Road trips can be an amazing experience for both you and your dog. However, if not done properly it can be a dangerous and uncomfortable environment causing man's best friend to be an uncontrollable beast or worse.

Before she passed away, I traveled a bunch with Niki. She was an awesome road trip companion. and so it's really important to make sure that she's safe when we do. Ultimately most of this is the same as making sure your human children are safe in the car but here are some things to consider ...

Pet Restraints:

While most people don't do more than simply putting their dog in the back seat (or even the front), there are some cool products out there that you should check out to keep them safer. For instance, you wouldn't want your kids sliding around in the back without a seatbelt ... so why do you let your dog to that?

Heat Concerns:

While it may be comfortable outside the car, the windows create a greenhouse effect inside. Because of this, a "comfortable" 80 degrees could rapidly get to 90 or even 100+. That could potentially be deadly depending on how long your dog is left in the car.

Bathroom and Walking Breaks:

Just like you need to stop and stretch your legs and use the bathroom ... so does your dog. The general rule of thumb when I travel is to make sure that when you stop ... you take care of the dog too. Even if you have an iron bladder though, make sure to stop every 2-3 hours to let them do their thing.

Plenty of Food and Water:

Your dog needs plenty of food and especially water as well. Depending on your dog's constitution they may even need extra water since they might be nervous. Painting leads to dehydration so make sure they not only have water ... but a non-moving time to drink.