Taking Your Labradoodle on a Long Road Trip?

If you’re holidaying or visiting relatives somewhere on the other side of the country, you may find yourself having to take your labradoodle with you on a long car journey. While this isn’t ideal for you or your pet, you have to make the best of it to ensure that he’s as happy and comfortable as possible. It’s important to plan for your trip and put in a little bit of time and effort beforehand to make sure that things go as smoothly as they can.

Secure is Safe

Even for a short journey, it’s unsafe to have your dog loose in the car. If he gets excited or scared, he could jump on to the driver’s lap or simply distract the driver enough to cause an accident. Even if he’s perfectly well behaved, an unsecured dog is more likely to get injured or even killed in a car crash. You have two options for securing your dog: a crate or a doggy seat belt. Toy or medium labradoodles might be happy in a crate, but unless you have a very large car, a standard labradoodle would probably be best with a canine seat belt. If your pooch isn’t crate trained, again the seat belt is probably the best option, as he might feel anxious or unhappy confined in a crate. Should you choose to use a crate or carrier, you need to make sure that it’s well secured and won’t move around. Either jam it into a foot well or fix a seat belt around it.

Practice Makes Perfect

A couple of weeks before you set off on your trip, start practicing for the trip, especially if your dog isn’t used to taking car rides. If your labradoodle has only ever driven to and from the vet’s for check ups, it’s not fair on him to throw him in at the deep end and take him on a long road trip right away. Start out by driving him around the block once a day and gradually work up to taking him out for a longer drive of an hour or so. This will get him used to driving in the car will mean that he’s less likely to get stressed out during a long journey. Be sure to test out your chosen method of securing your dog, so that he gets used to it. This will also mean that you’re sure that you know how to use it properly, as you don’t want to be messing around trying to figure out how to fit a doggy seat belt on the morning of your trip.

Pack for the Occasion

Make sure that you pack everything that your dog will need on the journey and once you get to your destination. Pack a decent amount of whichever brand of food he’s used to, it’s possible that it won’t be available when you reach your destination and a sudden switch of foods could upset your dog’s stomach. You’ll also need to bring his collar and leash, food and water bowls, a supply of fresh water, poop bags, some of his favorite toys, blankets or bedding, and any grooming supplies you may need while you’re away.

Take Regular Breaks

Regular breaks are important when taking your labradoodle on a long car journey. He’s going to need to stretch his legs, but also take bathroom breaks. Stop once every couple of hours so that he can do his business – this is where the poop bags may come in handy – and have a 5 minute walk around. Depending on the length of your trip, you should also make sure that you take 2 longer walks each day, of at least half an hour or so, in order that he can get rid of some of his excess energy.

Photo credit: emilee rader/Flickr

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