Long car ride home with new puppy

[Ashley & Penny]

Hey all--

Any suggestions for a 9 hour drive with our 9 week old puppy? We are picking her up in Tennessee this weekend and live in Florida. I have my cat's travel carrier I was planning on bringing as well as a seatbelt/harness for the puppy. I was going to see which one worked better, but do you have any suggestions? How many potty breaks am I looking at here?

Thanks, Ashley & Penny :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I would follow the vet's advice on this - they are aware  of what is happening in your area currently.  They should have  shots + a couple of weeks, so it sounds like your pup will not be well immunized when you go.  I would also be concerned about other diseases like Lyme disease.

Quote from website regarding Lyme disease: If possible, avoid allowing your dog to roam in tick-infested environments where Lyme borreliosis is common. In addition to grooming your dog daily and removing ticks by hand, your veterinarian can recommend a variety of sprays, collars, and spot-on topical products to kill and repel ticks (some can accomplish this naturally). Such products should only be used under a veterinarian's supervision and only according to the label's directions. In addition there are vaccines available for dogs; talk to your veterinarian about its availability and whether it is right for your dog.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I dont know how others feel about this and I do NOT LIKE puppy pads, but my fears would be more along the line of Parvo and fecal parasites.

For this one time, for this tiny baby, place a puppy pad on the car floor when you think he/she has to go.  Too many problems along the highways until the pup becomes an immunized adolescent.  

When you go home, throw that pad in the yard with it's urine scent on it and use it for training in your yard.  It's a win win

[Ashley & Penny]

Good idea! I was planning on bringing them with us anyway because we are staying at my Grandma's for the weekend before we drive back home.

[Jennifer Tramell]

When I have travelled with a puppy who has not received his/her complete vaccinations, I'm always careful about where to stop.  Don't take your puppy to the typical travel stops - rest area doggy walks, gas station grassy areas, even fast-food grassy areas.  I would find places like Sam's Club (we like stopping at Sam's while travelling) and even then I walk the pup on the parking lot (as long as it's not hot).  A pup who potties on the parking lot is safer than a pottying on grass - of course have some plastic bags to pick up the poop. 

[Sally S Miles]

Residential areas are where puppies pick up things.  Residential areas are where people walk their dogs - not a good idea for a puppy, same as taking out in your neighborhood. .

Head away from residential areas. Away from parks.  Do not stop at those pretty patches of green near the restaurant.  I did not feel like an idiot setting up with papers in a pen.   Take the time to scout your travel route ahead of time, make note of suitable exits - beats running around lost while puppy screeches in your ear.  

[Jordan & Daisy]

I should clarify that by residential I didn't mean people's neighborhoods lol! I meant exits off of the highway that were residential- quiet, not major roads, and not busy. Any time there was an exit with a bunch of gas stations, busy road, fast food, etc we avoided it.

[Leslie J]

It seems a lot of puppies get car sick. I would put the puppy in a towel-lined box on someone's lap for the start of the journey. This would combine the comfort of human touch as well as an easy cleanup if the puppy throws up. You can simply remove the soiled towel and put in a fresh one.

Once puppy is settled and sleepy, you can put her in her crate and I'm betting she'll sleep most of the way. Cocoa slept about 22 hours a day the first few days after we picked her up. Enjoy your puppy- can't wait to see pictures!