Traveling with puppy

[Roy Wilkins]

I will have a 4.5 hr drive bringing our 11 week puppy. How often must I make a comfort stop, should I limit her water and should I not feed her. I was unable to get her at 8 weeks due to scheduling. Any suggestions as to how I can make her trip easier. Thanks Roy

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I drove 600 miles when I got our Fudge and 400 plus when we got Vern. Both did outstanding in the car. I had someone else come along with me and I made a bed between us and both dogs slept a large part of the way home. If your puppy is sleeping, I wouldn't wake her. If she is awake and moving about, I would stop, let her do her business, and offer a little water. I know others will tell you to crate her, but I kept my dogs close so they could see me and I could reach out and pet them if necessary. Good luck. It has been so long ago, I don't remember if we fed them, but I am sure I offered it at some point. 

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

We drove 225 miles to get Desi.  We were in our RV so the drive was slower than if we'd been in a car.  Before we left the breeder's, she offered to give Desi a puppy-sized dose of Benadryl to help prevent car sickness and to help him sleep.  I held him on my lap (on a small dog bed) the whole way home.  We stopped every hour-and-a-half or so for a potty/water break.  We had a "potty patch" - artificial turf thingy - because we didn't want him walking around on grass that had been visited by unknown dogs.  We offered food, but he didn't want to eat.

Seven months later, we made the same trip to pick up Cori.  On the way up to the breeder's house, Desi sat on my lap.  On the way back home, Desi insisted that he needed to sit on my lap in the doggie bed along with Cori.  Needless to say, that trip was a little less comfortable for me!

Desi is now 45 pounds and he still sits on my lap when we go anyplace in the RV!! 

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

We drove 5 hours with AnnaBelle.  The breeder did not feed her prior to our picking her up because of the ride.  She said to just occasionally give her about 5-6 pieces of kibble so that her tummy didn't get empty but wasn't overly full.  We stopped maybe once every hour or two to see if she needed to potty.  We would stop at out of the way places where we thought there wouldn't have been too many dogs previously.  She did fine on the ride.  I wouldn't with hold water.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned was about 12 or 14 weeks when we drove 250 miles to get him.  We put a crate in the back of our SUV but Ned was NOT havin' it.  He rode either on my lap or on a towel on the floor right behind my seat.  We stopped a couple of times for potty breaks but he only needed one.  He was and is a great traveler.

[BG and Gavin]

On our first puppy trip we used a laundry basket with a soft towel to put him in. That way he was contained, but the open top allowed me to pet and comfort. There were no messes, but if he threw up or had another accident, it would have been contained,

[Dolly Dykhouse]

We drove 300+ miles to pick up Henry when he was 9 weeks; our breeder suggested we drive straight through if possible to avoid putting him down on areas that could be contaminated (funny, not funny as he had giardia/coccidia already unbeknownst to us/breeder). We did crate him and he slept almost the entire way home and did just fine.

[Lisa & Sunny]

We had a three hour ride bringing our puppy home from the breeder.  My daughter and I took turns holding her, and she slept most of the time.  We stopped a few times, but she still had a pee accident all over the towel when I was holding her.  It was obvious that she needed to pee and wanted out of the car, but we were on the highway and could not get over fast enough.  I also regretted not asking the breeder to withhold her food, because she threw up three times.  It seems she is prone to being car sick, because this past weekend, when we took her on a 45 minute drive, she threw up in the car.  She is 5 months old now.  All that to say I would definitely consider asking the breeder to go easy on the food the day you bring your puppy home.