Dogrrific reviews how a pro truck driver manages to travel with a dog in the cabin, respects a delivery schedule and makes life enjoyable for both the dog and the trucker. Our objective is (to try!) covering what's involved in getting a new "copilot" from taking care of bath-room stops, vet paper works to health emergencies. Many dog owners take their dog along for a ride; could be to run some local errands or to log many miles. If you are well organized and follow a few rules that will be addressed later in this review, the proposition could be a no brainer. Traveling in a semi or a tractor trailer does however, bring a few more considerations! My interest in this topic has been triggered by a recent stop at a rest area; the driver of a semi had written his dog's name and its breed on the vehicle's door. The reason behind it is to let everyone know (in case of a wreck and the driver is not able to talk) that he is riding with his dog. If you are looking for a "Copilot", many advocate looking at adopting an older puppy or a young adult dog; older puppy means at least a few months old so that its bladder control is better! An eight week old puppy requires a bathroom stop every 1 or 2 hours during the day. On the other hand a few months old puppy can hold it for up to 4 to 6 hours; then as the dog grows older he'll pretty much match your own stops schedule. The only drawback in getting your dog from a shelter or any rescue org is that a few of those orgs might not like the idea of a dog being constrained for most of the day in your cab. Dog size matters, could the dog fit properly and securely on the seat (watch out for hard breaks)? Some truckers have big dogs in their trucks, but are they actually roomy enough for a large dog? Some will set netting across the bunk; if you are doing the same make sure it's high enough so your dog can't jump over. Any other homemade system that offers some sort of security and restrain should also be fine. To keep your dog busy don't forget his favorite "chewing stuffs" and bring your dog its own sleeping accommodations, blanket etc. If your dog is not yet trained and accustomed to its new traveling lifestyle and still "learning on the job" feed him smaller portions. Respect your own feeding routine and your dog will fast adapt to the new routine. Water is really important for a dog, so always make available a small amount of water. But make sure it is in a large bowl so as to limit splashing. Incorporate (while in training) into your delivery schedule a few more bathroom-stops and short walks. So now you are a proud dog owner, teaching your best friend the utmost dog-traveler behavior; good but that's not it. Make sure that his shots are up to date and you have your current dog license from your home town at hand. Last but probably not the least; verify his protection against fleas, heartworm and intestinal parasites. Your dog vet's paperwork will not only be required if crossing the border but it has been reported that certain inspection stations actually ask for it. Leash and collar should also be frequently verified to make sure they are not worn out - remember that sad story a few paragraphs above - Don't forget to affix the dogrrific dog ID tag Dogrrific ID tag I recently joined TruckersForum to gather some info and also got a sad story; QUOTE: the truckersforum member: ironmanwife Quote: "Well Ironman used to have a min pin named shortcut... he rode everywhere with him; ever since he was 6 weeks old. He grew up in the cab. He used to sit on Ironman's lap, with his front feet up on the steering wheel. Looked like he was driving... he would let him know when he had to "go" and they both made pee stops; Shorty loved playing Frisbee too or even retrieve pebbles. One day Ironman had to deliver an air conditioner to a building site he started to talk to some truckers there and Shorty wandered...a dump truck came racing and ran Shorty over he only ran over his hind half...he was crushed and still alive, Ironman had to stomp his head... this was the hardest thing he ever had to do, he buried him under a tree in NC; NO more dogs in the cab..." END QUOTE. Once you overcome a few hurdles you will find many advantages at riding with your new best friend, he'll makes your day much more enjoyable; getting out of the truck more frequent; layovers will feel shorter and when walking at a truck stop he will trigger friendly encounters easier. In conclusion a few recommendations and a few lines about operationroger.rescuegroups.org Dog and Heat Stroke: If you really need to leave your dog in the cab then keep the AC on. Beware that on a nice summer day (outside temp around 80C or more) the temperature inside the cab may easily reach from 90C to over 110C. There are also quite a few States with anti-idle laws, if your present location is in any of those states, then leaving your dog inside the cab is not an option unless you are ready to pay the penalty. An excellent government document to read about anti-idle laws is: Government document If worst comes to worst how do you recognize a potential heat stroke? - Extreme panting - Labored breathing - Gums or eye membranes become bright red - Highly fatigued The above symptoms could lead to - Collapse and unconsciousness - Seizures and ultimately result in Death. What to do about it? Immediately bring your dog to a shady area. Cool him down by covering him with wet rags, towels or even your own clothes if nothing else is available to you. Another way to fight a heat stroke is to place him in a tub of cool water (we are not speaking about icy or real cold water! These maneuvers should bring his temperature down. Nevertheless take your dog to the vet as soon as possible! This is a real emergency situation. operationroger.rescuegroups.org is about people with heart as big as their truck.Operation Roger Rescue OperationRoger, pardon me for borrowing from them, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization comprised of regional and long-haul truckers who volunteer their time to share their love of animals with people who run animal shelters or animal rescue groups who are trying to save the lives of US pets. They need volunteer Truck Drivers to transport pets. They need Layover Homes and Shuttle Drivers, both local and long distance. They occasionally receive requests to move donated pet food to a rescue. For this they need drivers who perhaps can't transport pets but would be able to get a few bags of food to a needy rescue. Visit their site; the mission is great but cash at hand is very tight. I specially thank ironmanwife at TruckersForum for her sad and true story. This article is meant to be informative; it surely misses a few areas. Don't be shy; comment on it, add to it and let's make it better. I am still learning a great deal about how truckers manage their life while feeding us!