The First Very Long Ride Home from the Breeder (12 hours)

[Michele Barton]

Hi, I'm hoping that some of you can help me with this. We will be bringing home 2 puppies on May 27th. We are driving 680 miles to get them. We will not have them shipped. We will be purchasing a back seat "hammock" style cover for our car to use throughout their lives; however, my husband is concerned that if we use the hammock for this trip, it will be too large of an area for them to be in, and they will probably go to the bathroom on it. He wants to use a crate to avoid this. We have a large crate from our previous dogs that we will be using at home, but it is too large to fit in the car (Subaru Forester), so we'd have to buy a smaller crate for the trip. I don't want them in a crate for such a long drive. I would rather have them be able to romp around in the back seat (the hammock makes it quite safe), stopping every few hours for a potty break. At 8 weeks old, how likely are they to have a bathroom accident in the back seat? Any advice would be appreciated, and thank you!

[Adina P]

They might use the backseat for potty--I wouldn't be surprised if they did. In a 12 hour ride they will need to eat and drink and they may also vomit in the backseat. I would use a crate, and perhaps consider a soft sided travel crate.

Just be VERY careful about where you stop for potty breaks...do not use areas that you suspect are frequented by other dogs. I would also consider martingale collars or secure harnesses for their potty breaks because they won't be able to slip out of those...sometimes pups who are not used to collars and leashes will try to back out of regular collars and some are successful.

[Michele Barton]

Thank you Adina, I never thought about a soft-sided crate. That sounds much more comfy; I'll look into it, as well as harnesses. We will be very careful about where we stop, I am very aware of the parvo danger. Thanks again!

[Michele Barton]

What a cute puppy! Thanks for the picture! Sitting in the back with them would probably not work for us, we both are tall with really long legs. We want the pups to be comfortable, but we also want to be comfortable since it's such a l..o..n..g trip. You're a real trooper for having done that! Of course, with a pup that cute, how could you resist?! :)

[Louise and Toby]

When we picked up Toby we had about a 10 hour drive home. We kept him in a crate and did use out of the way places for him to potty. You can also use puppy pads to keep them off the dirt. He did very, VERY well. I think crates will be much safer for your new puppies - and I think they will feel more secure in a crate. You could maybe find a used crate, or crates, for travel on Craigslist - clean it/them well and dry in the sun.

[Michele Barton]

Louise, the use of puppy pads for pottying is a great idea, thanks! I'm beginning to think that a crate really is the best way to go. I'm thinking we could fold down the back seats and put it up close to us, so whoever isn't driving has the option to get some quality lap time in, as Andy suggests below.

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

First of all - CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sharon picked up each of our doodles from the breeder's - Each of the three trips was a long ride - 2 trips to NC and 1 trip to Ohio from NJ. On each trip she either took her sister or our daughter, We did have a crate in the car but most of thime they were on someones lap. It was a great bonding experience for all. I know that with 2 puppies this will be a little more difficult. Good luck. Don't forget to join the "Multiple Doodles" Group.

[Michele Barton]

I'll be sure to join the "Multiple Doodles" Group, thank you! Thank you all for your good advice, we really do appreciate it. I hope that I can offer some after getting some "doodle" experience! You are all great!!!!

[Pamela-Pambriella Goldendoodles]

How exciting!! This will be fun and also a challenge. These are all great suggestions! When we go with puppies anywhere, we always have crates and a place for them to be in the back (we have a van). They alternate being in the crate or on our laps, or in the back. Puppy pads are great in the back for the just in case. Baby wipes are also good for the small clean up. When we stop to let them out, we always bring a small size tarp for them to go to the bathroom on. It helps to keep them off the ground and protect from parvo. We put up the folding fencing on the tarp and they have a safe place to wiggle and go potty for a few minuets. We always have paper towels and newspaper on hand for faster clean up, oh and a walmart bag to carry away trash. Have fun and congradulations!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

If your car is too small for the crate - how about renting a vehicle that the crate can fit in and maybe it would be more comfy for you too. We had a 5 hour drive to get Ned. He was an older pup so perhaps had a more mature bladder. We brought the crate but he cried and whined and yelped so loud my husband couldn't concentrate on driving; so we just put him on my lap and he slept and snuggled almost the entire trip. We tried a couple of potty stops without success and then HE got really wiggly so we stopped and he peed - easy. He got back in my lap and slept the rest of the way home. It was a fun, fun day and actually an easy trip. That was the beginning of Ned's excellent traveling manners. He has never thrown up and never had a case of the zoomies in a moving vehicle.

[Tamara & Giada]

Can you have anyone hold them?? If they are held they are less apt to potty in someone's lap. We picked ours up and had a long trip (8 hrs.). My kids held her and she also layed between them in the back seat........maybe if you had a couple people you all could take turns??

[fergie11]

This is going to be fun. I picked up Fergie and it was a 5 1/2 hr ride. (Actually I did this for Lucy too - only a year apart. I had the crate situated in the center of the back seat with the door open and a big towel so she could crawl on the counsel between driver and me and then I could hold her or she could snuggle back in the crate. We stopped for potty a couple of times and everything went very good. I did not feed her at all and she was never sick. I did offer water but she didn't drink much either. 12 hours is a long time though. The good thing is you're getting two. I think 2 in a crate will be better, they won't have that separation thing going on.
Neither Fergie or Lucy were every sick on the way home but a word of caution. Some puppies get very car sick. I picked up a little st. poodle (Rudy) 4 1/2 hrs away and he vomitted the entire way home. I had him in a crate the same as i did with my doodles and my friend was cleaning him up all the way home. He was very nervous. I'm sure with the two this won't happen but take lots of paper towels and old towels along just in case. (incidently, that all stopped and he's a great dog and rides in the car well now.)

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Michele,
We have been traveling in our RV with our now 17 week puppy since he was 8 weeks old and most of the time he sleeps, so romping around in the back seat isn;t likely and a crate may be safer, more secure to them. You will be holding one or the other at times I'm sure and that is so fun!!!! I have heard that they won't potty while sitting on thier person. And ours never did. Heck, if you don;t want to buy a crate, just find a big cardboard box to use for the trip. That would do just fine. You can secure it with the seatbelt, cut little windows out for them to see you....then if they do have an accident you will be throwing it away anyway.
hope this helps.