# Recommendations for car travel



## JavagirlWisc (Dec 31, 2010)

What is the best way to contain a young puppy in the back seat of a car? A normal crate (unless tiny) won't fit. I've seen the smaller soft-side crates for smaller dogs but I hate to invest in something he will only be able to use for a short time unless that is the only way to go.

When we had puppies before we had an SUV so we had more options. From our adult dogs, all gone now, we have a back seat liner (kind of like a hammock) that hooks over the back and front seat headrests. That works great because it keeps them from slipping down into the footwells. I just don't think that is going to be adequate to keep a puppy contained. 

We will have a 2 1/2 hour drive home from the kennel when we pick him up plus frequent trips of about 45 minutes. So any advice for keeping him safe is appreciated!


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

I think most people use a crate of some kind.

I brought Tucker home (almost 3 hour drive) and had him sleep on my lap. We were just about to pull over to let him pee when he pee'd all over me... 

I would recommend stopping frequently for pee breaks.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Doggy seatbelt! I think that's what most of the GRF members use to contain their pups and adults. 

Usually comes as a harness with an attachment that attaches to the seatbelt: Ruff Rider | Dog Seatbelts | Car Safety Harnesses and Pet Safety

On your trip I would have someone sit right next to him to keep him company. The seatbelt will probably stretch enough that you could hold him on your lap if you're sitting right beside him in the back.


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## The Trio (Apr 24, 2010)

Mine buckle right into the car's seat belt buckle I could not find mine, but this one is close to it.
Amazon.com: LARGE - BLACK -Dog Car/Truck Safety Harness - Adjustable Nylon Web with Quick Release Buckles: Kitchen & Dining
I always buckle my kids up. I have seen what happens to plastic crates in a 75mph crash. they become exploding rockets. I like these because they fasten to your car's OEM equipment. I did bring Teddy home in a crate when he was a puppy because I was traveling with someone else, but they always travel in their seat belts now.


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## JavagirlWisc (Dec 31, 2010)

So the seatbelts even work for really young pups? I'll have to check those out. One version of a soft-side "crate" I saw actually hooks right into the seat belt as well. But if you guys swear by the harness-type seat belts I'll go that way.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

We have one of those soft sided crates for our cat. Haven't used the seatbelt attachment yet, but that should work too.

Any size of dog can use a seatbelt, you just have to get the appropriate sized harness.


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## rubysdoghouse (Sep 27, 2010)

JavagirlWisc said:


> What is the best way to contain a young puppy in the back seat of a car? A normal crate (unless tiny) won't fit. I've seen the smaller soft-side crates for smaller dogs but I hate to invest in something he will only be able to use for a short time unless that is the only way to go.
> 
> When we had puppies before we had an SUV so we had more options. From our adult dogs, all gone now, we have a back seat liner (kind of like a hammock) that hooks over the back and front seat headrests. That works great because it keeps them from slipping down into the footwells. I just don't think that is going to be adequate to keep a puppy contained.
> 
> We will have a 2 1/2 hour drive home from the kennel when we pick him up plus frequent trips of about 45 minutes. So any advice for keeping him safe is appreciated!


 Heads up for the trip home. Dundee made it about 40 minutes and his brother made it about 30 minutes before the barf-a-roma began. Young pups do sometimes have trouble getting car sick until they get use to traveling. Just keep in mind to take something with you to clean up with. This can make the trip a little less fun but it too will pass with age.


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## JavagirlWisc (Dec 31, 2010)

The harnesses that I've looked at are sized by weight. How much will a 7-week old golden weigh?!


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

I would suggest a crate for the ride home. It doesn't make any sense to get a harness system that the pup will outgrow in a matter of days.

The crate will also help to contain any accidents or car sickness episodes that occur on the way home.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Swampcollie said:


> I would suggest a crate for the ride home. It doesn't make any sense to get a harness system that the pup will outgrow in a matter of days.
> 
> The crate will also help to contain any accidents or car sickness episodes that occur on the way home.


