Question about Riding in the Car

[Becky & Gracie]

Hi everyone! We brought our 8 week old little girl (multi-gen Australian labradoodle) home this past Friday and are just loving her to pieces.  What a wonderful addition to our family of 5! I have a quick question for all of you experienced doodle moms and dads.  We have family that live several hours away that we visit quite often so I want Gracie to be comfortable riding in the car with us. I thought that I would take her with me each day when I drop off and pick up the kids at school (and on other short trips during my day). Does anyone have any suggestions on having her ride comfortably in the car? In a crate?  On a harness? Any other method that has worked for you and your doodle? Thanks so much for any advice you could give!

[Jennifer & Truffle]

Congratulations on your adorable puppy! We struggled with this at the beginning. We have a medium-sized aussie labradoodle (he's now full-grown at 37 lbs) and I use his easy walk harness (the leash attaches to the front of the harness) and his leash in the car. I wrap the leash around one of the headrests in the back seat and leave just enough slack for him to sit and lie down comfortably.  I like using the easy walk harness because it doesn't choke him if he strains/pulls (I use it to walk Truffle, too, which has greatly eliminated the pulling). 

I considered using a more car-specific harness, but they all seemed to involve a lot of effort to install. Our method has worked well for Truffle.  

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

Awe. We have a Gracie too! She's going on 11 weeks. I'm interested in this topic as well because we want her to go lots of places with its. My other dog loves car rides, but we didn't do anything special except put a harness in. I think my Gracie might need a bit more training to ride in a car. :)

[rex]

Our puppy (i call her that but shes near 50 pounds) is 7 months old now and gets car sick terribly. We just make sure not to feed her at least an hour-ish prior to any car ride and try to drive smoothly. (no offroading yet). 

she just lays down in the back seat and hangs out. shes not really into getting wind in her ears, but she loves wind in her face. so a slightly cracked window will do.  we dont restrain her at all. she just rides back there.

[Tammy and Violet]

I may be overprotective..but... Violet almost, 2 1/2 goes in a crate in my back seat ....

[Mary ann & Lincoln]

We had Lincoln in a crate for awhile, then he outgrew it ( 18 weeks and aobut 40lbs) so we tried him just riding in the back seat. he whines alittle, but then settles down, If he is in the front pasenger seat, he is fine. Just sits there and waits while we run into the store (for a paper) or get gas. We have gone on a few trips to Philly, about a 3 hr ride and he was pretty good. We just stopped at the rest stop to give him a potty break.

[Lauren Mroz]

Stella is 18weeks now and still drools during short car rides (parks, vet visits ect.) and we typically have her in the front seat and she just lays down. We travel 8.5 hours on holidays and we put her bed in the backseat with her blanket and toys and she is perfectly fine and does not drool Of course we stop for potty breaks and water. So we are hoping she grows out of the drooling around town.. We started her long trips when she was 10weeks old. 

[Tammy and Violet]

Does Stella throw up at all.. associated with the drooling ? If yes... I gave Violet ginger snaps before a ride

 

[Lauren Mroz]

Actually she threw up for the first time yesterday! I am definitely going to try the Ginger Snaps. How many do you give her? Just one? 

[Tammy and Violet]

give about 1/2 before the car ride... I think I gave her 2 ?

 

[Tammy and Violet]

my 1st day of training class we got lost and Violet threw up tons as we got out of the car :(

[Lauren Mroz]

Thank you so much for the recommendation! I will be buying Ginger snaps tonight at the store :)

[Sheila & Finnley]

Congratulations on your new addition, Gracie!

 

Finnley came home to me at 9 weeks. For her first initial car ride, she was crated, and she was sick and very foamy at the mouth. Yuck!

Everyday after that I took her in the car with me on a doggy blanket in the back seat. She didn't especially love riding at first, but became used to it.

At 12 weeks we packed her up, and took her for her first long distance ride.

It was a 5 hour trip to bring my son to college. We brought plenty of water, a little food, and hit most of the rest stops. She did great !

 

Now at 2 years old, she still rides with me everywhere, and loves it.

She is calm and sits in her spot and has a harness.

So stick with it, Gracie will soon learn the lve and excitement of riding in the car!