Your Golden Retriever loves to participate in family events, and this includes enjoying a long car drive with you or traveling to a distant place. They want to be treated exactly as another member of the family and thrive on attention. When you bring home your Golden Retriever pup, you have to train it to enjoy sitting in the car with you as you drive, so that as it grows, it will learn to appreciate such activities more and more.
Give Small Meals
When you take your dog for a day-long drive the first time, remember to give it several small meals all through the day till it gets adjusted to the new experience. If you give it a big meal just before traveling, it could get sick along the way. By taking food in smaller quantities, your dog will learn to control its bladder and itself.
Stop Frequently
Stop every now and then along the way and give your Golden Retriever some time to refresh itself. It is also a good time to exercise both yourself and your dog; so, stop every now and then.
Although a Golden Retriever can control itself, it isn't good for its health. However far you have to travel, you have to show kindness to your Golden Retriever and give it ample time to relieve itself every now and then.
Don't Let It Stick Its Head out of the Window
Many make the mistake of allowing their dogs to put their heads out of the window when the vehicle is moving. This should be avoided at all costs. Never let your Golden Retriever put its head out of a moving vehicle.
Although you might feel that this is a great idea, your Golden Retriever could easily end up with a eye, nose, or ear injury. Vehicles move quite fast on the highway, and you never know what might happen and harm your dog.
Don't Leave It Alone in a Locked Car
Don't leave your Golden Retreiver all alone inside with the windows closed when you stop to use the bathroom or at the gas station. Even if you leave the windows slightly open, your dog could suffer from a heat stroke, especially on a hot summer day. If your dog gets a heat stroke because it was locked up in a heated car, you could find a dead dog by the time you get back to your parked car. If you have absolutely no choice, but have to leave your dog all alone in a locked car, remember to park it in a shady spot, and see that your dog gets plenty of fresh air.
Your Golden Retriever loves traveling with you, as long you take a few precautions and take good care of it when you travel. While your dog enjoys traveling, it requires to get used to it, and with a little training, it will adapt to it quickly.
After a few traveling experiences, your dog will come to know that you are about to travel when it sees you make the preparations. Ultimately, it will learn to inform you whenever it feels the urge to relieve itself.
RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship 2007 ESPN Part 1 Long Drivers of America LDA
