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Dogs are on the go with us these days. Wherever we go, our dogs go with us, too. Whether we’re traveling across the country or just going to the vet, dogs spend a lot of time in our vehicles. Here are some tips for safe driving with your dog.

1. Use a crate or harness for your dog when he’s traveling with you. Whether you have a large dog or a small dog, it’s much safer for your dog to be in a crate or safely harnessed in your car. Just as you are safer wearing a seatbelt when you ride in your car, your dog is safer when he is protected by a crate or harness. If you have an accident a dog in a crate will not be thrown through the window. If the crate is thrown around the vehicle your dog will have more protection. If the crate is thrown from the car, your dog won’t be loose on the road. Pet harnesses also provide some degree of protection in case of an accident.

2. Don’t let a small dog ride in your lap. If your dog slides down he can interfere with your use of the gas pedal and brakes. A dog in your lap can interfere with you when you’re steering. Driving with a dog in your lap is very dangerous.

3. When you travel with your dog in your vehicle make sure that he is wearing a collar with up to date contact identification. Your contact information should also include your vet’s address or someone who can take care of your dog in case of an accident. If you are in an accident you want people to be able to identify your dog immediately.

If you are taken to the hospital your dog would be separated from you. Anyone responding to the scene would need to be able to contact your dog’s ID information and speak to someone who could take care of your dog while you are being treated. Most veterinarians can take care of a dog for a few days while an owner is laid up. If you’re in the hospital longer than that other arrangements can be made, such as having a friend take your dog. So, make sure that your dog’s ID and contact information is up to date.

4. When you’re driving with your dog you should take along a water bowl and some water from home or bottled water. You never know when your dog may get thirsty when you’re out together. It’s good to have a water bowl for your dog that stays in the car at all times so it’s always there when you travel.

If you are going to be gone for more than just a few hours you should plan accordingly. Take your dog’s food, feed dish, bedding, favorite toys and other indispensable items for overnight trips.

5. Keep a copy of your dog’s vaccination records in your glove box. Your dog should be wearing his rabies tag and other local tags on his collar when you travel. It’s always possible that law enforcement or some other organization could ask to see proof that your dog is up-to-date on his shots. Most states require that your dog be current on his vaccinations when entering their state. This information is rarely asked for, but it can be requested if you are stopped by the police, for instance.

If you keep these tips in mind then driving with your dog you can have many safe and happy driving experiences on the road together.

5 Tips For Driving With Your Dog courtesy Dog Articles.

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Puppies come from many different places. You may be getting a puppy from a shelter or from a breeder. Wherever your puppy is coming from he needs to learn a lot of things from his mother and siblings before he comes home with you. Ideally, your puppy should remain with his mother and littermates until he is at least eight weeks old. Unfortunately, there are people who are separating puppies from their mothers and littermates much earlier than this and sending them home with people at five-six weeks old. There are a number of reasons this is a bad idea and why you should never take a puppy this young.

At the age of five-six weeks puppies have barely been weaned from their mothers. They have not yet learned how to be dogs. When you bring a puppy this young to your home he has not learned any rules. He doesn’t know that he is not supposed to play too rough. He has not learned “bite inhibition,” which means that he is more likely to bite you and have a hard time learning that he isn’t supposed to do it. He has not learned the kind of manners that his mother would teach him. Your puppy has not learned that there is a pack leader and that he can’t do what he wants all the time. Your puppy has not learned any dog socialization or social skills. You are bringing home a cute puppy who is much more likely to grow up to be a brat and develop behavioral problems as an adult.

At the age of five-six weeks your puppy may not have even received his first set of shots. He is far more likely to develop a deadly disease like Parvo if you bring him home at this age than if you bring home a puppy at the age of eight weeks or later. Your puppy’s immunity from his mother is virtually gone and he has not been properly immunized by vaccinations yet. Bringing home a puppy this young is unhealthy for the puppy and for any other dogs in your household.

At the age of five-six weeks a puppy has not received any socialization from the person who brought him into this world. A good breeder will make sure that a puppy becomes used to things in a house, such as televisions, radios, vacuum cleaners, and scary things like cats, umbrellas, and kids. When you bring home a puppy who has not met these things they have no human socialization. They are more likely to grow up to be fearful adults and develop problems like separation anxiety later in life. A good breeder will also make sure that a puppy receives his first set of shots (at least) before you bring him home.

Good breeders do not release puppies at five-six weeks of age. They may allow you to meet puppies at this age. They may make arrangements with you. But they will not allow puppies to leave their home at such a young age. It’s too young.

If you are getting a puppy from an animal shelter you may have to take a puppy at this age because it could be dangerous to leave them in the shelter longer since shelters can house diseases. Be sure to get your puppy vaccinated against diseases as quickly as possible and take extra care in socializing your puppy in the coming months to try to make up for the socialization he missed with his mother and littermates.

How Old Should My Puppy Be When I Bring Him Home courtesy Dog Articles.

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