It should come as no surprise that adopting or buying a pet can be incredibly exciting. That is especially the case if it is going to be your very first furry friend. There are quite a few things that you will have to take care of before they get home, though.
For starters, you will have to purchase basic things, like bowls and toys. Next, you will have to decide what brand of pet food you want to go for and find a reliable veterinarian. There is one other thing that you might want to do, though, and that is getting your car ready.
Just like humans, animals can get sick in the car and be scared of it. On top of that, they will most likely leave their fur in there and damage the upholstery. Fortunately, you can do many things to protect your car and make your pet feel relaxed and comfortable!
Do you want to know what they are? If that is the case, then you are in the right place! In this article, you will find a list of such things. Check it out and do your best to make car rides nice and enjoyable for both you and your furry friend!
Bring Enough Food, Water, and Treats
If you are taking your pet somewhere for the first time, you will have to make sure that you have the food and water to feed it and keep it hydrated. If your pet is hungry or thirsty, you can stop on the side of the road, bring out a bowl, and give it what it needs.
On top of that, you can keep a few treats that your pet likes in the car. You can give these to your pet whenever you are not able to stop the car. If you have no idea what treats are worth buying, just buy a few different ones and see what your pet likes best.
There are quite a few different types of treats that you can go for. If you are a dog owner, the cheapest treats are fruits and vegetables, such as bananas and cooked sweet potatoes. The more expensive ones include jerky chews and CBD chews for dogs.
Make the Inside of the Car Safe
If you are planning on having your pet sit on the upholstery, you will have to buy durable seat covers to prevent it from making a mess. There are many generic options out there, but you can invest in fancier, custom-fitted ones if you have the money.
You might have to do more than that if your pet is a bit smaller, though. Otherwise, it will end up roaming inside the car and prevent you from keeping your eyes on the road, which is best avoided. Ideally, you should keep smaller pets in the rear hatch of your car.
In order to keep your pet back there, you should buy a barrier that will separate it from the rest of the vehicle. Many cars have such barriers built-in, but if yours is lacking, you should be able to buy one for as little as forty dollars.
Plan Out Your Car Rides
Next, you should get used to planning out your car rides. If you do not want to forget about anything, you should write everything down on a piece of paper or on your phone. The first thing that you should do is bring enough food and water.
It would be best if you always had a bit more pet food and water with you than you think you will need. If you get stranded in the middle of nowhere, you will not have to worry about not being able to give your pet food and not being able to keep it hydrated.
Next, you should do your best to find a few pet-friendly rest areas on your way to your final destination. Moreover, you will have to stop the car every hour or two to let your pet have a potty break and give it an opportunity to move around a bit.
In Conclusion
There are many things that you can do to prepare your car for the arrival of your pet. For example, you can keep a pack of its favorite treats in the glove compartment and buy the most durable seat covers that you could find.
It is definitely going to be worth both your time and your money. First of all, you will not have to spend hundreds of dollars on cleaning your upholstery or having it replaced. Second of all, it will make your pet feel better, which is always worth it.
If you want to learn more on the subject, try to join local pet owner groups and see what they have to say. In fact, they might have plenty of useful advice and tell you, for example, where you can buy the best pet food and seat covers.