Dog Behavior Protecting Your Dogs While Traveling by Car

Your dog should learn the proper behavior for riding in a car so that he will not become a distraction and a danger to the other passengers in the car.

Dogs need to learn the proper behavior for traveling in a car. After all, not only do you want your dog to enjoy his ride, but also, you want to make sure that he is safe. Additionally, you want your dog to learn the proper behavior for riding in a car so that he will not become a distraction and a danger to the other passengers in the car.

The most successful way to teach this is to be consistent from the very beginning. Always use the same method for restraining your dog so that he learns that will be his place while traveling by car. If your dog understands what you expect of him while traveling in the car, he will be happy to oblige.

The simplest way to restrain your pet is to use a harness that has been designed for use in the car. It allows the dog owner to clip his pet to one of the seatbelts in the back seat. If you plan to have the dog in your car on a regular basis, you might want to consider getting a special window guard. The guards are designed to allow your dog, or other pets, to have access to fresh air without any risk for injury. The window guards prevent your pet from falling or jumping out of the window.

If your dog is small, a collapsible cage that fits easily into most cars is an excellent choice. The cage needs to be placed on a flat surface to provide your pet with a smooth and safe ride.

If, on the other hand, your dog is large, you can consider getting a divider that will separate the car into an area for human passengers and one for animals. If the car does not have a hatchback or open access trunk such as those found in station wagons, you can always separate the front seat from the back seat. When placing the divider in the car, make sure that it is secure and will not become loose with a little activity or jostling.

No matter how you decide to secure your dog for traveling by car, it’s important to do so. A dog that is permitted free access to the car can easily become a distraction or a hindrance to the driver. Additionally, shop around and look at the different models and styles that you have to select from among to get the option that best suits your needs.

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Dog Bite Prevention in Liberia

by Morris Darbo

Students in Liberia holding the Be a Tree kit posters

Dog bite has been a serious concern in Foya District since the end of the war in 2003. In 2008, there was a mass killing of dogs in Foya as means of curtailing the spread of rabies and addressing the issue of dog bite in the District. This method failed to eliminate the spread of rabies or even significantly reduce dog bite cases in the district. Foya District is bordering with Guinea and Sierra Leone. There has always been an influx of unvaccinated dogs from those countries. The presence of large number of strange dogs in the districts has also been a threat in controlling dog bite.

Every year, there has been report of two or more deaths as the result of dog bite.  Children have been the main victims. In May, 2012, the Liberia Animal Welfare and Conservation Society in partnership with Doggone Safe Canada took up the task to educate children in Foya District on dog bite prevention. The Liberia Animal Welfare and Conservation Society visited 10 schools and 4 communities with the education program. 15,520 children were educated on dog bite prevention. In August, we visited the hospital in Foya to ascertain the number of dog bites since our intervention with the education program.

We were told by the hospital that since May, there has been no report of a dog bite case in the hospital.
We at the Liberia Animal Welfare and Conservation Society want to extend our thanks and appreciation to Doggone Safe Canada for their support in empowering LAWCS to reach large number of children in the society. Our dog bite prevention program also ensures that today`s children grow up with compassion, empathy and respect for their dogs, as well as each other. We encourage compassion and responsible behavior toward dogs, as well as inspiring them to make a difference.

Morris Darbo is the founder and executive director of LAWCS and Doggone Safe Co-ordinator for Liberia

Visit the LAWCS website

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