Best tips for travelling with dogs

Whether you’re tripping across town or setting off across the country, travelling with dogs can be a great experience for both petter and pet.

Just like your human cargo, though, knowing how to travel with a dog in a car is important not only for your safety, but that of your furry buddy, as well. The best way to travel with a dog is the safest, because when your puppy feels safe and secure, they will enjoy the trips as much as you do.

Here’s a few tips to get the best out of travelling Australia (or your suburb) with a dog.

Happy Place

Your dog is a creature of habit, and they are happiest in places they know well. We’ve talked about crate training, and the same principles of familiarity apply if you plan on popping poochy in the back seat – they need to be familiar and comfortable with the environment.

We’ve talked about the safest way to secure your dog in the back of a car, but to add that sense of home, your dog needs to spend some quality time there before you take a journey together. 

If it’s possible, leave the back door of your car open, and place their favourite toy, a piece of bedding or even an old piece of your clothing there, and let Spot/Fido/Poochie explore the space in his or her own time.

There’s no hard and fast rule about how long this should take… but don’t rush this stage. A car is a weird place for a dog, and can often be related to less-than-pleasant things (motion sickness, noise, or even that vet visit at the end of it). 

Once they start exploring and settling, reward them in their usual way, either via small treats or play. We’d be careful about actually feeding them meals in there – once on the road, you’ll be doing that outside the car as a rule – so stick to small treats.

The concept of a small dog car seat is similar to that of a booster seat for a growing kid.

Once they’re comfortable in the car, it’s time to start using the restraint system you’ll be using. Again, make it as positive experience, and stay with them as they get used to the idea.

Finally, short drives around the block are the final stage of familiarisation before you’re ready to set off! 

On The Road

The best way to travel with a dog is to be prepared. Now you’ve done the vital legwork of familiarisation, let’s show you how to travel with a dog in a car.

The first few trips will be nervous ones for both you and pooch, but resist the urge to seek sedation for your little mate unless it’s absolutely necessary for their wellbeing. If it is necessary, we’ve talked about the best dog kennel for car travel; sometimes a small, secure, familiar space is best for a nervous pupper.

As Go Time approaches, gather your supplies; some of their bedding, some old towels, treats, toys and – most importantly – a source of water. A cheap plastic bowl does the trick, and it’s a good idea to stop briefly to facilitate a drink!

Some dogs can get motion sickness, and the design of modern cars with their high door sides don’t help. Trip management is all you can do here – look for the signs if you can, and have towels at the ready.

The interior of a car can reach 50 degrees C in 15 minutes on even a moderately warm day.

A supply of fresh air helps here, and many cars now come fitted with rear air-vents, which help a lot. As always, be mindful of the interior temperature of your car, and never, ever leave them inside a car – even with cracked-open windows - under any circumstances! 

The interior of a car can reach 50 degrees C in 15 minutes on even a moderately warm day, and this could mean severe illness or even death for your beloved pooch.

Where to go

To be honest, travelling Australia with a dog is difficult - Australia’s attitudes towards pet travel are behind the rest of the world in many ways. A domestic pet can’t ride in a bus or train, for example, unless they are in a travel crate, while most city parks, national parks and (too) many beaches are out of bounds to dogs, even if they are on a lead.

However, there are still many places where dogs and their owners are not only allowed, but welcomed; you’ll just have to do the legwork to find it.

While we are talking mainly about how to transport dog in car, there is a terrific resource that’s been created by Aussie Gareth Brock, the author of the bestsellers Travelling With Pets, and Pets on Holiday. 

For a dog car travel can be exhilarating fun if they’ve been well prepared.

The detail into which he goes is truly impressive, providing info on not only what hotels welcome dogs, for example, but even which ones allow them to hop onto furniture!

One note; don’t be That Person that makes travelling with dogs hard for the rest of us. Socialising and training your dog, cleaning up after them and keeping them under control are your responsibility, and it doesn’t take much for a previously tolerant hotelier or café owner to change tack and ban dogs from their properties.

For a dog car travel can be exhilarating fun if they’ve been well prepared. For you, the stress of travelling with your four-legged companion can be reduced with preparation, allowing more time and applying common sense to securing dog, people and cargo.

Where's your favourite place to travel with your dog? Let us know in the comments section below.