treypal
Lord of the Raptors
Since there has been tons of pet pictures on the forum here lately, it is clear that Raptor owners are also pet lovers. So I decided to give out some advice for offroading with your pet.
Don't.
I can break it down a little further, because there are plenty of cases where it's ok. For the most part, it's not. Your pets aren't given the luxury of bolstered seats and seat belts. They don't even have the cognisance to realize that the car is moving any different than it normally should.
I have taken my dogs off-roading in the mountains of Colorado with little issues, but it was slow speed, and even at that the dogs had trouble getting used to the rough stuff (while in the cab). A high speed brake check would have sent them flying, hurting them, and potentially us.
If you are going to take them off-roading, put them in a crate that is just bigger than they are, and secure it in the bed with good tie-downs and mounting points, leave out the blankets and pads since they just slide around. Have lots of water for them. Dog specific first aid items such as EMT Gel, and maybe even a stapler for wounds (works great on people too!).
But my advice for the most part is to just leave them at home. The desert if full of pokey and bitey things, and pets seem to love both. At the end of the day you and your pets will be happier if they are left at home.
Don't.
I can break it down a little further, because there are plenty of cases where it's ok. For the most part, it's not. Your pets aren't given the luxury of bolstered seats and seat belts. They don't even have the cognisance to realize that the car is moving any different than it normally should.
I have taken my dogs off-roading in the mountains of Colorado with little issues, but it was slow speed, and even at that the dogs had trouble getting used to the rough stuff (while in the cab). A high speed brake check would have sent them flying, hurting them, and potentially us.
If you are going to take them off-roading, put them in a crate that is just bigger than they are, and secure it in the bed with good tie-downs and mounting points, leave out the blankets and pads since they just slide around. Have lots of water for them. Dog specific first aid items such as EMT Gel, and maybe even a stapler for wounds (works great on people too!).
But my advice for the most part is to just leave them at home. The desert if full of pokey and bitey things, and pets seem to love both. At the end of the day you and your pets will be happier if they are left at home.