Car Life; How to make it Work with a Dog

A Word of Caution

When living in a car with a dog you must consider climate. Extreme climates can be fatal to your buddy and no one wants that. Always take your dog with you or out of the car if the temperature is above 70 or below 32. And always exercise caution when it is stormy. There are many things you can do to combat the heat/cold, which we will get to later on. Keeping your pet safe should always be top priority.

Life is often unpredictable, and situations that may seem stable can go south very quick. People are often times put in the position where they have no where to go housing-wise. A lot of people resorting to living out of their vehicles in their time of need. Which is perfectly okay, as long as you are taking care of your dog properly. This is a basic informational guide on living in your vehicle with a dog. For more information about the barebone basics of living in a car click here.

Preparing Your Dog

Unless it is completely necessary I do not recommend hopping right in the car to live with your dog. Instead, try slowly introducing your dog to the car. This may be difficult if your dog has no prior experience with riding in cars. If they freak out try giving them a calming ot hemp treat at first. Start off by going on road trips that are progressively longer. Once they are used to riding and spending time in the car you can then try doing a overnight trial. You can then make modifications to your setup and arrangements accordingly and try again. Slowly you can work the amount of nights you are spending in the car and your dog will be ready. Remember to take breaks accordingly and to slow down or back it up if your dog is stressed or uncomfortable.

Care Basics in a Car

Disclaimer; if you are going to be living in a car with your dog, you must put your dog first. It is important that they are well cared for and comfortable in this situation. If you are not able to accommodate your dogs needs or care for them properly it might be necessary to find a temporary foster or some other arrangement as such. But that is a very hard decision no one wants to make, so at least try to accommodate to avoid that decision.

Exersise

You are going to to have to take your dog on more walks. It might be idea to find a empty dog park so your dog can get their runs out, if you don’t like to run. I recommend having a 20ft+ long line as well as a standard 6ft lead. That way you can better contain your dog if need be, or give them more freedom to explore when the time comes.

Another great way to get your dogs energy out whilst living in a car is by hiking! Hiking gives both you and your dog more freedom to explore as well as stunning views. This will give your dog plenty of freedom to sniff as enrichment as well as a place to relive themselves. Just remember to clean up after your dog wherever you go.

Use caution when visiting dog parks, for some reason people love to bring their reactive dogs into dog parks. To keep your dogs safe from any potentially irresponsible pet owners I recommend to use dog parks if they are vacant of other dogs. Which could be difficult if you are in a more densely populated area. But can be a useful tool if you have a high energy dog that needs a place to run.

Food and Water

Food and Water are arguably more important in a car then in a house. A good diet to ensure your dog doesn’t have a upset stomach on the road. And an appropriate amount of water provided will aid with your dog maintaining a safe body temperature. It may seem a hassle to carry a bunch of food and water on the road but there are ways to make it work.

You should be carrying enough water to last your dog an entire day at all times. This way if your car breaks down, or you get lost/stranded you will have enough water for a day or maybe even two to assure safety. For car living I recommend a collapsible 5 gallon water container. This will give you enough water for a bit, you might want to bring more depending on your dog. Also keep in mind that water is heavy so only get containers you can tote.

For food, this really depends on your dogs diet. For dry food they make collapsible food containers. A more budget friendly option would be to get a small dog food canister from your local pet store, or big box store. This way you can refill it with say a 10lb bag of food when you run low. Do keep in mind if you do this then you need to keep a eye on the food levels as to not run out. If you use can food, you can store the cans under the seat or another dark place.

Saftey in Temperature

Temperature can be a silent killer if not monitored. It is of up most importance to keep a eye on the temperature both inside and outside of the car. As previously mentioned you do not want to leave your dog inside of the car if the external temperature is below 32 degrees or above 70 degrees. There are many ways to both keep your dog cool and warm when the temperature is not as forgiving. And remember if in doubt; get out and seek shade or shelter.

Keeping the interior of the car you are living in cool in heat is more of a challenge then keeping it warm. However, there are some ways to maintain a lower internal temperature in your car. The first way is by cracking your windows and pointing one fan out of the window to dispel the heat in your car, and one fan pointed into the car to bring in the cooler air. Their are other options such as bought swamp coolers and rechargeable ac units, but keep in mind they emit a lot of condensation which is not idea.

Staying warm in winter is not as much of a challenge in my option. The key is to stay active, as well as layering both you and your dog up clothing wise to maintain body heat. There are also options such as 12 volt heated pads and blankets that you can put above or below your dog to raise body heat.