How do I stop my dog being car sick without medication?

Dogs that can see the horizon through the front windscreen, rather than watching the world blur past a side window, often cope noticeably better, since the visual cues match the motion their inner ear is sensing. A crate or harness restraint positioned centrally in the back seat, angled slightly forward, tends to work better than one facing sideways in a boot area with limited forward view.

A stuffy, warm car makes nausea worse for most dogs, so cracking a window slightly for fresh air, or running the air conditioning, helps considerably. Strong air fresheners or lingering fuel smells in an older car can also contribute to nausea, so a well-aired vehicle free of strong scents gives a dog the best chance of staying settled.

An empty or very light stomach travels better than a full one, so withholding food for roughly 2 to 3 hours before a trip reduces the chance of vomiting, though water should still be available. A small bland snack an hour before a longer trip works for some dogs that get queasy on an entirely empty stomach, so it is worth testing what suits your own dog.

Start with the engine running in the driveway for a few minutes with treats and calm praise, then progress to very short trips around the block before attempting a longer journey. Ginger, in small dog-appropriate amounts such as a plain ginger biscuit made for dogs, is sometimes used as a mild natural aid, though it works better for anxiety-linked queasiness than for genuine motion sickness.