The Great British summer may be coming to an end, but road-tripping season is still in its prime. Autumn can be a great time to explore the UK by car, taking advantage of quieter roads, cheaper accommodation and less crowded resorts.

As for taking your dog along for the ride…well, car journeys with pets often tread a fine line between heaven and hell. Dogs have a habit of being even more demanding passengers and human beings – excessive boisterousness being bothersome and distracting to say the least.

But here’s the thing – ensuring a safe and enjoyable ride with your pooch on board is well within your grasp. According to experts, there are the five things all pet-friendly motorists should be doing to ensure an amicable experience for all involved:

1.  Restrain Your Dog Sensibly

These days, there’s really no excuse for letting your dog roam freely (and dangerously) around your car while it’s in motion. Specialist seat belts, harnesses and restraints for dogs are both widely available and affordable. If you’re unsure as to which restraint you should be using for your dog, pop by your local pet shop and ask. It’s a simple yet essential health and safety precaution you cannot afford to overlook.

2.  Take Plenty of Supplies

This includes the essentials your dog needs to survive – plenty of clean water, snacks and so on. It also means making sure you bring a good few distractions along for the ride, just in case he gets bored and disruptive. His favourite toys, his preferred blanket and so on – anything you can use to keep him in check, in the event he starts losing his patience. Delays and disruptions on long journeys can’t always be predicted, but they can at least be planned for.

3. Keep Your Car Cool

Important for two reasons – the first of which being to keep your dog cool, comfortable and happy. Don’t forget he’s wearing a fur coat, so you might want to keep things a couple of degrees cooler than you normally would. In addition, keeping things cool is always preferable to opening the window and letting him stick his head out. Cute it may be, but it’s also the cause of countless horrific accidents each year.

4. Make Regular Stops Along the Way

For the safety and sanity of everyone on board, it’s advisable to take a break every 90 minutes also on longer journeys. Plan ahead if possible, setting your sights on idyllic open spaces away from busy roads when he can stretch his legs, vent his frustrations and do his business. To subsequently be disposed of responsibly, of course.

5. Take Him to Happy Places

Last up, if your dog hates car journeys in general, this is a hack that can work wonders. On a regular basis, pop your dog into the car and take him somewhere he loves. When you get there, shower him with praise, attention, treats and so on. Sooner or later, he’ll begin associating car journeys with all things good – not just those awful trips to the vet ingrained in his memory.