Road trip with a dog? Tips for making you both happy

San Francisco dog owner Ben Lowenstein loves to travel — and he never leaves his dog, Javi, behind.

Together, the pair has taken road trips to Chicago, Lake Tahoe and Los Angeles. They have hiked the trails of New Mexico, explored Utah’s national parks, and gallivanted through Colorado snow banks.

The best part of traveling with Javi, says Lowenstein, is that his best friend is always with him. He loves when Javi rests his head on the console of the car and falls asleep as they wind their way to their next adventure.

But road tripping with a dog isn’t all beautiful moments. It can be challenging for both the dog and owner. Tips for helping your four-legged pal succeed on the road:

1. Teach them to love the car.

Long before your road trip, give your dog positive associations with the car.

“Practice makes better,” says Erdem Tuncsiper, who runs P.A.C.K. Leaders Dog Training in Chicago. “Don’t make your big trip their first trip.”

Take them on as many local drives as possible, and give them treats and toys to make the car fun. Drive them to exciting places so they don’t see the car as a direct-to-vet delivery mobile.

If a dog is apprehensive, pet parents “can encourage further engagement with the car by rewarding all interaction directed toward the vehicle — such as looking at, sniffing, moving toward or stepping into — and proceeding with baby steps from there,” says Darris Cooper, national dog training manager at Petco.

Bring along items like bowls and blankets that your dog is not only used to, but finds comforting, says Tuncsiper.

“This includes anything for sleeping, eating or drinking,” he says.

2. Keep your dog as comfortable as possible.

“Make sure your dog is not stressed by the sights, sounds or movement of the...