Love them or hate them, car journeys are a huge part of our lives.  Whether it’s the commute to work, day trips, the school run or holidays, most of us spend a fairly big chunk of our time in a car and if you’ve got a dog, the chances are that they’re travelling with you on a regular basis.  Making sure your dog is able to travel confidently, comfortably and safely in the boot or on the back seat is an important part of their basic training. 

In many cases, travelling may not necessarily come naturally to a dog and they’ll need your patience to gradually and positively introduce them to the car and car travel.   The end goal will be that your dog is comfortable enough to: 

• voluntarily enter the car (when they are big enough!) or happily walk up to the car and jump up into it/be lifted in if they’re little 

• remain relaxed and comfortable in a stationary car, with the engine running – for when you’re stuck in traffic or at lights etc. 

• remain relaxed and comfortable in a moving car with all the sights and sounds that will form part of the journey 

Where should my dog sit in the car?

The Highway Code states: “When in a vehicle, make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.” 

So, on any journey, your dog should be happy and comfortable to travel in one of the following ways: 

• In a crate, allowing enough room for the dog to stand up and lie down, stretched out comfortably. 

• In the back of a car, secured by a dog guard.  However, this isn’t recommended for small dogs and puppies as their size means they can be unstable and bounce around at each turn which isn’t comfortable and can also make them sick. 

• On a back seat, secure in a car harness. Car harnesses are generally only suitable for dogs of six months and over and those that are unlikely to chew through the harness fasteners. 

How to introduce your dog to car travel 

Patience and kindness is the key here and there’s potentially a long road ahead!  Putting in the work at the beginning can pay huge rewards – imagine a dog that happily pops up into the boot, settles in their bed/crate, snuggles down for a snooze and enables you to concentrate on getting you and your passengers (including them) to your destination calmly and safely.   Try to put yourself in their paws – as a young dog, the back of a car can be a very strange place.  It can be worrying or quite exciting, depending on your dog’s temperament.  

Decide where your dog will be travelling and make it as comfortable and welcoming as possible. If your dog can travel in his or her crate, this will ensure that they are comfortable and secure with by the movement of the car and will prevent them from chewing anything they shouldn’t. 

A doughnut-type bed is also ideal as the sides offer additional support, but a soft, dog-friendly duvet is also great. 

To a nervous dog, a car is full of potential troubling sounds and experiences.  You know your dog so use your judgement and don’t expect too much of them too soon. Also remember that because you won’t necessarily be able to see your dog in the back of the car when you’re travelling, you might think they’re OK but they’re actually anxious and worried but not vocalising it.  Keep an eye on them for signs of stress such as panting, trembling, drooling etc.  

How to train your dog to feel confident in the car

If your dog hasn’t travelled much in the car, or is showing signs of stress when travelling, then it’s worth going back to basics and gradually building up their confidence again.  

Here’s our step-by-step guide:

• To get your dog familiar with the whole process, start by walking near the car and reward them with a toy or a treat. Do the same thing with the car doors open.  Finally, placing him or her in the place they will be travelling in for short periods each day. Make the experience positive by letting them enjoy a chew or a few treats. Stay with your dog, or close by.  Keep each session short and end with a game or something else they enjoy doing.

• Once they are comfortable in the area, and this could take a number of attempts, you should take the next step by softly and quietly close the door/boot to the car. Again, leave your dog here for a short time, remain close by and keep the session short with a positive reward at the end.  You could get in the car yourself and read for 10 minutes making it a nice thing for both of you to do, reinforcing the car as a safe space and nothing to be worried about.

• The next step is to settle your dog in, give them a chew or a biscuit and then get into the car yourself and turn the engine on.  Use verbal reassurance and keep the session to just a few minutes.  Once this has been mastered, you could start to move the car a short distance.   

• If your dog has previously suffered from travel sickness, don’t feed your dog a full meal for at least one hour before a journey, as this can make them feel ill.  

• Once your dog is happy being in the car, with the engine on and driven for a short distance, you can start on short journeys that will enable your dog to become comfortable with car travel. Drive carefully, taking corners and bumps slowly and avoiding potholes or speed bumps if possible, for the first few journeys.  You can end these journeys with something fun such as a free run at the park which will help your dog to build positive associations with car travel.  

• Gradually increase the distance so that your dog slowly becomes accustomed to moving for longer. 

• Encourage your dog to be calm and relaxed at the end of a journey by rewarding them with calm verbal praise for good behaviour in the car, while attaching their lead before allowing them to come out. This is important as you don’t want your dog to jump out onto a busy street! 

• We’d recommend that your dog is the first one into the car and the last one out. If you have children, try to put your dog in the car first so that you can focus on getting them calm and settled before doing the same for the children. This routine also goes for leaving the car, where the dog should remain secure until the children are out. 
• Encourage your dog to only enter and exit the vehicle when you’ve invited them to do so.  Use a cue such as ‘up’ to get them in and ‘come along’ to get them out.  Doing this ensures that when they do, it is safe and appropriate 

For older dogs or smaller dogs who might struggle to get in and out of the back of a car, you can invest in equipment such as a ramp which will fold down and can be stored in the boot when not in use. 

