With temperatures rising it’s all too easy to forget just how uncomfortable travel by car can be for man’s best friends. Our guide to keeping your dog cool in the car this summer.
We have been basking in some of the hottest temperatures for years recently and it’s certainly made many of us take to the road for holidays, days out at the beach and more. Dogs can be a big part of the family and it’s natural that, on special time away from home, you might want to be sure that your treasured friend can come along for the ride. Dogs don’t find dealing with the heat easy at all though so think twice about whether it is essential before taking them along.
For when there is no way around taking your dog for a long car journey, Vospers blog caught up with the experts at the PSDA for some advice. PDSA Senior Vet, Elaine Pendlebury offers these tips for helping you both keep your cool:
Travel safely
Alongside concerns about heat, also think about safety for you and for your pet. A properly fitted dog harness will keep your pet secure in an accident as well as stopping them causing damage to passengers in the event of an emergency stop or worse. “ An unrestrained medium sized dog travelling in a car at 30mph could hurtle forward with the force of a polar bear should the car be involved in a crash.” explains Elaine.
Don’t let them lean out of an open window
We’ve all seen it before and there is no escaping it looks funny. A dog panting out of the open window of a moving car though is actually bad news. It’s tempting when it’s hot to think it will help cool them down but you are also putting them in danger of injury from small stones or debris.
Air conditioning
Keep your air conditioning on to keep the temperature in the car low.
Get a weird, metallic kind of smell from your air con? That’s a build-up of bacteria and usually means it’s time for an Air Conditioning service. Freshen up your air conditioning with an air con bomb, which will also freshen up the car too!
Stop often
Make sure you stop often to give your dog the chance to take a breather, get a good drink and go to the loo.
Make sure he has shade
Just as we can often find it unbearably hot in the car, your dog will find it even worse and they can’t tell you when it gets too much. To keep him cool, make sure he travels in a part of the car with plenty of shade. Use car blinds or cloths at the window.
Plenty of water
Make sure he has water available for the journey. Again he can’t tell you when he is gasping for a drink and you will be focused on driving. If you’re concerned about the water spilling then just fill the bowl a small way but stop and refill often.
Choose your time
Avoid travelling at the height of the sunshine. Instead try if you can to travel early morning or later evening.
Many thanks to Elaine and team at PDSA for their advice. You can find your nearest PDSA charity store or PetAid Service by visiting their website at www.pdsa.org.uk/findus or by calling freephone 0800 7312502
