It is best to try a short trip to learn about traveling with your dog. Dogs get car sick, will refuse to go in rest areas and are not allowed to stay in many hotels. You may be asked to remove your dog if he barks excessively, or is a nuisance to other guests.

If your dog is accustomed to the car, but he gets car sick, you can ask your vet for a motion sickness prescription. Dogs may get car sick if they look at things whizzing by the side window rather than looking out the front window where most human passengers look. You can prevent this by putting your dog in a crate facing the front while traveling in the car. You can even add a reflective cover that reflects the sun so he doesn’t get too hot. The crate will keep him looking forward and keep him safe in the event of an accident.

Remember when you stop at a rest area your dog prefers to go on familiar ground. If he is used to using a grassy or a leafy area he’ll try to find something similar at a rest area.