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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on July 6, 2011 at 2:11pm

Are you making the trip on your own or will someone be going with you?  If you're going to have someone with you, then you could have them keep the puppy in a shallow box on their lap (perhaps putting a towel or pee pad inside it).  You could use something like a box top or a box cut to half depth.  Just enough to hold the pad or towel but still allow the puppy to cuddle with the person holding her.

 

My experience with having a dog on a long trip is that they will most likely sleep the whole way, especially if the breeder can exercise her and wear her out before the trip.  Then, even if you're driving alone, you can just pop her into a crate and she can snooze the whole way home.  :)

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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on July 6, 2011 at 2:16pm

I imagine the puppy has had its first shots.  I would not worry about diseases when stopping by the side of the road, one worries more about places where a lot of dogs go, like Pets-Mart.  When my son was in college we'd regularly make the 3hr. each way drive and sometimes I had a whole litter in tow!  We'd stop every hour for a potty break (at roadside) and also were armed with plastic bags, paper towels and rubber gloves to clean up any accidents.  It I were you, the pup would be in my lap, or on the seat next to me, secured with a collar and leash or a harness and leash, not crated....you can thus give it comfort as it will be very stressful for the pup and the isolation of the crate would add to that.  If you're alone and also the driver, maybe you can find someone to come along with you.  It will be a good time for bonding.

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Permalink Reply by Ann & "Mollie" on July 6, 2011 at 2:25pm

Thanks for the advice so far! And yes, somebody is coming with me. We'll be taking turns driving, and we'll sit in the back seat with the pup.

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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on July 6, 2011 at 5:26pm

Perfect!

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Permalink Reply by Amber Markley on July 6, 2011 at 3:14pm

We had to do a 5 hour drive with Seanna.  She only had one accident in the car, (on my daughters lap..).  The other times she whined when she had to stop, and we did just stop on the side of the road (on side roads- not the interstate).  The other times we stopped to eat or get gas we walked her then.  She did just fine!

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Permalink Reply by Jane on July 6, 2011 at 3:40pm

We stopped on the side of the road with both my dogs and they were fine. I think we tried to stop every 2 hours or so and we didn't have any potty accidents. As long as you avoid areas that are heavily used by other dogs you should be okay. With Luke it was kind of hard because it was almost all major interstate coming home (7 hours...) but we found some out of the way grassy areas at the rest stops to use, and nobody seemed to mind that we weren't using the designated "doggy" area.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on July 6, 2011 at 4:33pm

I must be a meany because mine have always gotten a new collar with an ID on and put into a crate with a old blanket (bring extras) and gone home. I have stopped every 3-4 hours but that's it. This is for my own pups I picked up or pups I've delivered. All have calmed down quickly and usually slept most of the way and we're talking 10-12 hour trips. My dogs love their crates and that's my rule.

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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on July 6, 2011 at 5:30pm

I definitely would use a crate on a 10-12 hour trip!

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Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on July 6, 2011 at 9:26pm

Play with her before you leave to wear her out. Take her out to potty, put her in the crate and she should be fine. Be sure she has a collar with an ID tag. If she wakes up and fusses, stop and take her out to potty on a leash. Otherwise, I'd just keep driving. She'll most likely sleep. A lap is not the best place for her. If you get in an accident, she could be hurt or get loose from the car. See if her breeder will give you an old towel that has been used as bedding to put in her crate or a toy that has been played with by the pups. Toss it in the crate also.

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Permalink Reply by Kim Ales-Yan on July 6, 2011 at 9:46pm

We recently brought Bento home about two weeks ago, and we had to drive for about five hours to get him.  My husband and I switched off driving, and someone always sat in the back with Bento.  We had his plastic traveling crate, and we bought a backseat cover just in case.  For almost the entire ride, he sat on our laps.  Some dogs do get car sick and being in the crate seems to make it worst, so we decided to have him on our lap.  It was a good bonding experience too.  

 

Our breeder also warned us not to let Bento go do his business in populated areas, so we literally pulled off to the side of the road or off an exit and then on to the side of the road so he can potty.  When he needs to go, he whines and howl so he let us know.  We would put a collar on him, so he couldn't run off (although he so tiny--he wouldn't go far but just in case).  Bring paper towels and those soft wipes to clean his paws from the dirt.  

 

If possible, instead of driving for about 10 hours, you can drive down and spend the night at a hotel.  Pick up your puppy and then drive home the next morning.  

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Permalink Reply by Ann & "Mollie" on July 10, 2011 at 1:29am

Thanks all for your advice! Today was the big day - we brought "Mollie" home! She was super well-behaved during the ride home... slept most of the way on our lap. She didn't even need to go potty! She didn't make a peep... I kept waiting for her to whine or stand up/sniff around to go potty, but she didn't. I was pretty surprised she managed a 4-hour ride home at 8 weeks without needing to go... as soon as we got home she peed outside :)

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Permalink Reply by Kim Ales-Yan on July 10, 2011 at 1:38am

Yeah!  Have lots of fun with the little furry one.  They really do grow up fast!

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