Restrain that Dog! (Especially When Riding in the Car!)

  Posted on April 20, 2011  by Joy of Living  No comments

Jessie, the go-to dog when you need practical advice:  Don’t you just love to ride in the car with your head sticking out the window, ears flapping in the wind, and your tail wagging?  Okay, must humans don’t do that unless they are having a seriously strange day, but we dogs LOVE it.  However, just as you should buckle up before you hit the road, you should make sure your dog is secured, as well. Why?  Here are a few good reasons:

1.) If your dog is secured, he won’t be able to distract you.  A distracted driver is a dangerous driver.  While some dogs are naturally well-behaved in these situations, others are not as controllable.

2.) If your dog is not secured and you have to stop suddenly or unexpectedly, he could bang his nose up against the window or the seat back.  Our noses are very sensitive, and such a blow can be quite painful. Don’t risk it.

3.) While we love to put our heads out the window, it is not such a great idea.  Even a smal amount of debris that flies into our eyes or noses can be very harmful.  Safely secure your dog in the car, but leave the window open so he can at least get a whiff of all of those smells out there!

4.) Dogs act on instinct.  While some may be smart enough NOT to jump from a window in a fast-moving car, others can be overtaken by the innate desire to go after something they see.  If the window is down and the dog is not secure and something catches his eye, he could potentially leap out the window and seriously injure, if not kill, himself. Don’t give him the opportunity, please.

5.) Using safety restraints to keep your dog safe and secure while riding in your car is simply being a responsible pet owner. Enough said.

(Thanks to petautosafety.com for this helpful information!)