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Traveling With Your Labrador Retriever
from: The Complete DogIf you anticipate needing to travel with your Labrador at any time, it's a good idea to help it get used to riding in a car while it's a puppy. You can start taking him with you on short trips, such as making those quick errands, and increase his time in the car gradually. A dog should always ride in the back seat and you should teach it to lie down while the car is moving. Fortunately, puppies usually do well when riding in their crates during an extended car trip.
When going on trips that take an hour or more, it's wise not to feed your dog just before you departure. Many dogs can experience motion sickness, the same as people. If your dog is prone to vomiting in the car, he'll probably require medication from your vet whenever you're planning to take him on a long drive. Most dogs do grow out of this as they adapt themselves to car trips. You should probably plan on stopping about every two hours, so you can walk your dog to give it some exercise and the opportunity for him to relieve itself. Always remember that a dog is in an unfamiliar terrain when driving in a car, so it's a good idea to keep him on leash during these rest stops to prevent him from suddenly bolting.
While the car is moving, make sure you keep a small amount of fresh air circulating inside the car by opening the windows 2 inches or so from the top which should be sufficient, as large doses of air from a completely opened window could lead to eye, ear and throat irritations.
Caution: During the summer season, you should provide your dog with regular small amounts of drinking water throughout the trip to prevent dehydration. When you stop, you must never leave your dog in a parked car during the heat of the day because even with the windows slightly lowered, the interior temperature of a car can soar and this heat build up can be fatal to the dog.
If you're planning an extended trip that requires stayin overnight, make sure you get reservations ahead of time at a hotel or motel you know will allow pets. Travel guides or your local automobile club will help you with a list of places that accept animals.
Boarding Your Lab: If you have to be away and must leave your Labrador behind, the best arrangement is to leave him with a friend or relative with whom he's familiar. If this choice isn't available, you have several other options. The breeder from whom you purchased your dog may have the facilities to house it on a temporary basis. If this option isn't available then check your local paper or yellow pages directory for "foster care" ads by local people who look after pets in their home for limited periods of time.
If this method works for you, make sure you visit the site several times with your dog to help him familiarize himself with the people and location and to verify it's a suitable place for your pet. Commercial kennels offer boarding services for those with no other options. Most kennels are clean and take care of all your pet's basic needs, however, Labs are very people-oriented and tend to miss the companionship of the people they're used to being around when they're placed in boarding kennels. If this is necessary, however, be sure to confirm that the kennel is accredited by the American Boarding Kennel Association.
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