Long drive with new pup - any tips?

[EddieF]

Starting Sunday morning we'll begin the 800 mile trip from Illinois to Virginia with Winnie. She's 7.5 weeks.

I have an FJ Cruiser, the back seats fold down individually. I was kind of thinking of folding down one side and putting the crate there, and my wife can sit in the other back seat. Going back and forth between having her on a blanket on her lap, or placing her inside the crate with some toys with the door open, however she feels more comfortable (Winnie, not my wife!!).

I know highway rest stops are a disease problem for young dogs who haven't finished their vaccinations yet, so I'll have to get a little creative with where we stop. The breeder suggested hotels with grass lawns, or more out of the way gas stations and stuff.

Plan is, drive a little over half way that first day, 7 or 8 hours. We have a room at a hotel in Ohio that allows dogs. Then she can eat, play, sleep, and we get a fresh start to finish the drive Monday morning.

Questions (although advice is welcome on the subject outside these questions):

I know you aren't supposed to take her out of the crate at night if she's whining (other than whining to go out). But in a hotel room, don't you kind of have to? It's just one night but I'm worried that she won't settle down because it'll all be so new and confusing. I guess just tire her out so she sleeps??

Car sickness. I don't pretend that this won't happen, I'm sure it will. But we have to keep moving down the road. If she gets sick, do we stop for a while and let her stomach settle? Or just clean up and keep moving?

I can't believe the time is finally here!!!!

Thanks for any advice, I know a lot of people here must have had to travel far to get their pups.

[EddieF]

A coworker of mine just had the idea to maybe not use the crate that first night in the hotel. That maybe it'd be worse to have an 'incorrect' crate routine (taking her out to keep her quiet) than to just start the crate the following night when we're home. Thoughts?

[Karen]

If it's warm enough (and not too warm), I'd be tempted to leave her in the crate in the car and go out to walk her every 2 hours.

Pack several rolls of paper towels and some spray cleaner and ask the breeder to NOT feed her the morning you're picking her up. Puppies tend to get car sick so an empty stomach isn't a bad thing.

Have a safe trip and enjoy your new pup!

[EddieF]

If it's warm enough (and not too warm), I'd be tempted to leave her in the crate in the car and go out to walk her every 2 hours.

Thanks. But ZERO chance of this happening! I'm more likely to let my wife sleep in the car!

[BCA1228]

If it's me, I'd let the pup ride in you or your wife's lap. That's what you'll want to do anyway. It'll will be a bonding experience to some extent too.
As for the hotel, I'm inclined to agree with Karen. She'll likely whine in the crate, and you'll have to take her out often during the night. If she's in the crate in the car, you'll get some good sleep for the long ride.
I've never had car sickness issues with mine (or 800 mile drives for that matter), but clean up and keep moving. If she's going to get sick, she's going to get sick. I doubt stomach settling will accomplish anything.

At the end of the day, she is a dog. I don't let minor pup issues dictate my shedule for the most part. I'm sure once you get on your way, the best options will be obvious as far as what you do with her at night etc.

Actually, you'll be excited- I wouldn't be suprised if she ends riding in the front with you and sleeping in your bed with you.

[Brittguy]

I guess it is a personal preference but I never leave my dogs in a motel parking lot. Over the years I have heard some awful tales. Not long ago a van was stolen with Viz's in crates the owner was attending a show in the Cleve. OH area.

[3Britts]

I may be the odd one out on this one but, when I have a long road trip with a puppy, I make sure to not feed the pup in the morning and then give the pup a few bites as we drive. Just a few pellets of food seem to calm the stomach. If you can take a small plastic bottle with you, use the coffee maker to heat up some water and fill the bottle. Wrap it in a hotel towel and place them both in the crate with the puppy. Then cover the crate so that the puppy cannot see you. I find that puppies tend to whine when they can see and hear their people. Its worked for me in the past.

[EddieF]

I may be the odd one out on this one but, when I have a long road trip with a puppy, I make sure to not feed the pup in the morning and then give the pup a few bites as we drive. Just a few pellets of food seem to calm the stomach. If you can take a small plastic bottle with you, use the coffee maker to heat up some water and fill the bottle. Wrap it in a hotel towel and place them both in the crate with the puppy. Then cover the crate so that the puppy cannot see you. I find that puppies tend to whine when they can see and hear their people. Its worked for me in the past.

Good stuff, thanks. We were just talking about how to get some food in her - not feeding in the morning doesn't help when we're driving all day - but your suggestion is simple and great.

As for her sleeping in the car, there is just no scenario under which I would do that. I'd rather drive all night or sleep in the car with her. This is the first day with my new dog! I am not letting her out of my sight.

[Kory]

This post brings back some memories last year I was in the same boat that you are in and woried about the trip home after picking up my pup except it was 1200 miles. It went better than we could have ever expected we loaded him into his crate and off we went. We stoped at every road side park to let him out and he never gave even a peep. As for the hotel advise I don't have any as the wife and I switched out and drove stright back. Hope your trip goes as well as ours did good luck.

Kory

[RayGubernat]

Boy -

Did this post bring back memories. About 7 years ago my son and I went from NJ to southern Alabama to pick up a pup. We left there in the afternoon, drove all night and through half the morning. The pup spent most of the trip in my son's arms. He was too new of a driver at the time. I let him sleep most of the night and he was able to spell me a coupld of times, most notably around the loop in DC. Aside from a couple of doggy accidents, one back end and one front end, the trip went just fine. I had brought some disposable bed pads, the kind they use for incontinent folks in hospitals, so the accidents wound up in the trash at the next rest stop...no harm, no foul. I guess, all told, we stopped about five or six times on the way back.

Don't worry about not feeding the pup for a day. The pup should be just fine. It will almost certainly upchuck most of what is in it's stomach anyway, which is much more stressful. Feed it the first night and leave later in the morning of the second day. Water is probably much more important.

A few bits of dry kibble here and there during the drive sounds like a great idea, but not too much.

Puppy breath is the bomb. Good for you guys.

RayG

[EddieF]

Puppy breath is the bomb.

Thanks everyone! We're hittin' the road, I'll report back in a few days!!!

[ezzy333]

When I brought our pup back from your area I put him in the crate in the back seat and he slept for several hours. I finnaly stopped after about 300 miles he went and I put him on the front seat and he laid there and slept most of the time for another 3oo miles. It was a 700 mile trip and we made two stops and was home before dark. Took about ten and 1/2 hours as I remember. He made that trip several times and never had a problem of any kind.

Ezzy