You should not sedate your dog unless you experience severe problems when travelling. Sedatives can be obtained from the veterinary surgeon, but only if you really need them: for example, if your dog gets excessively anxious about travelling, particularly if he has previously been involved in a car accident. By training your dog in the car in the months preceding your journey, you should be able to eliminate the need for sedation. Many dogs enjoy car journeys if regularly taken for short distances. Take your puppy on short journeys from about 6-7 weeks of age, as they are particularly sensitive to new experiences at this time. Make sure that your puppy's first journey is fun and give him treats before going anywhere so that he associates the car with fun. Gradually progress to sitting in a stationary car with the doors closed, and then to going for very short journeys. Your dog should be trained to sit quietly during journeys. Travel sickness, as with people, is more common in young animals, particularly puppies, and they tend to grow out of it with age. You should not feed your dog, whatever its age, for 6-8 hours before your journey.