Many of us will hit the road this year to visit family, friends or for a vacation. Many of us will take our pets with us. A pet has special needs when traveling that you must consider. Here are some tips for traveling safely with your pets.

Food & Water

You’ll want to carry enough food and water for the pet for as many days as you will be traveling. In addition, there are special collapsible dog food and water bowls available that allow you to serve your pet at anytime, and then collapse the bowl down so it doesn’t take up alot of room. And don’t forget the treats! Have plenty of treats to give your pet when they are restless. Some treats will work better than others in a vehicle. Pick treats that won’t make a mess, won’t make alot of noise and will keep the pet busy. For dogs, consider a Kong treat, which is a rubber like treat that you can insert smaller treats into. Your pet will be distracted trying to get the treats out of the toy.

Comfort

Don’t forget to bring along your pets favorite blanket, pillow or stuffed animal, the familiarity with these items will decrease any shock or homesickness the pet might feel. Bring along extra blankets so the pet can take a nap or rest in it. It will also keep pet hair away from your seats!

Safety

Nowadays, there are special safety harnesses and belts for different sizes of dogs. For small dogs, there are modified car seats that have a padded area for the dog to sit in. The car seat, or pooch seat, is strapped into the seat using a seatbelt. In addition, for medium and large size dogs, you may be worried about them jumping around in the vehicle while you are driving. For larger dogs, there are harnesses which basically keeps the dog in their seat using a specially modified version of a seatbelt. These restraints allow the dog to sit in the seat and still enjoy a view out the window without endangering themselves or the driver. For large and older dogs, there is also a restraint that allows your dog to sit or lay in the back seat of the vehicle safely and is especially good if you’re going off road or going to travel rough roads with many turns and bumps, as these harnesses will keep your dog in place.

Car Sickness

For dogs that throw up during car rides, there are options to help. There are prescription drugs for pets that you can get from your veterinarian. There is also the over the counter drug Dimenhydrinate, also known as Dramamine. You can give your pet the same type of Dramamine as for for adults. About 30 to 50 milligrams is the recommendation for medium size to large dogs and about 10 to 15 milligrams for smaller dogs and cats. Dramamine should be given about an hour before you leave. Many dogs will be less carsick if you let the dog look out the window and/or let some fresh air hit the dog in the face. For some dogs, by distracting the dog with a new and exciting dog toy or treat, they will overcome their fear of riding in a car.

Potty Breaks

Don’t forget to take breaks for the dog to go potty. Take your time letting the pet find just the right spot to do his or her business, it may take longer at a rest stop or other unfamiliar place, especially if the area is frequented by many other dogs and animals. Take a quick jog for a few minutes to rid the pet of excess energy, if needed. Also, in unfamiliar places, keep your dog on the leash at all times.

Red Alert

You must not ever leave your pet in a vehicle when the outside temperature is even slightly warm for more than 30 minutes. Your vehicle will act almost like an oven and the inside temperature of a vehicle sitting in the sun, even when it’s only a little warm outside is often too much for a pet to stand. In fact, it is illegal in many states.

By: Lydia Quinn

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It is hard to explain why so many men and women alike have been drawn to cars that have been modified or “suped up”, but there is definitely something that attracts many folks to cool suped up cars. While there are certain demographics of people that enjoy suped up vehicles more than others, it is hard to point out any specific type of person that does or does not enjoy hopping in a suped up ride and seeing what it can do.

What exactly is a suped up car? Essentially, it is a car that has been modified to run better, faster, and more powerfully. This can be arrived at through a variety of methods, and happens with all types of cars. Modified cars can include anything from American muscle cars to imported coupes. There really is a world of options available as far as what car to “pimp out” and what kinds of things can be done. In fact, this array of options and possibilities is a lot of what draws people to making performance improvements on cars in the first place.

Some of the more popular cars to improve are imported Japanese cars, affectionately referred to as “rice rockets”. These cars are beloved for their affordability and the wide variety of parts that are readily available to turn them into cool suped up cars. Of course, the popularity of such movies as “The Fast and the Furious” and its sequels didn’t hurt, either! Cars such as the Honda Civic, once relegated to being driven by grocery buying homemakers, are often the recipient of thousands of dollars of performance improvements. Other popular models that are not imports include Chevy Cavaliers and Dodge Neons.

American muscle cars have been popular targets for those who like to make performance improvements to their vehicles since the 1960′s, with cars such as the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro continuing to attract attention from modders. These cars aren’t as affordable as some of the other cars that get worked on, but they have more power and performance that comes standard than popular imports or cars like the Cavalier.

Of course, you must know what you are doing before you endeavor to turn your rather average car into one of the cool suped up cars you see on the road every day. Many of the modifications you will be tempted to do will be expensive and some of them will be difficult to perform, so make sure that you get a professional to help if you do not have the know-how to do the work yourself.

By: Dean Forster

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Classic collector auto insurance is what’s referred to as nonstandard car insurance, which includes specialty car insurance for the classic car collector or owner of a modified car.

Classic collector and modified car insurance is very much like standard insurance but with significant differences regarding use of the vehicle and the method of determining value. Although there are criteria for the classic collector–often a minimum age of 25, 10 years driving experience, and a good driving record–insurance on a modified car or on classic cars depends a great deal on the car.

There Are Limitations

A classic auto is usually defined by age, 15 years the usual minimum. In some states, Massachusetts, for example, the age of a classic car must be at least 25 years. Most insurers further require that the components of the classic car are original or restored to original, that the classic be stored in a garage, and that the owner maintains a daily-use vehicle for everyday use.

While limited pleasure driving and club or hobby activities are acceptable under classic car insurance provisions, daily driving, commuting to work, and commercial use of a classic auto is not. Limitations on a modified car are similar.

A Boon To The Car Collector

Also an important difference in classic car insurance is the means of determining the value of the classic car. In most states, Massachusetts, Texas, and Virginia the exceptions, the insured value of the classic car is an ‘Agreed Value’.

Unlike the case of standard insurance where the provider determines the value of the vehicle, specialty insurers agree with the owner on the value up front and are bound to that amount in the event of total loss to the classic car.

Because of the criteria on the owner, the use and storage limitations on the classic car or modified car, and the predetermined valuation of the vehicle, specialty insurers can offer insurance rates on a classic auto or modified car that are often better than on policies for vehicles covered under standard car insurance, a real boon to those who have a car collection.

By: Jon Butt

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