We recommend keeping your puppy in a travel-safe crate or boost seat during car trips. As your dog grows older and bigger, you may need to upgrade to a dog car harness that attaches to a seat belt. It's best to keep your dog in the backseat of the car, or in the rear of a station wagon.
While wanting your puppy in the front seat is tempting, the safest location to secure your puppy is in the back seat of your car, and helps you to avoid a possible distraction while driving! Open car windows, especially when the car is moving, can be very dangerous.
However, one thing remains consistent for all options: Pets should never be placed in the front seat, but rather in the rear seat or the cargo area of the vehicle. “Car seats should never be placed in the front seat as the air bags can hurt or kill the pet,” Nelson explained.
The spirit of adventure
Dogs tend to be naturally curious and outgoing, so they love it when something new and exciting happens. A car ride is a great adventure for them, full of new sights, smells, and sounds… much more fun that just hanging around at home waiting for the mailman to show up.
The trick is to find the point where your dog is comfortable and relaxed then slowly move closer and closer. At each stage of the process, give your dog something beloved like a special toy, delicious treats, or a meal. You can even play games together or have a trick training session.
Ideally transport your puppy in a suitable size crate that is secured into your vehicle. Alternatives are a harness and doggy seatbelt but be careful they don't wiggle out or tangle themselves up. It is illegal to have your dog unrestrained in a moving vehicle and very distracting for the driver.
For transporting a puppy in a car, it's sensible to use a puppy carrier, particularly if you are driving long distances with your puppy and while they are little to help them to feel more secure. For the longer term, you can use a crate, dog guard, car harness or seat belt to keep your dog safe.
The answer is you should not be leaving your 8-week-old puppy alone for an extended period. This is the part of their life where they have just been weaned and need regular feedings and potty breaks. It is recommended to wait at least until they are 3 months old before they are left alone.
When can I start taking my puppy outside? Vets recommend waiting until 10-14 days after your puppy's last vaccination booster – usually at around 14–16 weeks of age – before introducing them to the wonders of local parks, beaches and walking trails.
Rule 57. When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.
While it can be tempting to let your four legged pal roam free in the front seat, doing so actually violates the Highway Code and could land you with a giant £5,000 fine and between three and nine licence points.
The safest way for your dog to travel in the car is in a crate that has been anchored to the vehicle using a seat belt or other secure means.
Some dogs have heightened sensitivity and as such the motion from car rides can affect them more than others. This is due to the fact that physical stimuli such as sight and smell are more potent for these hypersensitive dogs. The resulting shaking can be an effect of the increased awareness of the world around them.
Puppies are more often affected by motion sickness, and many grow out of it around one year old. Feeling sick whenever they are in the car doesn't help build a positive association for your dog, which contributes to the anxiety they feel when they have to go for a car ride.
The Highway Code from the UK Government states that “a seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars”. These are the safest and most appropriate ways to restrain your dog in the car, and it's important to choose the restraint-type that suits you and your dog the best.
Separation anxiety is a serious condition that creates high levels of stress for your puppy and often results in abnormal behaviour when left alone. Puppies may cry a little when you leave the house, but separation anxiety is usually explained by more extreme behaviours, such as: Destructive or disruptive behaviour.
You can usually stop closing your dog into your crate when they are around two years of age. Before then, they are usually more likely to get into trouble. It isn't until they mature fully that they are able to behave properly when not supervised. This is especially true for larger dogs, who tend to mature later.
How Long Until A Puppy Can Sleep Through the Night? You can expect your puppy to consistently sleep through the night from around 8 weeks but there is no hard and fast rule.
First, crate train your puppy, and second, arrange for regular toilet breaks at appropriate intervals. Before leaving for work, play with your pup and take them out for a potty break. When they go, give the usual praise and reward. Then pop your pup into the crate with a safe chew toy.
Bringing home your new puppy: first steps
Let them explore each room in turn. Focus mainly on the room they'll spend most of their time i.e. where their bed, crate, food and water bowls are. Try not to fuss over your puppy too much during these initial moments, give them plentiful space and time to explore.
In the UK many welfare and veterinary organisations, such as the Animal Welfare Foundation, Blue Cross, PDSA and the Dogs Trust, recommend that puppies shouldn't be separated from their mothers until they are at least 8 weeks (56 days) old.