If you’re like me, you love your dog like a child and want to take him everywhere. Yeah, so? I LOVE HIM. HE’S MY SON!!! Anyway, when I say “everywhere.” I mean it. That means bringing my dog with me in the car, which seems like a difficult thing to some people. But, since my dog and I are seasoned travelers, I thought I’d take this chance to share some of our tips with you for traveling with your best friend, who is specifically your dog and not a human best friend.

First, make sure your friend is healthy. This means regular vet visits to make sure you’re not traveling with a sick dog, because traveling with anyone who’s sick – human or not – is never fun for anyone.

Keep water on hand, either distilled or from your tap at home. Basically, keep water that’s familiar to your dog on hand for the ride. Our pets’ digestive systems are pretty fragile and they need to drink a lot of water, so the best way to keep them happy and healthy is to give them familiar water to drink.

If your dog is going to travel in a crate, make sure the crate is big enough for your dog to stand up, sit down, turn around, and lie down in. Make sure there’s enough room in your vehicle for a crate of the right size.

If you’re going to let your dog roam free in the car, make sure that they are used to it first (introduce your dog to your car while you’re at home, let your dog walk around inside the car, and make sure they’re familiar with the space) and then make sure your dog is properly secured. Get a seatbelt collar or harness tie-down, and make sure the windows aren’t open enough for the dog to stick their head out of. Flying bugs, debris, and other road dust can actually cause damage to your dog’s eyes and ears, so it’s better to err on the side of safety.

When you’re on the road, stop for potty breaks often and let your dog do their business, drink a little water (no food on the road!) and get some exercise, and there’s your recipe for a happy travelin’ pup!