Planning the Perfect Road Trip with Dogs

For many of us, taking a vacation just isn’t completely relaxing when we’re worried about how our dogs are doing at the kennel.  Enjoying time away from home with my family includes the ones that walk on four feet, so finding ways to make travel easier with dogs is important.  Over time, here are the tips we’ve come up with to create a great experience for a road trip with dogs (of course it starts with the right dog mudflaps).

Make riding in a vehicle a common occurrence.  Many dogs become anxious riding in a car or truck when it’s not something they’re used to doing.  If the only times your pet goes for a ride is to visit the vet or the groomer, then getting into a vehicle may be scary for them.  Before heading out on a long road trip, take your dog for many rides to places they have fun–parks, beaches, hiking trails, etc.  Once they begin to expect a fun destination at the end of the ride, they are more likely to relax and sleep during most of the trip.

Set up a safe place for them to ride.  Dogs prefer to have a safe place to sleep and relax.  Rather than opening the door and having them ride freely in the back seat, invest in either a travel crate or doggie car seat.  By having a specific place to ride in the vehicle, they will be more comfortable and relax more quickly.  Besides, by keeping your pet secure, they won’t be able to jump out of the car unexpectedly or distract you while you’re driving.

Plan extra time for potty breaks.  Most dogs need to stop for a rest break every 1 to 2 hours.  By planning scheduled time for eating, drinking, and taking a walk, your pet will feel less anxious about being in the car or truck for many hours.  Stretching your legs regularly will help you enjoy the road trip more, too!

Don’t leave your dogs in an unattended vehicle.  It might be tempting to park in the shade and just leave the windows rolled down a little, but this is a risky activity that you should avoid as much as possible.  It only takes a few minutes for the vehicle to heat up like an oven when it is hot outside, even with the windows cracked.  Regardless of the temperature, the number of dog thefts from vehicles is on the rise.  Dogs can also get their muzzles, teeth, paws, or collars stuck in partially open windows.

Look for hotels rated well by pet owners.  Just because a hotel will accept pets (usually with a healthy-sized pet fee), that doesn’t mean it’s pet-friendly.  Look for hotels with ground-level accessibility, a safe place to walk your pet, and nearby restaurants with outdoor seating.  Bring a dog-proof comforter to put on the bed in case the hotel doesn’t provide one. We also recommend bringing your own water–either from home or bottled water from the store–since water in unfamiliar locations can be highly chlorinated or otherwise taste different than that at home.

Before you head out on your next road trip with your favorite canine, upgrade your mud flaps and show off your love of dogs.

DuraFlap’s drill-less dog mudflaps are the highest quality mudflaps you can buy for your truck, and since they use holes that already exist in your vehicle’s body, they are easy to install.  Our exclusive “rain grooves” direct rain, snow, and road debris down and away from the vehicle to prevent your truck from being scratched, dented, or just caked with dirt.

Check out our online catalog featuring over 100 pre-designed artwork selections.  Honor your favorite dogs with our beagle, bulldog, border collie, or retriever dog mudflap designs.  If you don’t find your special four-legged pal in our catalog, we can make a custom design specifically for you.