First road trip with my 4 month old ALD

[Debbie Schneider]

I was just wondering we are taking our 4 month old micro-mini Australian Labradoodle on a 7 hour car ride in 2 weeks - his first trip!  I want to make it as stress-free as possible for Maxwell - every time we go for a car ride and take Maxwell he is in his crate and seat belted in the back seat - he seems to do really well for short trips in and around town.  I am not sure how he will do going for 7 hours - we plan on stopping every 2 or 3 hours and take him for a 10 minute walk or so - but he is so used to having lots of playtime during the day not sure how he will do having to be confined for so long in his crate.  Any advice on this would be great!  Once we get to our destination I am hoping he will be fine - we are staying in a pet friendly hotel so that will also be a totally new experience and hopefully he will continue to do his potty trips the same - I have just got him in a good routine at home and he goes in the same spot in the yard all the time - hopefully he will be okay in a totally different environment - I am worried and hope it will all go okay - and this is a trip we have to take and I don't want to leave him with anyone at this stage as he is just getting so used to us and his routine.  Thanks for any advice.

 

Debbie and Maxwell

[Debbie Schneider]

Thanks for your advice - I am sure Maxwell would love that kind of set up but as he is still so young and only 5 1/2 pounds I think we will keep him in his crate - which is what he travels in when we go for trips into town.  He seems to like his crate so we will have the crate in the back seat in between the front driver and passenger seat and he will be able to see both my husband (who will be driving) and myself - hopefully he will be okay with that - we will make lots of stops and take him out to pee and play a bit too - it will definitely be a new experience for us all - we will just have to have a good attitude and give ourselves lots of time to get there and we should be fine - I hope!!   I am a bit nervous about taking him but there is no way I could leave him with anyone at this stage - he is just adjusting to us and it would be so confusing to him if we left him with someone else and I would miss him WAY to much - lol!!  He has so captured my heart already!!!

 

Thanks again

Debbie and Maxwell

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

I think that the fact that he can see you will help him be calm.  

[Michele Kiss]

We flew (in cabin) with Fenway, who was about four months old and 15lb at the time, cross-country California to Philadelphia. So, probably similar travel time - 2x 3-hour flights plus layovers. He only got one chance to pee, on our layover in the middle, and really not much of a walk on either day (each way.) 

We bought a Sherpa bag (the large) and start training him to ride in it when in the car. He has NO issues with it - we open the door, he jumps up and right in to his bag. He flew happily in it on the plane, no issues, and he was in it for easily 10 hours with very little time out. Whatever you plan on traveling with him in, just use it prior. If he's used to riding in his crate I see no reason to change that... 

[Debbie Schneider]

Wow your Fenway was much larger than my Maxwell - Maxwell is only 5 1/2 pounds at 4 months (he is a micro-mini).  Sounds like you had a great experience with Fenway - we are hoping the same with Maxwell.  I have decided that we will have him travel in his crate as he is used to it - we will put the crate in the backseat so it faces the front though and have it between the driver and passenger seat so he can easily see myself and my husband who will be driving.  We will leave early enough so that we are not rushed and easily able to make frequent stops if necessary.  Hopefully it will be a good experience for us all.  I am not sure what a Sherpa bag is - but will check it out - maybe when he gets older we can switch to something like that - I don't plan on always transporting him in his crate unless he seems to really like it.  Thanks for the advice - much appreciated.  I really like this site and how many doodle owners are out there and how much they love their dogs!!  I am beginning to see why - Maxwell is really starting to grow on me that's for sure - my first ever labradoodle and so glad that I decided on a labradoodle - so far it has been great!!!

 

Debbie and Maxwell