Hi, I’m Allison! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my three Thai mixed breed dogs, Jelly, Lorraina and Manic.

Parents have to do a lot of planning before taking a road trip with their young children, whether it’s just a 30-minute drive to the store or a multi-hour trip to the next state. They have to make sure they have snacks, bottles or sippy cups, toys, electronic devices, diapers, etc. It’s a lot!

It will surely be much easier to put my dogs in a car, right?

While it’s not the same as having kids, preparing my dogs for a car ride definitely requires some planning.

Setting up the truck

The first thing we always have to do before putting the trio in the truck is to put them in the dog hammock. This hammock is fantastic because it has a stable platform so Manic and Jelly can move around without sliding on the ground.

Lorraina, the smallest of the three, is allowed to sit in the front. We have a dog seat for her, soft and covered in fleece. However, she prefers to try to sit on my lap. Lorraina is an unusual size: she is too big for a small dog and too small for a medium-sized dog. Most dog car seats are too small for her, but for safety reasons we found one in which she can sit comfortably without curling up.

All dogs have harnesses and dog seatbelts.

We also marked the windows with a small piece of tape so we know how far to roll them down. Manic is a natural dog to stick his head out the window. Jelly does this occasionally. I love that she still wants to try new things even in her senior years.

All supplies? Check!

Once the hammock, dog seat and seat belts are attached, we take care of the rest of the equipment.

• Collapsible water bowls
• Additional water
• Poop bags
• Two spare lines
• Hand towel
• First aid kit
• Treats

Phew! Even with a 10 minute drive to the park, we have to be prepared for anything. One time, Manic decided the BEST idea was to trudge through the mud before getting in the truck. Gross. Another time, one of our retractable leashes broke early in the walk, so we had to put the broken one on the slowest dog, my older dog Jelly. Basically, it’s a good idea to be prepared for anything, even if you’re planning a simple 45 minute walk.

Securing the dogs before departure

Now comes the fun part: getting the dogs into the car. Oh man.

First, we put Manic in the car, as he is the one most excited to get going. The truck is pretty high off the ground, but Manic manages to hop into the back seat on the hammock. Once he is strapped in, Jelly is next. She has to be lifted into the truck. Jelly usually stays on the left side and Manic on the right. However, Manic often runs from window to window and bumps into Jelly, who then lets out an annoyed scream at having her privacy invaded by a drooling madman.

Last is Lorraina. She can’t be lifted because she hates it, so I try to get her into the front seat as gently as possible. Then she has to be hoisted into her dog seat. And THEN (yes, it keeps going) my husband and I lift Lorraina into her seat to secure it between us. Once she’s buckled in, we’re ready to go.

Just one thing…

WAIT! We forget the most important thing: the windows. How dare we forget the windows? Manic’s whining and pacing reminded us that he needed to safely let the wind blow through his fur, wag his lips and let the drool fly. And despite her advanced age, Jelly was happy to stick her head out for a few moments just to see what the fuss was about. Once the windows are safely rolled down enough for them to poke their heads out, we’re ready to start the party.

Lorraina doesn’t have an open window as she sits between us. However, she doesn’t seem interested. Instead, she keeps her eyes fixed on the road ahead, unconsciously telling us to watch the speed limit and oncoming traffic.

Let the journey begin.