How to Keep a Dog Cool on a Long Car Journey 

Road trips are not uncommon in the U.S, and it’s a lovely experience to visit other states or cities with your family. Dogs and cats are part of our family, and we understand if you don’t want to leave them behind when you go out.

While many people take their dogs with them on their trips, it’s worth noting that hot weather can become a problem when speaking about pet travel. Dogs suffer a lot when temperatures increase, and they can even get sick if the weather is too hot.

Regardless of that, don’t let hot weather be a setback for taking your dog on a trip with you since you only need to make sure to protect your little partner from getting too hot during the journey. There are many ways to do that, and we are here to help you, so read this page to learn how to keep your dog cool when you travel with it!

Make Sure Your Car Is Ready for the Trip

We recommend to dog proof your vehicle before the trip. There’s a lot great cargo liners on the market but we recommend buying something that’s custom made to make sure it stays in place. Ruff Rugs – Pet Cargo Liners makes a custom, waterproof, and padded cargo liner for dogs which will protect everything in your vehicle and keep your dog comfortable and safe.

You don’t want your car to malfunction in the middle of the road trip, and that wouldn’t be good for your dogs, either. Check everything out before hitting the road to prevent any issues from happening.  The AC is your best tool to keep your dog cool throughout the trip. Your AC running out of gas is one of the worst things that could happen to you while driving, so try to avoid that.

Avoid Frequent Stops

Stops are one of the most popular parts of road trips, but stopping more than you should exposes your dog to the sun. Even if it’s just a few minutes, summer weather is hot, and those minutes can make your dog uncomfortable.  Plan your stops out before starting the trip, and include some for your dogs to poop. If you organize your stops at decent intervals and your dog will enjoy the trip much more.

It’s also worth noting that pavements can get extremely hot during summer even if the air temperature does not seem that hot.  Try stopping at places where your dog can walk around without stepping on the pavement. Areas under shades and with a lot of grass are ideal for this matter.

Take Enough Water for the Trip

Water plays an important part in keeping your dog cool since it can refresh and hydrate your dog whenever it feels too hot. Make sure the water is cold the night before going on the trip, and pack as much water as you can. Even if you think you already have enough water, take more with you and refill as often stops along the way to prevent any trouble.

Try to offer your dog water as many times as you can. Dogs get thirsty often but do not always know how to tell you. Therefore, you should offer water to your dogs instead of waiting for them to ask you for it.

Never Leave Your Dog Alone 

Leaving your dog alone in your car is one of the worst things you can do on road trips. Dogs get anxious when you leave them alone in cars, and that anxiety can worsen the effects of hot weather.  Heat can build up in cars extremely quickly.  Never leave your dog alone in a closed car!

If you are traveling by yourself, only stop at places where you can take your dog with you. Things get easier when you are traveling with other people since you can go wherever you want and let your dogs with the others in the car.

Get Sunshades for the Trip

You can’t put a sunshade on your car while driving, but it’s ideal to have one when you make a stop. It may not make your car cool, but it can keep it from getting too hot.

Conclusion 

As you could see, keeping your dog cool while going on a journey is not that difficult.  The only thing you need to do to prevent problems from happening is prepare and plan in advance. If you make sure your dog has cold water, a working AC, and plan your stops, you should not have major problems during your trip.  However, you should travel with other people whenever possible so you can ask them to take care of the dog while you drive.

All dogs are different, so some of them can have various needs while going in a car. Pay attention to what your dog tries to tell you to make sure he’s happy at all times.