Pet Proofing Your Vehicle

Many of us hate leaving our furry friends behind when we have to hit the road and often times we like to take them with us for a ride in the car or to the dog park. However, just because we love ’em doesn’t mean we love the damage they can do to our car. Here’s a few tips on how to pet proof your vehicle.

Preliminaries

Before bringing your pet with you into a car, there’s a couple of things you should do to make traveling with pets easier.

Give your pet and the interior of your vehicle a good cleaning. Pets love getting dirty – why? Who knows? But if your animal or car is dirty, then dirt is either going to end up on your animal or in your car.

Train your pet with a designated space in the car, such as the backseat, so they’re not jumping all over the place while you’re driving because that’s a quick way to end up in an accident.

Speaking of accidents, no matter how well your pet is potty trained, they may have an accident of their own. So if you are driving with a cat that is not in a crate, be sure to have a litter box they can access. If you don’t want to bring the litter box you have at home, check your local pet store or grocery store for a temporary litter box that you can throw away when they are no longer in the car. If driving with a dog, remember to think about their needs and make stops to let them out to walk around. But of course, be sure to keep a doggie bag handy with cleaners for taking care of those little (or big) messes a.s.a.p.

Easy access is key to bringing a pet with you for a car ride. Cats may have it easy, but small and older dogs are going to have a little trouble getting into cars, and an easy-to-use pet ramp is a great investment. Most are foldable and will fit into the trunk space for easy storage.

Protection

We’re talking about protection for your car and your furry friend.

Coverage. When it comes to travelling with pets, there’s bound to be nose prints or slobber on the window, and maybe even scratches on the seats. There’s three things you can do to prevent this. One, get seat covers – this will keep your seats clean and may even help with training your pet to know where they’re supposed to sit. Second, get some press ‘n seal plastic, or some clear plastic wrap and tape, and attach it to the windows for an easy way to keep them clean without reducing visibility. Three, nail caps are a thing, and they’ll help keep your pet’s (especially your cat’s) nails from scratching up the seats.

We talked about getting a ramp to help your pet in and out of the car easily, but what about once they’re inside? To keep your pet protected, you can purchase a pet harness at most pet shops to not only keep your pet in place, but also keep them protected in the case of a collision.

A safe space is also a big deal when riding with pets. If you have a lot of cargo space in the back, think of getting a cargo cover to lay down where your pet will most likely be sitting during the ride. This can keep any loose cargo secure, as well as giving your dog some space. Another idea is a car hammock that can be placed between the front and second row seats. A car hammock creates the perfect space for your pet, and as long as there’s openings for seat belts, furry and human passengers can sit there safely.

* Now you’re all set to take your dog to the park, or your cat … wherever people take cats. Know of any other pet proof ideas? Let us know on social media . *

* Photo Source/Copyright: petguide.com *

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