ESSENTIAL DOG ROAD TRIP TIPS

Do you know what’s great about dogs? Trick question. Is it the way their eyes light up when you come home after a long day? Is it their tail-wagging anticipation as you reach for their leash, handle a ball, or offer a treat? Is it their unconditional love and loyalty as they snuggle beside you on the couch? True, you could argue that it’s anyone—or all—of these things.

Every single day, our doggos are champing at the bit to leave the house for their daily walk. Whilst cats will meow mournfully throughout a five-minute car trip, dogs—eagerly anticipate walk o'clock, of course—tend to crave an outing with their human bestie.

If you’re planning a road trip, why not bring your furry friend along for the ride? It will take some extra preparation—and maybe some extra training—but it does mean that more of the family can join in the fun. And, hey—it also saves the money you would have spent on doggy daycare. Here are some essential dog road trip tips that will give your dog the adventure of a lifetime.

RESEARCH

Before you pack the car, you’ll need to hop online to check for dog-friendly accommodation, dog-friendly restaurants, dog-friendly stores, and dog-friendly rest stops. These may not be as common as you might think, and you wouldn’t want to be left affronted by a ‘No Dogs Allowed’ sign at the 11th hour. To avoid having a Snoopy moment, stay abreast of ever-changing venue rules and policies.

It never hurts to ask, and a quick question can save some serious stress. This doesn’t just apply to indoor venues. If you intend to break up the drive with rest stops, for example, you should plan your journey around dog-friendly parks or nature trails. If you’ve found a campsite that welcomes dogs, on the other hand, be sure to double-check their leash laws. Whilst some are cool with off-leash dogs, some want dogs restrained at all times. Other locations find a middle ground, allowing off-leash play on the caveat that dogs respond well to verbal cues.

If you’re feeling stuck, check out some resources like Bring Fido. This is an excellent resource to help simplify the research process.

PACK

Here comes one of the more obvious tips for travelling with a dog: packing the essentials. If your accessories can occupy a whole suitcase, surely there will be room for a small pile of dog belongings, no? Here at Stylish Hound, we have some of these covered already.

CHECKLIST

① Dog food/treats
② Food & Water bowls (collapsable, for ease of travel)
③ Pet first aid kit
④ Any of your dog’s current medication
⑤ Walk gear such as poop bags, leash, collar, harness, ID tags for a collar or even GSP apple air tag.
⑥ Dog carrier or crate
⑦ Doggy car seat/cover
⑧ Travel bed, bedding & blanket
⑨ Grooming such as shampoo, brush, towel
⑩ Dog toys

Important things to consider prepping your dog for your road trip!

Dogs are living, sentient beings just like you, so they deserve the same protection as you, too. It’s important to secure your dog for any car trip, whether you’re going down the road or on an extended trip. Every year, 5,000 dogs sustain injury or death on Australian roads due to improper restraining. We’d hate for that to happen to your bundle of joy, and so we have some hot tips for injury prevention and optimal canine road safety.

🚗 Invest in a doggy seat belt...

At Stylish Hound, we have dog seat belts available in our distinctive designs. Grab one to offset or match your dog’s collar and leash! Made with 100% recycled post-consumer plastic and metal, these belts secure your dog’s harness, as well as the seat belt buckle. Pair it with one of our doggy car seats and you’re ready to hit the road.

🚗 Reduce car stress...

Is your dog new to long-distance trips? If so, you might want to consider travel training. So, what is travel training? In a nutshell, it’s allowing your dog to forge positive associations with your car. You can do this by placing them in the car with their favourite object or toy, or—most effectively— their travel bed/seat. Because their travel bed/seat is a ‘happy place’, they will come to associate cosy feelings with the car. Do this enough times and the concept of travel won’t be anywhere near as scary!

To make the road trip even more comfortable, we recommend investing in one of Stylish Hound’s doggy car seats. These, too, are items that pooches tend to associate with positive, cosy feelings.

🚗 Protect your car...

It bears repeating that dogs are, in essence, furry, overgrown toddlers. If you go anywhere with them, there’s gonna be fidgeting as well as mess. This does not bode well with your car: your non-furry, non-sentient baby. Luckily, Stylish Hound has your car covered—literally—with our range of car seat covers. A durable, new canvas cover will take the scratches, rips, wear and tear, and general muck that cars cannot bounce back from. Grab your car seat cover is one of our distinctive designs.