All of the above steps can be used if your dog hasn’t been in the car for some time and isn’t entirely happy with getting back in.  If they travelled well before the break, it’s likely that they’ll do so again but it’s worth just investing a bit of time to get things back on track. 

If your dog continues to struggle with travelling in the car then talk to your vet or a behaviourist to offer you some additional support.  

Can I leave my dog in the car?

At Dogs for Good, we’d advise that you don’t leave your dog unattended in the car at all for two important reasons.  Firstly, weather can change really quickly from cloudy to sunny and even in cloudy weather, temperatures inside a car can rise from comfortable to dangerous in a matter of minutes.  Also, with the rise in dog thefts, a dog left in a car is an easy target for a thief. 

But we realise that there are times when it’s simply unavoidable and if a situation arises where you absolutely must leave your dog in the car, we advise the following: 

• This should only be done on days where there is no risk for the internal temperature of the car to cause any discomfort for your dog. This includes both hot and cold weather; car temperatures can easily drop to dangerous and uncomfortable levels in cold weather. Make sure that you check your dog at a minimum of every 20 minutes (and every 5 minutes in very warm or very cold weather).  

• Ensure you check the internal car temperature, and not just the outdoor temperature. The internal car temperature is generally very different to the temperature outside. 

• Make sure your dog has an opportunity to toilet before you leave them, and again when you return. 

• Park the car in the shade – either in a multi-storey car park or under a tree which will provide shade.  But remember that the sun moves and the shade moves with it.  You can buy reflective sheets to reflect the sun away and fans to cool the air but on hot days, the ambient temperature will still cause a problem. 

• Leave windows open as far as is safe. It is possible to buy ‘lattice guards’ for windows, and window blinds to provide security, but fit these at the most open setting. 

• Leave a non-spill bowl full of water that is easily accessible for your dog 

• Puppies soon become bored so use a crate to stop your puppy from chewing or becoming tangled in their car harness. Leave them with puppy-safe toys and chews to help keep them occupied. Provide your dog with a filled Kong, long-lasting chew, and/or toys to help keep them occupied 

• Some car alarms may be triggered if you leave a dog in the car, so refer to your vehicle handbook for guidance 

How to prepare your dog for a car journey

For longer journeys, it’s always worth thinking ahead.  For example, what are you going to do if you get stuck in a long traffic jam?  Have you got enough water to keep you and your dog hydrated?  Have you got some snacks to keep hungry tummies quiet?  Maybe take a cool mat and a portable fan with you if the weather is set to be warm and also a couple of games to keep boredom at bay.  If your dog will wear one, perhaps invest in a high-vis jacket in case you have to leave the car in the dark for toilet breaks.   

If tempers are becoming frayed inside the car, take a moment to think about how that might be affecting your dog.  We know that dogs pick up on our distress and anxiety and that they can become anxious themselves as a result.  So, as tempting as it might be to vent your frustrations, try to keep things as calm as possible. 

What to do if your dog barks or whines in the car 

Is it stress?  Is it excitement?  Is it a trip to the vet?  Dogs bark and whine for all sorts of reasons and it’s worth taking the time to work it out.  If it’s a couple of woofs when they get to a free run area, it’s probably excitement and easy to cope with.  If it’s stress because you pull up outside the vet, again, it’s understandable and hopefully, doesn’t happen very often.   But if it’s all the time and gets worse – or if it’s started after a long time away from any car travel – it’s worth getting them checked out at the vet.  If nothing’s wrong, going back to basics and re-introducing them to the car in stages again is the way forward. If your dog is crated in the car and barks at things going past, you could cover the crate over with a blanket.  You can also buy Adaptil and Rescue Remedy/Pet Remedy products which can help to calm things down.  While it’s frustrating and difficult to deal with, try not to shout at your dog for barking or whining as this causes more stress for them.    

My dog gets sick in the car 

Like humans, some dogs suffer from travel or motion sickness, especially puppies.  And it’s not just confined to actual vomiting, other signs of travel or motion sickness are retching, lip licking, panting and drooling. 

It could be that your dog is sliding around in their bed in the back of the car, that they simply need more frequent breaks or a bit more fresh air circulating round the car.  In addition, it could be linked to stress and if so you’ll probably need to reintroduce travel training so that your dog associates positively with the car and doesn’t start to refuse or avoid travelling.   

You should also avoid feeding your dog for at least an hour before any travel and give them an opportunity to toilet before they get in the car. 

If it doesn’t get any better, there are products that can help with travel sickness and nausea such as Queezibics and Pet Remedy.  It’s also worth talking to your vet to cancel out any medical reasons for your dog’s travel sickness and they may also be able to prescribe anti-sickness meds if they feel your dog would benefit from them.