Wednesday, August 8, 2007
The dogs days of summer are officially upon us in the US and many parts of the country are in the middle of a heatwave. I hope everyone is finding ways to beat the heat. Don’t forget that pugs are extremely sensitive to heat and that our furry friends need extra care during the summer months. Here are some tips to make sure you and your pugs stay safe this summer.
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We travel a lot and have a motor home and Maggie & Brutus have been traveling since they were a couple of months old. They are real troopers and generally sleep for hours at a time….we make sure they get their potty stops (usually when we gas up and at rest stops) and always have a bowl of water for them…pugs seem to travel well as they really are low energy pups and they love to see new people all the time
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Michelle Arthur
09/15/2007
Excellent tips here! Thought I could add some advice on how to travel in the car with your Pug, a typical activity for many in the “dog days” of summer and one that was tough for me (I have 2 high-strung Pugs).
If you have difficulties getting your Pug to step and stay inside the car, the following suggestions may help alleviate his fear and can make the car travel experience fun for the both of you. Do these exercises at least a week before going on your long trip to ensure your Pug is ready to “hit the road” with you.
Here are 3 easy steps to get your Pug ready to travel in the car:
1. While the car is parked in the driveway, open the back seat and place your Pug inside the car. Make sure that the engine is off so as not to scare him while he is inside. Let your Pug spend some time alone back there with either a snack, chew bone, or a toy to play with. My favorite trick here is to fill a Kong toy with peanut butter, as Pugs seem to absolutely love peanut butter! This will allow your Pug to get used to being inside the car.
The snack, the chew bone, or the toy that you placed in there will create a positive experience for him, which will make the car ride stress-free. But avoid keeping your Pug inside the car for too long in a hot weather!
Tip: there are dog travel beds available that make traveling in the car with your Pug even easier. In our car, we have a terrific padded travel bed for our two Pugs that gives them both a comfortable place to sit and leash to keep them safe & secure while we drive.
2. Once your Pug is comfortable being in the backseat of the car, close the door (with the windows rolled down) and get inside the drivers seat. Stay there for about a minute while your Pug is getting used to the door being closed. Speak softly to your Pug, so he hears your voice and feels safe.
3. Finally, turn on the engine and take him for a short ride (maybe just a trip around the block). Leave his chew bone and toys inside the car to keep him occupied while he is getting used to being inside the running car. After the short trip, make sure that you give him a good treat such as a game of fetch or a nice walk. Your Pug will love the positive reinforcement!
Repeat the same process, increasing the distance of the trip, until your Pug gets to the point where he actually looks forward to riding in the car. Depending on your Pug, this may mean one more “test drive” or several…but stick with it because the payoff is terrific. Once complete, you will then be able to drive long distances without upsetting your Pug…and that will make you free to take your Pug along when you drive to visit friends and family! Worked like a charm for me and now my 2 boys are true “road warriors”.
Michelle