4 ways to relieve dog travel anxiety and make her trip more enjoyable

Pet motion sickness and travel anxiety are very common; Dogs suffering from travel anxiety become highly agitated while riding in the car or any moving vehicle. Especially when taking your dog overseas, the experience your dog has on the plane can be quite stressful. 

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to reduce the travel anxiety short-term and long-term for him to enjoy your trips and holidays. Every step of the way. 

Make the travel carrier enjoyable 

It is important for the dog carrier to be big enough and have a bed or sleeping pad for the dog to lie down comfortably. 

Before the trip you should help your pet create a positive association to the carrier by placing treats inside for him to associate with a pleasant experience. When you place the treats at the end of the carrier, your dog will go inside to investigate, you can close the door for a short period of time and gradually increase the amount of time with the door closed. 

Prevent dog motion sickness 

Motion sickness is especially common among puppies, and most will grow out of it as they mature. However, there are some dogs that don´t and for them, here are some steps you can follow to make your dog accustomed to movement: limit food and water for a few hours before the trip, exercise before to reduce stress, and take them outside to receive fresh air before the trip starts. 

Desensitization 

This means slowly and carefully getting your dog used to travelling, for example, if you are going to travel on a plane, start by taking car rides with him to get him accustomed to movement, the carrier and travelling. If you are going on a long car trip, start by slowly increasing the exposure to being in the car. 

Supplements for calming support

Natural supplements can provide calming support to dogs during car rides. This can significantly improve your pet's experience when traveling.

Sources 

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/ask-trainers-get-dog-ride-car/ 

https://assisianimalhealth.com/library/dog-travel-anxiety/ 

https://www.petmd.com/news/view/how-relieve-pet-travel-anxiety-37157#:~:text=An%20anxious%20dog%20may%20respond,placed%20in%20a%20plastic%20bag.