Travel & Dog Life

Road trip with your dog: stops, safety and settling in on arrival

Long drives across Europe with a dog: safe travel in the car, regular breaks, heat and a calm arrival.

By 6 min read
Bulldog resting outdoors on a blanket with a frozen treat

Driving with your dog opens up the whole of Europe. You can head from Cork to the Kerry coast, cross the Alps into northern Italy or roll south through France towards the Spanish sun, with no timetables and no kennels in a cargo hold. A long road trip with your dog does need more thought than a weekend drive, though. Long hours, motorway rest stops and summer heat all bring risks of their own. Here is how to keep your dog safe, comfortable and calm, from the first kilometre to the first night.

For a road trip with your dog, secure them in a crate, in the boot behind a dog guard, or in a crash-tested harness clipped to a seatbelt. Stop every two hours or so for a short walk on a lead, water and a toilet break. Never leave your dog in a parked car, even in mild weather, and plan a calm routine for when you arrive.

How do you get your dog ready for a long drive?

Build up with short, happy drives first, so the car means good things long before it means a full day on the motorway.

  1. Sit with your dog in the parked car for a few minutes, with treats and the engine off.
  2. Take short drives that end somewhere fun, like a park or a beach.
  3. Gradually stretch the drives to an hour or more.
  4. Practise with the exact crate or harness you will use on the trip.

Watch for signs of car sickness: drooling, yawning, lip licking, restlessness or vomiting. It is common in puppies, and many grow out of it. If your dog gets sick on every drive, talk to your vet before the trip rather than hoping for the best.

What is the safest way for a dog to travel in a car?

Restrained, in the back of the car, where they cannot move around or distract the driver.

OptionGood forWatch out for
Crate strapped down in the boot or on the back seatMost dogs, especially those who like a denSize it so your dog can stand and turn; keep air flowing around it
Boot with a fitted dog guardLarger dogs in estate cars and SUVsCheck the guard is firmly fixed; add a non-slip mat
Harness with a seatbelt clipDogs who ride on the back seatAttach to a harness, never a collar; keep the tether short
Loose in the car or on a lapNeverDistracts the driver and is dangerous if you brake hard

Keep your dog out of the front seat, where an airbag can cause harm. Many dogs love sticking their head out of the window, but dust and insects can hurt their eyes, so open windows only a little. Rules on securing animals in cars vary between European countries, so check the rules for each country on your route.

How often should you stop on a road trip with a dog?

Plan a break every two hours or so, and more often for puppies, older dogs and in hot weather.

Motorway rest areas across Europe make this easy, from the aires in France to the Raststätten in Germany and the service areas in Italy and Spain. Clip the lead on before you open the car door, every time. A frightened dog can bolt in seconds, and a motorway is the worst place for it. Offer water at each stop, let your dog have a short sniff and a toilet break, and look for shade.

Feed a light meal a few hours before you set off, not just before. A big meal on a winding mountain road can easily lead to an upset stomach. Small snacks at stops are fine. Save chews and food toys for stops or for when you arrive, when you can watch your dog properly.

“Clifford our big white dog loves his freeze one super tough version. He has not chewed it up yet and looks forward to it on the freeze bone rotation. We also camp and travel in a class B camper van and with it being a van there isn’t very much room to carry all of his toys and treats so this will be perfect.”
Brenda H., verified buyer

Is it ever safe to leave a dog in a parked car?

No. A parked car heats up very quickly, even on a mild day with the windows open a little, and dogs cannot cool down the way people do.

Shade moves as the sun moves, and a spot that was cool at noon can be baking half an hour later. On a spring day in Andalusia or a summer afternoon on the Italian coast, it can happen fast. Plan your stops so your dog never has to wait in the car. Take turns going into the services, choose picnic spots with shade, and look for dog-friendly cafés along the way. While you drive, use the air conditioning and fit sun blinds to the rear windows.

  • Heavy panting or drooling that does not settle
  • Bright red or very pale gums
  • Weakness, wobbling or confusion
  • Vomiting or diarrhoea
  • Collapse

These can be signs of heatstroke, which is an emergency. Move your dog into shade, wet them with cool (not ice-cold) water, let air flow over them and go to the nearest vet straight away, even if they seem to recover. For more on staying safe in the heat, read our guide to hot-weather mistakes dog owners make.

What should you pack for a road trip with your dog?

Pack a separate dog bag that you can reach without unloading the car.

  • Lead, harness and a spare lead
  • ID tag with your mobile number, and up-to-date microchip details
  • Your dog's usual food, plus a little extra
  • Water bottle and a collapsible bowl
  • Poo bags and kitchen roll
  • Old towels for rain, mud or sand
  • Bed or blanket from home
  • Any regular medication and a tick removal tool
  • A cool bag with ice packs and a frozen lick toy for arrival
  • Pet passport, if you are crossing a border

If you are leaving the country, our guide to travelling in Europe with your dog covers pet passports, ferries and accommodation.

The Freezbox holds up to 350 ml and suits medium to large dogs of 10 to 30 kg. Its wide, flat base is easy to fill and does not tip over on a hotel or cabin floor.

How do you help your dog settle in when you arrive?

Walk first, unpack second, then give your dog a quiet spot and something calm to do.

After a long day in the car, your dog needs to stretch, sniff and go to the toilet before anything else. Show them where the water and their bed are. Keep meal times close to your usual routine. Then give them a frozen lick toy while you bring the bags in. Licking is settling, and the cold is welcome after a warm drive.

Fill and freeze a fresh toy on your first evening so one is ready for the next day. Rinse it after each use, as our guide on how to clean a frozen dog toy explains, and try a cooling fill from our summer treats for dogs or the Freezbone recipe videos.

“My dog loves the frozen sunflower dog chew. Use it after a long day outside - calms her and cools her off at the same time - thank you!”
Kimberly H., verified buyer

Spend the first night in with your dog if you can. A new place smells and sounds different, and having you close helps. By the second morning, most dogs are ready for the adventure.

General information, not veterinary advice. If you're worried about your dog, talk to your vet.

Frequently asked questions

  • It depends on your dog. Many healthy adult dogs cope with a full day of driving if you stop every couple of hours. Puppies, older dogs and nervous travellers do better with shorter days, so build up with practice drives first.

  • Give a light meal a few hours before you set off, rather than a big meal just before. A full stomach on winding roads can lead to car sickness. Offer small amounts of water at every stop.

  • Practise with short, positive drives, keep the car cool and give a light meal well before you leave. Some dogs feel better in a crate where they cannot see the scenery rushing past. If your dog is sick on most journeys, ask your vet about options before a long trip.

  • It is safer to give chews and food toys at stops or on arrival, when you can watch your dog. If something goes wrong while you are driving, you cannot help straight away. A frozen toy at a shaded picnic stop works well.

  • If you cross a border between EU countries, bring your dog's EU pet passport and make sure the rabies vaccination is up to date. Some countries have extra requirements, and rules change. Check official guidance and talk to your vet before you go.

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Written by Freezbone Team

We design freezable, refillable natural-rubber chew toys and test every fill and routine on our own dogs before we write about it. Freezbone Limited ships across the European Union from Ireland.

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