Is your car pet-ready? These are our must haves for travelling with your dog writes Suzanne Keane
Wheelsforwomen.ie will be welcoming a new team member in a few weeks – this four legged furry reviewer is mostly interested in how the boot carpet smells and how chewable the plastics are. In anticipation of this new arrival we’ve been researching how exactly to “puppy proof” a car!
- Boot Liner
As someone who is quite car proud the last thing I want is for dog hair and muddy paw prints to destroy the boot carpet – A tailored lining is best and make sure there’s a high lip around the outside to catch any nasty spills! If you’re dealing with wet and dirty pooches regularly you can invest in a liner that has full height sides to cover the entire boot.
- Bumper protector
An ideal add on to a tailored boot liner the bumper protector will ensure your bumper doesn’t get scratched/damaged when Rover is climbing in and out.
- Dog Guard
If you’ve got a hatchback or estate the boot is the ideal place for your dog to travel. Just pop out the parcel shelf and you’ll be able to keep an eye on them from inside the car. To make sure the dog can’t climb into the back seat you’ll need to invest in a dog guard – these are usually adjustable with telescopic legs to make them fit perfectly or speak to your dealer about a dog guard tailored to your car.
- Harness
If your furry friend is going to travel in the back seat rather than the boot you can invest in a harness to keep them safe in the event of a collision and to stop them from running around the car and being a distraction. These harnesses normally hook onto the seatbelts and make sure to buy the right harness for your dog’s size
- Carrier
If your dog is very small they may be more comfortable travelling in a carrier/crate. Just line it with their favourite blanket and make sure it’s fixed in place and can’t move around.
If you’re travelling long distance with your pet it’s important to ensure they get regular water/walk breaks to avoid stress and never leave them unattended in the car. Always remember safety first and it’s important your dog is comfortable as well as safe on the road!!
Suzanne Keane
16th February 2015
