming music by ICalm- they have several versions we use, including the Riding in the Car version, so they both are familiar with it. I’ve also planned trips to with a mix a interstate & back roads for the same reasons as others. With previous dogs, we drove from NY through Maine into Nova Scotia & explored there for 2 weeks- having the harnesses was a requirement, as Canada requires dogs to be secured inside the vehicle & I didn’t want to face any criminal charges while in a foreign country! Since it’s just me & the dogs, I can’t tag team them at rest areas, but will take them out 1 at a time to potty & explore; since they’re harnessed, I’ve taught them a “wait” cue while I attach their leash, unbuckle the seatbelt & then give them an “ok” cue to jump out of the car. I don’t have any particular routines for getting us inside once at our destination, but I’ve often chosen to rent via VRBO or AirBnB while traveling so we have more space & perhaps fewer neighbors to distract.
Donna says
Oh I also forgot to mention, not always feasible for all, but I’ve tended to travel in (hopefully) cooler months like March/April and or September/October to potentially avoid the issue of hot cars. Again I realize that’s not always possible, but for us, if we vacation we all seem to enjoy it more in cooler weather & when kids are in school & locales are a bit less crowded.
Mireille says
We’ve been travelling and camping a lot with our dog(s). We always had a dog cage in the back, the last one we bought was a MiMSafe which was the only one approved form the Tüv, the German institute that does crash testing. It was developed by Volvo cars, but big advantage; adjustable in size to a car. But since we have only one dog, he is in the booth with harnas, line and a luggage net to prevent him from being catapulted over the back seat. We always have his blanket with us when camping, it’s a Ruffwear waterproof blanket which I also use for sitting on- it’s really wel isolated. We have a small tunnel tent, with two by front tents which are for the dogs, but they have actually preferred sleeping outside always (much to exiting what goes on at night in the forest – sigh…). Only time we actually had Shadow inside the inner tent was two years ago when we were camping in the Norwegian mountains and the musquitoes were driving him crazy. Cozy but I was glad he was not wet and muddy at that time …
Mireille says
Oh and our current electrical car has tinted glass windows in the back. So nobody sees that there is a dog inside. We can turn on the airco in the car when we want to so we can leave our dog in there for a short period, but I have heard of cases where people out of concern called police / tried to open a car. Signs have a double edge; it also alerts people about it that there is a dog in the car. Nobody can see ours – just as well I think.
Judi says
We love trips with our pup. The best thing we have is our Ruffwear Car harness. It’s such piece of mind knowing he’s safe in the back. We have done a few short stops and he’s never moved more then an inch.
The fan is such a win! I never thought about getting one but I makes so much sense!
Abby says
Great tips! I recently invested in a waggle and I love that I now know the temperature of the car for brief stops.
Kelsey says
My husband and I leave our dog, Willow, in motel rooms in her crate for quick meals out. We always let the front desk know and give them our number just in case. I’ve always worried about her barking at the neighbours but I didn’t think of someone snatching her (negligent dog mom?)
Frances says
I mostly only travel with my animals to visit family and friends, or occasionally we will rent a cottage somewhere. The one occasion when I booked a rather posh BNB became a tad traumatic and put me off! After a long, hot journey I checked in (special dispensation for the dogs who were both tiny, freshly washed and brushed and on their best behaviour), and discovered that there was a wonderful walk just a few hundred yards away. I was finally unwinding in the evening sunshine, dogs happily exploring off leash when Sophy let out a yip – she had got entangled in a patch of butter burrs and was stuck together with them. I stood up from releasing her to see Poppy rolling luxuriantly in fox poo.
It took every drop of water and scrap of paper and rag in the car to get Pop fit to smuggle up to my room where she had a long soak in the en suite bath. I then, of course, had the bathroom to clean and Sophy to deburr, after which most of the bedroom also needed cleaning. It was a chilly night but I slept with all the windows wide open to clear the pervasive odour of damp fox. Fortunately I had taken plenty of throws and the soft furnishings did not suffer and by morning the smell had gone but somehow overnight stops with dogs lost their charm…
Jackie D says
Once upon a time we booked a holiday, a week on our own in a cottage, and then a week with friends with children (we also had children of the same age). We warned all concerned that we were intending to adopt a dog before the holiday.
