You know when dogs stick their heads outside car windows, tongue and ears flapping gracefully (can ears actually flap gracefully?) through the wind? I think that's what the epitome of happiness for a dog looks like. And nothing makes me happier than a driving with a happy dog.
Bumi I recently took a drive to Red Rock for our weekly hike and it was wonderful! Bumi absolutely loved it and we saw some pretty sights. While Red Rock was nice, the drive was just as great. The monster actually sat and relaxed the whole time. It made the whole trip a lot more relaxing and safe for the two of us. So for the post this week, I'd to like tell you about the safety and essentials of a roadtrip with man's best friend!
Safety
I can not begin to stress how important is that you stay focused and dogs stay calm and behaved while on the road. There's a professional athlete, named Andrew Muse, who would drive around the country doing crazy fun adventure activities with his dog. He has a webseries called Tiny Home Adventure and it's so fun to watch. What isn't fun is to hear about is how he was distracted while driving, got in a huge wreck, and lost the life of his best friend. This is a tragedy no one wants to happen, so be safe and practice good safety when driving with your pup.
When I first adopted Bumi, I let him sleep in my lap while driving. It was great and he was soooooo cute! I imagine the joy I felt having a sleeping puppy Bumi in my lap is similar to the joy a dog has when its head is out the window. But then he got bigger and I realized that lap naps were not possible anymore. I didn't want to risk our lives and the lives of people driving around us. I trained him with a Doggie Seat Belt Clip that I got Petsmart for about $10. It's basically a really short leash that buckles into the seat belt. It prevented Bumi from coming into my lap and he learned it was easier to just lay down and stay in the seat. He knows now to just sit or lay down and be a good boy, but I still attach him with the seat belt clip most of the time. I wear a seatbelt and so should Bumi. You wear a seatbelt and so should your dog.
Essentials
Alright, now that the serious talk is out of the way, we can get to the fun part. Most of the gear you need is the same as I listed in my hiking post, just add more food and water for you and your dog. Bumi and I were only there for the day, but be sure to plan accordingly for the amount of days you'll be gone.
NEXT UP! Music! Is it even considered driving if there is no music? Here's a playlist Bumi created just for our drives:
Don't Stop Retrievin' by Journey (yes, that's a pun)
You can catch Bumi and I howling away to those jams every Saturday morning on our way to Red Rock.
The hike at Red Rock was nice, but the drive was even better! Once again, I want to emphasize how it important it is to be safe when driving with your dog.
Have you been a roadtrip or have plans for one with your pup in the future? Leave us a bark in the comments and we can swap TAILS (get it?) about our trips!