If you are a dog owner, you will not want to leave your furry companion behind at home when you plan a family vacation. Unfortunately, cars are designed to take into account the human needs of comfort, and you may have to buy some extra car accessories for your pet to make sure he/she is happy and safe.

Some dogs love the idea of riding in cars while some are not so keen to get inside a vehicle. But if you have made up your mind to take your pet on a holiday with you, some car accessories for family-friendly road trips with pets need to be bought. Here’s a list of some of the most popular accessories:

• For your pet’s safety, it is recommended that you buy safety harnesses. These will ensure that he can move around freely in the car when you are driving; many of these harnesses are crash-tested. Alternately, when you are traveling with children and dogs in a mini-van, you can buy seat belt tethers.
• You will find some dogs prefer a travel carrier as this is more secure and comfortable, while there are some small breeds that fit into booster seats. The Kurgo Skybox booster seat, for instance, is ideal for keeping smaller dogs and puppies secure and snug while allowing them to look outside the car windows.
• When you are taking your pet out on a long road trip you would not really want him walking all over the others in the car or disturbing you behind the wheel. So, a kennel can be a good choice; however, not every car is big enough to accommodate one. The Petego Pet Tube Kennel can be a great buy because it is lightweight, easy to install, and collapses down to almost a cycle tire size. This device is great for helping your pet to move around without difficulty and also protects him when there is sudden braking.
• If you are not keen to take your pet along inside a kennel, consider buying pet hammocks for the rear seat. These have protective walls that cover the rear and front seatbacks. Your pet will never fall inside the gap between the rear and front seats or slide forward when the car stops suddenly. You can consider adding the Doggie World Dog car seat cover in your list of must-have car accessories for family-friendly road trips with dogs.
• When you wish to keep your pet in the back seat, be sure to invest in a quality seat cover for protecting the leather upholstery. The 4Knines seat cover boasts of great design and quality, being made from heavy-duty materials. It is water-resistant and has easy openings to access the seat belt.
• When you travel on a road trip with your dog during the summer, you must make sure he/she is comfortable. So, you should ideally have dark-tinted windows and keep the air flowing inside the car when it is moving. You can also consider buying the MetroVac Air Force pet crate fan attachable in the front of the crate to make sure that cool air circulates inside. When your pet is not inside a crate, you may buy a cooling pad for placing it on the cargo floor or backseat.
• Large dogs may find it hard to climb in and out of the SUVs; while a ramp is a good idea, not all cars have the space for it. For cars that have a trailer hitch, the owner can buy the Solvit PupSTEP, which is a two-step device that can be hooked onto the hitch receptacle. It has slip-resistant steps and it can be folded away when not used; this is best suited for dogs having short legs and small pets.