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May 6th
Some dogs love riding in the car, and will happily jump into the back seat for a ride to the dog park. However, for many dog owners, car rides are a source of anxiety. What can you do to make car rides with your Goldendoodle go smoothly?
Fortunately, there are some easy steps you can take so that your Goldendoodle won’t hate the car. Your dog may never sit in the window with their tongue wagging in the wind, but you can train them to at least tolerate car rides.
Before you set out, you’re going to want to make sure you have all of the right gear for your trip. Remember, it’s always better to be overprepared. And you’ll always be glad that you packed a few extra poop bags.
What you’ll need:
The best way to get your Goldendoodle used to the car is to start as early as possible. And you can’t start much earlier than driving them home from the breeder. If this is not an option, try to start taking your puppy on car rides as soon as possible.
Start with short rides, preferably only a few minutes long. Over time, you can increase the length of the rides. You should also make the first few rides to places you know your Goldendoodle will enjoy. This will teach them that car rides can have a happy ending.
Also make sure that your puppy’s first car ride isn’t to the vet. A visit to the vet can lead to a lot of anxiety for any dog. Your Goldendoodle may associate the anxiety they feel at the vet with car rides in general, which will make it difficult to take them anywhere.
Some Goldendoodle’s may get sick anytime they are in the car. This could be a sign that they have a more severe case of car sickness. If you notice that your shows signs of car sickness from even short rides, speak to your vet. There are a number of medicines that you can use to treat car sickness.
You should avoid feeding your Goldendoodle right before you leave, as this can upset their stomach. Try to feed them at least a few hours before you leave so that they have enough time to fully digest the food and go to the bathroom.
If you are on a longer road trip, take breaks to feed them, and try to stick to their normal feeding schedule. Let your Goldendoodle walk around for awhile before getting back on the road.
You’ll want to do everything you can to reduce your Goldendoodle’s anxiety when they are in the car. A good way of doing this is by bringing their favorite bedding and toys.
The bedding will give them a nice place to lie down and prevent them from pacing around. And the toys will keep them occupied, which may reduce their anxiety.
Many dog owners let their puppy roam free in the car. This may be convenient, but it’s not safe, and should be avoided if possible. You should try to keep your Goldendoodle restrained whenever they are in the car.
The best way to restrain your Goldendoodle is with a harness. This will keep them in place if you have to brake suddenly or are in a crash. Just make sure you get a harness that is the proper size. If it’s too large, your dog will find their way out of it, making it ineffective.
If you don’t want to use a harness, you can bring a crate. This will keep your dog from walking around the car, and makes it more likely that they will lie down. Make sure that you restrain the crate, however, as the it can fly around the car if it’s not tied down.
Never let your dog ride in the front seat. As cute as it may be, they are much more likely to distract you and cause an accident. And they can fly through the front window if there is an accident.
When on a road trip, it’s important that you take plenty of breaks. However, don’t leave your Goldendoodle alone in the car for more than a few minutes.
Goldendoodles have a lot of fur, and they can overheat quickly on hot summer days. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so take your Goldendoodle with you when you leave the car.
And in winter, you should still take your Goldendoodle with you, as your car may get much colder than you think.
Looking for Goldendoodle puppies for sale? Take a look at our puppy finder page to find your canine road trip buddy.
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