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Is driving with your pup no walk in the park?

5 ways to make your pup feel more comfortable during car journeys!

If driving with your canine companion is no walk in the park, try these 5 tips to ease their travel terrors.

1. First impressions - Your dog’s first long journey should definitely not be to the vet, they’ll start associating the car with negativity. Instead, take them someplace fun, whether that be to the beach, a park or meeting up with puppy pals, this will help to change the way they think about the car.

2. Build up confidence - Sometimes it’s just the fear of the unknown. Let your dog familiarise themselves with your vehicle, open the doors (and/or boot), and turn on the engine for a little while. This will help them to realise that there’s nothing to be scared of.

3. Puppy love - If you’re heading somewhere, it can be very easy to want to get the dog in the car as quickly as possible and get going. But if your dog has some hesitation around the car, the best thing you can do is take the time to have snuggles with them. This will help to relax them and get them ready for some time without you and hopefully make for an easier journey.

4, Give a dog a bone - We all know the power of treats...use them to your advantage, to help convince your dog to get in the car and stay there, happily. Whether it be a few of their favourites, a chew stick or a bone, anything will work. This will help to keep them distracted and ultimately create an enjoyable trip for them.

5. Motion sickness - Some dogs may dislike road trips because they get car sick, something lots of people experience too. To ease their sickness keep the car nice and cool, open the windows slightly to let fresh air in, limit the pup’s food and water intake a few hours prior and take them on a walk before getting in the car to help minimise this.

All of these tips are proven to make a difference to your canine companion’s road trip experience, and it means a more relaxing journey for both of you.