When you regularly take dogs out for walks, the car soon becomes more than just a way of getting from A to B. For us, it has become a bit of a mobile base.Over the years we’ve worked out what is genuinely useful to have with us. Some things keep the dogs safe and comfortable, some protect the car, and others are there simply because experience tells us that sooner or later you’ll need them.
Protecting the car
Our boot is fitted with a boot liner. With spaniels, mud and water are simply part of the deal, particularly through the British winter. A decent liner makes life much easier. Wet and muddy dogs can go straight into the back without us worrying about the carpet underneath, and the liner can be cleaned afterwards. On top of the liner we have a travel cage. This gives the dogs their own secure space while we’re travelling and keeps the rest of the equipment organised around them.
Old towels are worth there weight in gold
Alongside the cage we always carry a supply of old family towels. They aren’t smart and they certainly don’t match, but they’re incredibly useful. After a wet or muddy walk we can give the dogs a good rub down before they settle into the car. Rather than throwing away old towels when they’re past their best for the house, they get promoted to dog-walking duty.
Equafleeces for after the walk
We also keep the dogs’ Equafleeces in the car. These are particularly useful after a cold or wet walk. Once we’ve towelled the worst of the water off, we can put the fleeces on and let the dogs warm up comfortably on the journey home. We’ve found this especially useful after swimming or on those cold, frosty days when a wet dog can cool down surprisingly quickly.
Water-for the dogs, not just us
A bottle of fresh water and a dog bowl stay in the car as well. Even when we aren’t expecting to be out particularly long, we’d rather have water available and not need it than find ourselves without it. It’s one of those simple things that’s easy to forget when you’re rushing out of the door.
Always carry spare leads
We keep spare leads in the back of the car too. Obviously they’re useful if something happens to one of our own leads, but that’s not the only reason. Sometimes you’re meeting other people for a walk and somebody forgets theirs. Having a spare in the car means something as simple as a forgotten lead doesn’t have to spoil the walk. It’s surprising how often the things you carry “just in case” eventually get used.
Treats-this is something we have done from day one
There are always dog treats in the back of our car. We started using treats around the car from day one because we wanted the dogs to associate getting into the car with something positive. That routine has certainly worked for us. When we’re returning from a walk, Havoc and Splodge will often beat us back to the parked car and wait patiently beside it, ready to get in. For us, that’s exactly what we wanted — the car isn’t somewhere they’re reluctant to go. It’s simply another familiar part of going out for a walk.
A proper pet first-aid kit
One item we hope we’ll never need is the pet first-aid kit, but it always travels with us. We think it’s important that this is an animal-oriented kit rather than simply assuming an ordinary household first-aid kit contains everything you might need for a dog. One thing we consider an absolute must-have is vet wrap. Cuts and injuries can happen when you’re away from home, particularly when dogs are running through woodland, rough ground or undergrowth. A first-aid kit isn’t a replacement for veterinary treatment, but having appropriate supplies available can be extremely useful while you’re getting professional help.
Put your vets number in your phone
Not everything you need for an emergency actually lives in the boot. We always have our vet’s telephone number programmed into our mobile phone. If something unexpected happens, that’s not the moment you want to start searching for contact details. We do the same when we’re on holiday. When we’re staying away from home with the dogs, we find the details of a veterinary practice or emergency veterinary service near where we’re staying and save the number. Hopefully we’ll never need to use it, but it takes only a few minutes to prepare beforehand.
Our car is part of the walk
None of this equipment is particularly complicated. Most of it has simply accumulated because we’ve discovered through experience what makes life with two active dogs easier. Our basic setup is a boot liner and secure travel cage, with towels, Equafleeces, water and a bowl, spare leads, treats and a pet first-aid kit kept close at hand. The important part isn’t having the fanciest equipment. It’s being prepared. When you arrive back at the car with two wet, muddy spaniels — or when something unexpected happens miles from home — that’s when you’re glad everything you need is already there.