The Holidays are upon us and those of us who consider our pets to be family members will be celebrating with our animals by our side. This means lots of road trips. So whether you’re headed across town or across country, be sure you consider your pets in your plans. This week, we’re talking about taking your dogs on road trips. We’ll soon be offering some tips on traveling with cats as well, but for now we’ll focus on our canine companions.

According to a recent survey from Kurgo and AAA, “One out of three dog owners admit to being distracted by their dog while driving, however twice as many admit to engaging in distracting activities with their dog while driving.” This means turning around to tell your dog to sit still, checking your mirror to make sure he’s not eating the seats, and maybe even pushing him to the back of the car when he tries to be your copilot. No matter what it means, we have a few suggestions on how to improve travel time with your pets.

The first step in easing the difficulty of traveling with pets is to make sure your vehicle is pet-friendly. If you’re shopping for a new car this holiday season, we urge you to consider the height, clearance levels, loading and unloading features, and methods of securing your pet.

What We Use: Our 2011 Toyota Sienna was designed with pets in mind. When we arrive at our destination, which is often many miles from the comfort of our home, our Australian Shepherd can relax in the roomy interior for a climate-controlled, comfort ride. A zip line and harness allows him to move securely about the rear of the van. He can take in the sweeping views through large tinted windows, then stretch out and sleep when he tires. The spacious interior allows plenty of room to relax, stretch, pace or just take in the scenery. Loading and unloading is a breeze as the Sienna sits low to the ground, and we don’t have to worry about injuring our backs by lifting heavy ramps, or be concerned that Cheiss might re-injure his hip. With the Sienna, he’s able to merely step up into the van.

To help our pack have a successful journey, we've created a comprehensive series of articles all about traveling with your pets and our favorite products to make your vacation easy. Please take a moment to read these articles through, then print off the official "PetsWeekly Checklist for Travel Success".

[Part One: To Grandmother's House We Go] [Part Two: Restraining Pets for Travel] [Part Three: Creature Comforts] [Part Four: Polite Guests, Not Pests ] [Part Five: Checklist for Pet Travel Success]