How do you travel with a stressed dog?

You can reduce stress associated with new situations by bringing your dog's bedding and some of their favorite toys. Be sure the toys are safe, as you may not be able to directly supervise your dog during travel. Using a pheromone product such as Dog Appeasing Pheromone (Adaptil™) may reduce anxiety.



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Here are some essential tips for traveling with dogs:
  1. Use Positive Reinforcement. ...
  2. Work on Counter Conditioning. ...
  3. Try Medication and Calming Supplements. ...
  4. Consider Alternative Solutions. ...
  5. Create Visual Barriers. ...
  6. Remove Visual Barriers. ...
  7. Don't Feed Your Pet. ...
  8. Create a Pleasant Environment.


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  1. Get your pet used to the car. Help your dog to get used to being in the car by training them to sit calmly in a stationary car to start with. ...
  2. Use treats. Use treats, and play games whilst in the car. ...
  3. Start with short trips. ...
  4. Use toys or a blanket. ...
  5. Play music. ...
  6. Secure your dog. ...
  7. Don't feed prior to travelling. ...
  8. Make loo stops.


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  1. Get your pet used to the car. Help your dog to get used to being in the car by training them to sit calmly in a stationary car to start with. ...
  2. Use treats. Use treats, and play games whilst in the car. ...
  3. Start with short trips. ...
  4. Use toys or a blanket. ...
  5. Play music. ...
  6. Secure your dog. ...
  7. Don't feed prior to travelling. ...
  8. Make loo stops.


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Medication prescribed by your veterinarian: trazodone (brand name Desyrel®), gabapentin (brand name Neurontin®), and alprazolam (brand names: Xanax® and Niravam®) are sometimes used to reduce the anxiety that some dogs experience when traveling.

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However, it's still important to check with your vet for the right dose and formulation (note: diphenhydramine should be the only active ingredient; don't use Benadryl with decongestants or other combination products). Benadryl may be a good dog sedative for car travel, as it also helps with mild car sickness.

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Many dogs experience a combination of motion sickness and travel anxiety, since nausea can make travel stressful to them. So it's important to address motion sickness in addition to dog anxiety in cars.

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According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, the standard dose for Benadryl® is 2–4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, or 0.9–1.8 milligrams (mg) of Benadryl® per pound. Therefore, a simple and practical dose is 1 mg of Benadryl® per pound of your dog's weight, given two to three times a day.

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Keep Him Hydrated and Comfortable Bring jugs or bottled water for your pet, and give him a water break — along with a chance to stretch his legs and relieve himself — every few hours. Unless you're going on a multi-day trip, avoid giving him food during a road trip. You could easily wind up with a carsick dog.

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Ideally, you should try to match your dog's normal routine for potty breaks and meals while on the road, but this may be difficult to do. On average, you should give your dog a break every 2 to 4 hours for about 15 to 30 minutes each, and plan on driving no more than 7 hours per day.

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  1. Get your pet used to the car. Help your dog to get used to being in the car by training them to sit calmly in a stationary car to start with. ...
  2. Use treats. Use treats, and play games whilst in the car. ...
  3. Start with short trips. ...
  4. Use toys or a blanket. ...
  5. Play music. ...
  6. Secure your dog. ...
  7. Don't feed prior to travelling. ...
  8. Make loo stops.


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Your dog may be prescribed Xanax for: Managing panic, fear, or aggression related to a specific situation. Reducing anxiety during car or plane travel. Reducing anxiety during veterinary exams and short procedures (like nail trims)

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If you have a very energetic pet that could use a bit of help to snooze on the plane, Benadryl could be a good option for them.

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