
Cold Weather Travel: While you may not all live in a climate where snow is the norm for winter months, when traveling if there is a danger of bad winter weather, you should be prepared with some travel survival items in your car. When traveling with your dog, any safety kit should include items for him, as well.
For warmth -
1 - Include a blanket for each body in the car - human or dog.
2 - For each person, have a coat, hat, sweater, gloves, boots. If your dog wears any of these
items - remember to have them along for him.
3 - Huddle together - include your dog. With a normal temperature of 101 - 102, he will provide
even more heat than another person.
4 - Include towels and make sure that everyone - including your dog- is dry. Wet = cold.
5 - Move around. Move your arms and legs and change positions regularly. Move your dog’s
legs and rub them with your hands to help him stay warm, as well.
For light and signaling -
1 - Carry a flashlight and batteries for it. Remember your leash light with its LED brightness.
The 3 AG13 lithium cells batteries that it uses have a estimated life of 150+ hours variable
use.
2 - The Pet Blinker may be small, but it is estimated to be visible up to ½ mile. It is also water
resistant. As a signal, you could let it blink for a few seconds; turn it off for a few seconds,
blink it again, then off, blink one more time. Repeat this distress signal a few times every
hour. (It uses 3 AG3 batteries.)
For food and water -
1 - Food -You should have some non-perishable food along for you and your dog. For you, there
are lots of granola or energy bars available. For your dog, you could pack some dry dog
food. It’s a good idea to have travel dog dishes along, too.
2 - Water. The experts change the recommended amount of water that a person should drink in
a day. Currently, it is between ½ ounce and 2/3 ounce per pound of body weight. The
amount is slightly higher for dogs. Make sure you have included everybody that is traveling in
your plans for water.
For general safety -
1 - Be very careful if you have to let your dog out of the car to do his business. Keep him on
a leash. Dogs can get scared and disoriented in a storm and snow dampens the scent cues that
your dog might normally use. This is the reason that more dogs get lost in the winter that
any other time of year. Stay close to your car.
2 - If you carry the In Case of Emergency Notice in your car anyway, you might want to place it
in a window or prop it on your dashboard to help emergency personnel identify that there
someone in your vehicle.
3 - Your dog’s red bandana could be tied to your car’s antenna to help get your car noticed.
Check out "Our Dog Stuff that's Sensible".
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Tucker Says
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