There's
nothing quite so headache-inducing as listening
to the non-stop, piteous cries of an unhappy dog
or cat trapped in a moving vehicle.
There
are three primary reasons why your pet cries.
One is that the car makes scarey noises and vibrates.
Two is that pets often aren't able to see out
of the window(s). And three is that most car rides
end at the veterinarian's office.
The
cure begins with creating a window seat platform
for your pet carrier. The same is true if you
use a pet car seat or seatbelt harness. Being
able to see outside will give your pet a greater
sense of security and strange sounds won't bother
them as badly.
The
platform should be stable and keep the carrier
from sliding around on top of it. Make sure that
it can be strapped down with a lap belt. An empty,
sturdy box may be all that you need. A
standard pillow with a flannel or similar cover
(to prevent slippage) can act as a shock absorber
between the carrier and the platform.
Don't
forget to use a shoulder belt to secure the carrier
itself. Better yet, for cats, look into a soft
travel
carrier. For dogs, use a harness. Why? Because
this will give your precious pet a greater margin
of safety should an accident occur. Bouncing
around inside of a hard crate can be fatal.
Now
that your pet can see, let's provide a view. If
the only time you got to go for a ride was when
you were about to see the doctor, you wouldn't
want to go either! To keep things pleasant, make
sure that your pet doesn't have food or water
just before your adventure.
Think of a quiet area with some trees and birds fairly close to your residence. Open the window on your pet's side at least an inch so that they can hear and smell all of the exciting new things. (You'll probably want to roll the window down even further, which is fine. Just be sure that your pet can't squeeze out through the opening.) Drive verrrrry slowly through this area. Don't
make this first "fun" outing very long... Five
or ten minutes is plenty. They may suddenly
remember
that last vet visit. And don't forget a special
treat at the end to reward them for being so
brave.
It
may take a few fun drives before your pet begins
to look forward to them. Make sure that these
first few are within a week's time to reinforce
the memory. Especially for cats, try to drive
them around the block once a week after that.
You'll get a kick out of their fascination with
everything around them. And be sure to take them
for a spin a day or two before vet appointments.
A ounce of prevention today can save you a migraine
tomorrow!