What we didn’t know was that the dog we innocently adopted (as first time dog owners) would turn out to be unsocialised, terrified, and reactive to humans. With teeth. And we really hadn’t got the hang of keeping everyone safe by the time of the holiday.
The first cottage was a nightmare because the owners kept coming in to do things to it without warning us, and then saying ‘it’s ok we like dogs’ while Twix growled and snapped at their hands.
The second cottage required emergency rehabilitation while I trained our friends to always speak to him before coming downstairs, and making their children do all the feeding (usually not advisable from what I know now, but it did make a big difference). By the end of the holiday we’d got to the stage where my friend bravely picked Twix up to save him from the incoming tide, but the whole thing was unbelievably stressful (the day we all had lunch in a pub and Twix decided not to let the waitress come anywhere near our table was another highlight) and on the way home we vowed to never, ever travel with dogs again!
Since then we have minimised travel even with our current dogs that are very friendly!
Mark G Buell says
Two topics to comment on: harnesses, and barking. First: harnesses. My dogs really don’t like crates. And, I only travel in a modest sedan (a Camry). So I use a seat belt harness. So do a lot of other people, so this isn’t particularly notable, except I am quite certain most of those harnesses and seat belt leashes are NOT safe for the dogs! Any system is only as strong as it’s weakest point, right? Everybody knows that. Here’s my thinking, and what research is available seems to support it.
A seat belt leash is only going to be as strong as it’s clip. And standard leash clips are not strong enough to hold up under the forces possible in an accident. Seat belt leashes that are attached to a collar are going to choke the dog, damage the dog’s neck, or just slip off over the dog’s head (and then the dog is unrestrained). A harness is only going to be as strong as its clips. And those fancy nylon clips/buckles on collars and harnesses are definitely not strong enough to hold up under accident forces. For validation here, can you find any mountain climbers who will put their faith in a nylon buckle?
So, I got a travel harness with no nylon fasteners. Good metal ones, thank you! Kurgo brand, if anyone is interested. It comes with a carabiner to attach directly to a fastened seat belt. However, the stock carabiner it came with was a wire-gated model, which might be fine for a mountaineer, but in the more chaotic environments of car crashes, I don’t have faith in the wire gate. So, for a few dollars I upgraded the carabiner to a gated model, where the gate is a solid metal bar. And I got the real thing, not a box store knock-off. Rated at 9 kilonewtons on the WEAK axis! I’m happy, the dogs can look out (or not), the dogs are safe, and using the harness and carabiner is a simple process.
Next, on barking. I’ve got two farmcollies, of a related breed to BC. Alerting, and consequently barking, I think, is as innate as herding drive. This isn’t true in many other breeds, but I see it as a strong drive in farmcollies. Which just means, like herding impulses, it works best to handle it as a self-reinforcing, innate impulse. The only reason I comment on this is because of your comment on ” most” barking being based on nervousness or fear. While I could definitely see this for lots of dogs, for Maggie, or for other dogs where alerting is a breed function, I can’t see that, except in the most basic of senses, where the behavior is arising from one of Panksepp’s most basic of primary emotive states: FEAR. But that’s not like learned fear, yes? I would be very interested in your thoughts on this!
J wright says
I was camping in a Subaru Legacy with two dogs and a lot of gear. I slept diagonally in the back with the seat down, one dog had the passenger seat; the other dog had the back right corner next to me.
In the middle of the night they communicated and changed places without ever waking me up. This remains a mystery.
Our dogs loved canoe camping. That was very happy traveling.
Trisha says
Mark, explain to me more your question about fear versus “learned fear”… not sure how to answer right now. Love your super safe harness solution, you rock!
Arnette Small says
A good tip if you are staying a hotel , before letting your dogs in the room use a flashlight and check under the bed, dressers and corners of the room especially the bathroom, we have found dropped pills and food sometimes that cleanup crews have missed , not to mention other possible items . Also bring a sheet or cover for your bed if your dogs like to jump up on them . We also have xtra crates for in room controls if needed .