Haha, except that he'll need a bath probably too! 

A little guy will weigh about 8-12 lbs. We used cosmo's puppy harness from 7 weeks to about 4.5 months.


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## MittaBear (Mar 9, 2010)

We always use a doggy seatbelt. We had a smaller one for when Chester was a puppy and then upped it to larger size once he grew out of the smaller one.


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## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

We got a soft side crate that can hook into the seat bets from Gander Mountain (I've seen them at Target too) when Samantha was a puppy. We bought a large sized one for about $30. Although she only fit into it for about a year it was great for traveling with her as a puppy. We also used it when we went camping once.

I know it stinks to waste money on something that you know they will outgrow, but for $30 we definitely got our money back through peace of mind.


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## JavagirlWisc (Dec 31, 2010)

ebenjamin85 said:


> We got a soft side crate that can hook into the seat bets from Gander Mountain (I've seen them at Target too) when Samantha was a puppy. We bought a large sized one for about $30. Although she only fit into it for about a year it was great for traveling with her as a puppy. We also used it when we went camping once.
> 
> I know it stinks to waste money on something that you know they will outgrow, but for $30 we definitely got our money back through peace of mind.


$30 isn't bad. The one I saw was close to $90 which seemed a little crazy!

I think we'll check out Gander Mt and Target for those and take a look at the seatbelts as well. Both seem like great options.


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## ebenjamin85 (Apr 13, 2008)

JavagirlWisc said:


> $30 isn't bad. The one I saw was close to $90 which seemed a little crazy!
> 
> I think we'll check out Gander Mt and Target for those and take a look at the seatbelts as well. Both seem like great options.


Yes, ours wasn't one of the fancy ones, but knowing that she would grow out of it we didn't mind going cheap. We had a wire crate for at home, but the soft one fit much better in my small car.

I found one almost identical to the one that we got on Target's website... here's the link. It's also only $21.59!

Boots & Barkley® Large Pop Open Dog Kennel : Target


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## cfrenia (Oct 27, 2008)

When we brought Oscar home, we bought a small inexpensive soft crate from Target (I think it was less than $20). However, he freaked out and wanted nothing to do with it! The front and sides were mesh and he could definitely have chewed his way out. The good thing about the crate though, if your pup isn't nervous, is that it straps into the back seat with the seat belt. I ended up holding him in my lap. About 1/2 hr in the car ride he threw up everywhere (that was fun...), then fell asleep for most of the ride home.

Now (he's 11 weeks), we put a blanket on the seat and anchor his leash to the headrest. I know this isn't 100% safe, but he's happy and quiet (he rides in the car more than an hour a day), and he loves the ride. We tried a couple times after his ride home with the crate and he just hates it - cries, barks, bites at the door, etc. When he is adult-sized we will get a harness, but they are expensive and I don't want to keep buying them. He hasn't gotten sick since the ride home, so I think it was more nerves than car-sickness.

Good luck!

ETA: the link from the poster above mine is the crate we bought for the car!


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

We lasted 6 months with the car harness. It was annoying and took a while to put on every time we wanted to go down the block.

We just bought an SUV and a crate to fit inside. Ahhh, so much better. But, if you have to do the harness, you have to. I'll be selling mine...


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Wow... my dogs NEVER got car sick. Teddi was a 3 hour drive, not crated :curtain: Quinn was two 7 hour drives (14 hour total to home), and Gabby was 10 hours. Of course none were fed before we left either. Quinn and Gabby had at least an hour or more before we left after their last meal. 

I use a 'vari kennel' I have a small one for pups. I put in lots of newspaper, then rags and give them something to "nest" in. My breeders sent me home with stinky blankets for familiarity. I had rubber chews and access to 'some' water. We secured the crate with seat belts and bungees. We had it in such a way if someone had to ride in the back with the puppy they could. 

No I have larger wire crates for the younger generation of my dogs in the car. Looking at investing in a side by side crate system.


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