Taking Dog on Long Journeys

Independent on the amount of kilometers you drive a day, your dog must relive itself four times, as well as walk around some, which is also important for the travelers. Undoubtedly the dog must get on and off the car on the side opposite to the road. Also first the dog should get in and then the luggage and passengers; when getting off you proceed in the opposite way, first the passengers and then the dog.

On short walks during your journey the dog should always be attached to the leash, since it can cause an accident. On the other hand if its in a place it's not familiar with, if it picks up a strong scent and get separated from it's owner it might get lost or at least you'll spend a lot of time looking for it.

Rests: in highway rest areas you should take the dog as far away as possible so that it's excrement doesn't bother other travelers. The same is to be said around service areas where the same rules as restaurants apply. The dog can only go in:

• when it's presence is generally accepted;
• when it's educated not to bother anybody and capable of staying invisible and inaudible, laying under a table or a chair
• when it's tied up;
• when it's not allowed to eat from a dinner plate. If they like dogs the service will make available a bowl of water for the dog.

If your car brakes down make sure you dog doesn't get far away from the car. Or it can stay in the car or take a walk with one of the passengers. If you leave it tied to a tree, post or bench, don't forget to pick it up later.

A dog can get nervous on a long a fast highway for the next reasons:

• the permanent noise of wheels traveling at high speed cant be heard by humans but bothers dogs. Changing your speed can modify the frequency and your dog will calm down.
• a dog needs to do it's necessities.
• also your way of driving affects the dogs behavior during the trip.
• the dog needs to know that it's owner will not stop doing what it's doing when it starts getting nervous.