Some pets have no problem travelling in the car and others will hate it! Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to make the journey more relaxed and comfortable for your pet:

Start young. Pets who are used to travelling in the car from a young age are much more likely to be relaxed and happy during car trips. This is part of ‘socialisation’. Introduce them to the car as early as you can. Start out with introducing them to the parked car and getting them used to sitting in it with you, then start making short trips. Build up to longer journeys, but make sure they usually end in something fun like getting a treat or a walk. Make these experiences as positive as possible, with lots of treats and fun days out.

Give them time to digest. If your pet gets car sick it’s best not to feed them right before a trip in the car. Give them plenty of time to digest their meal or don’t feed them until after the car journey. You can also talk to the vet to see if they can have medication to settle their stomach if they get car sick even on an empty tummy.

Take a break. If you’re taking your pet on a longer journey, make sure they have a chance to stretch their legs and have a drink. A lot of service stations have dog walking areas or you could break up your journey with a trip to a park or dog-friendly attraction.
Keep them cool. Cars can warm up really quickly and our pets are wearing a warm fur coat all the time! Be aware of your pet’s temperature and pop the air conditioning on or open a window a little to keep them cool while you’re on the go.

Don’t leave pets in the car. Cats and dogs can’t cool themselves down in the same way humans can. They can overheat very quickly if they’re left in a car, and get into a critical condition. Winding the window down or parking the car in the shade is not enough to keep them cool.

Don’t let dogs stick their head out the window. They could knock their head on something, fall out of the window or distract other drivers.

As we head into a New Year ask yourself...
What is my Dog thinking 💭
Have you ever stopped to wonder 🤔
I can’t tell you the number of people I’ve met who perceive they are fantastic Owners because they offer everything they’d want rather than what their Dog needs.
If you’re unsure where to start just send me a message 😊
I promise if you do you’ll develop and further your relationship to new heights!
A synergistic cooperation few ever achieve!
www.essexdogtrainer.com

Every animal that has a backbone has something called a spinal reflex. What that means is that if you have a backbone, you will resist a steady pressure. Until and unless an animal has been TAUGHT to give to pressure, they will lean into the pressure. It's normal, it's natural, and it's reflexive. If you (the person) pull back, the dog will pull forward. If you pull forward, the dog will pull back. It cannot be avoided. It's what makes locomotion possible. When you see someone walking their dog and the dog is pulling forward and the person is pulling backwards, the person is forcing the dog to pull forward. The more strongly the person pulls back, the harder the dog is forced to pull forward. The dog has no choice in the matter. We might even say that the dog is not pulling forward, he is being shoved forward. A pulling dog is a problem that has been created by a person....

....If the collar isn’t helping, either it isn’t fitted properly, or it's being used with too much force (a flick of the wrist, administered with the strength of one finger is all it takes) or because the trainer is allowing the dog to lean into the collar or is forcing the dog to pull. Try to remember the next time you put a collar on a dog that you are training dogs, not catching fish.

To my eye, the clearest indication that the owner's pulling problem will be vastly more difficult to resolve than the dog's pulling problem is when the lead is wrapped multiple times around the owner's hand.

That is NOT finesse. That is NOT communication.
That is a clear commitment to PULL like hell.

This is referred to as the Suicide Wrap in horses.