Before you can consider traveling with your shepherd on vacation, he needs to first be able to travel contentedly in the car with you when you run daily errands. This means he must be comfortable with car travel and fully acclimated to whatever restraining system you have chosen for him.

Restraints

A crate in the back of an SUV, station wagon, or minivan is very convenient. Your dog is safe if you stop short; he can't be thrown across the seats or through the windshield. Additionally, you and any passengers are safe; in an accident, a loose dog could seriously injure someone just by being thrown around in the car.

If you don't have a vehicle in which you can fit a crate, consider using a seatbelt harness. Several companies manufacture harnesses that are made to hook through the seatbelt. This allows the dog to sit up, turn around, and lie down comfortably, but he cannot hop from seat to seat. In an accident, your shepherd would not suffer such serious injuries as he would if he were unrestrained.

Climate Control

If you've ever ridden in the back seat of a vehicle, you're acutely aware of how possible it is for the passengers in the front seat to be nice and cool from the air conditioning while you're uncomfortable and even sweating in the back. Keep this in mind when your shepherd is riding in the far back end of your vehicle. If his crate is in the cargo area of a minivan, for example, he's getting even less air than the back row of seats. Always make sure he's not becoming overheated during travel. If necessary, attach a battery-powered fan to his crate to help the air flow.

Never leave your shepherd in the car on a hot or even warm day. It takes only a matter of minutes for the car to heat up to an unbearable temperature. If you are traveling on a hot day and making a rest stop, take your shepherd out to walk in the shade, stretch his legs, and relieve himself. If you are making a lunch stop and plan to go inside the restaurant, allow the car engine to keep running with the air conditioning on. Or, better yet, get your meal to go.

The Anxious Traveler

Owners often decide to take the family dog with them on a fun trip, maybe to see a relative who lives six hours away, failing to consider that the dog has never ridden in the car except to go to veterinary appointments, where he got vaccinations that hurt. The dog is simply not going to hop in and enjoy the ride. The less-traveled dog is likely to pant, cry, whine, bark, vomit, and possibly even lose bowel or bladder control. Putting a shepherd in this situation isn't fair. Your dog's nervous behavior is also guaranteed to wear thin on all who are traveling with you.

After a long travel period, make sure your pet gets a lot of exercise.

To prepare your shepherd for a journey, you need to make sure he considers his crate a safe haven. Keep his crate in the home, door open, and encourage him to go in the crate to receive treats and enjoy really good chew toys and bones. When he's comfortable with the crate, begin taking short trips in the car.

Give your shepherd his favorite chew toy or bone so he has something to do in the crate. Initially, you may want to line the crate with newspapers for easier cleanup. Also, take him on short trips as frequently as possible. Over time he will become more used to the motion of the car and will be less apt to become ill. If you take him to a pleasurable place (such as a park), he will connect the car rides with good things. This will help, too. Eventually, he will undoubtedly be first in line at the door when you ask, “Does anyone want to go for a car ride?”