When your puppy first comes home is a time of such excitement!
Your puppy is home and you can't wait to show him or her off to all your friends. When they come to visit you, that is easily done, but how are you going to take your puppy out - to the park, the store, a friends house... when a car ride is involved?
The safest way to travel with your puppy is to do so in their crate. Because they are taught to enjoy retiring to a crate as young puppies, your little guy is comfortable with the idea and may even just lay down and nap till he arrives at the destination. Your crate should be placed in a back seat or in SUV / Crossover type vehicles, in the back cargo area as this is the safest location. It should then be secured. This can be done with a cargo net, straps connected to tie down points in the vehicle or as a last resort the crate could be wedged with a box or something - the key here is that it does not slide around and will not move in the event of an accident.
I know, you have seen dogs traveling in cars in every which way but this - head hanging out an open window, sitting on drivers lap, or roaming around the back of a pickup truck but this is not going to be you, right? Right? As part of responsible stewardship for your dog, you want to protect them just as a parent wants to protect a child. As seatbelts are legally required for humans, and car seats for youngsters, we owe it to our dogs to provide the same burden of care.
I know that there are products out there such as car seats made for dogs and some people even try seat belts - let’s not. Our dogs deserve better, much better.
Mark Nelson
NorthwestLagotto.com
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