# How do you handle a long drive home with a new puppy?



## cinnamonteal (May 16, 2008)

I would avoid any place that you that it's likely other dogs have been. At that age, they are really susceptible to all sorts of things. I wouldn't count on immunity from mom or even the first set of shots. Try to stop at places without other dogs (no parks or rest stops, sorry).


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I drove from Ohio to Florida with TWO new puppies (okay, we dropped one off in Atlanta, but still). They were great. They instantly zonked out in their crate as soon as the car started. I would say they went a max of about 2 hours before I would hear them stir and would pull off at an exit for a potty break and water. 
I bought Depends bed pads, which fit perfectly in the bottom of a 36" crate, just in case. I think they did have an accident or two (pee) and the pads soaked it up.
Your pup will be fine! Have fun.


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## Bob-N-Tash (Feb 24, 2008)

*PUPPY STORY #1* 
We picked up Natasha, our puppy, and drove home.. that would be from Colorado to Florida. We stopped every few hours along the way to let the puppy take care of her business. It also gave us an opportunity to stretch our legs. No accidents along the way. 

Sometimes she was confined and other times she slept on my lap. Because our trip would be 3 nights on the road I took an assortment of puppy toys... something rubbery, something squeaky, something soft and cuddly, and a cat slicker brush to use on her during the trip. 

The net result was that it made riding in the truck or the car a positive experience. 

We were fortunate in that she didn't get carsick or have any accidents.... But taking some mild cleaning suppies and a towel and a roll of paper towels is a good idea. 

*PUPPY STORY #2*
3 years later my SO drove from Florida to Pennsylvania to deliver an 8 week old puppy to the new owner. That trip he was alone and the puppy was not at all happy in the crate. After hours of listening to her crying he took the puppy out of the crate and put Abby on the passenger seat. The puppy curled up and went to sleep. immediately.

*PUPPY STORY #3*
Tobi, another puppy from the same litter had a long trip from Florida to Peru NY. It began at 2 p.m. with a 90 minute drive to the airport where the new owner and puppy met for the first time. They had about an hour together before it was time to get back on a plane and head home. She took the puppy in a pet carry-on bag and during the flight he rode under the seat and on the seat beside her... it didn't take him long to settle down and fall asleep and whenever he began to fuss she would hand feed him some ice chips. Because of the plane ride, I did not feed Tobi that morning. So, after landing in Vermont she give the puppy water and fed him a small handful of puppy chow before taking him for a short walk. Then they got into her car and began the drive home... after about an hour she stopped, offered the puppy some water and they took another short walk. Back in the car they drove to the ferry and rode the ferry across the lake. An hour later she finally pulled into the driveway about 2 a.m.

Bottom line... with a little planning both you and your puppy should be just fine. 
Good luck.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

To answer your question about immunity, I do think that one set of shots + natural immunity does a good job of starting them on their way toward being protected against "the funk" that's out there. That's exactly why I start socializing my pups as soon as I get them at 7-8 weeks.

That said, I'd still look for slightly less common spots to potty your dog. For example, rather than stopping at the normal highway rest stop (where presumably thousands of others have done the same thing), try stopping in town at McDonald's and letting your pup pee right in the parking lot, on the pavement.


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## Ladyinblack (Jul 20, 2009)

Definately bring a crate... it's the best way to keep the puppy safe and your car clean. My drive was only two hours and my poor baby got car sick vomiting 5-6 times, he looked so sad!!! I have an SUV and eventually placed him in the middle of the back seat so he can see forward and I open the windows, it helped a little. I would suggest you bring him a Kong Toy and put a little bit of peanut butter to keep him entertained and relaxed, I do that now with my puppy and he goes to sleep after he finished playing with his kong toy, No more car sickness!!!!! Potty breaks will not be all that beneficial to a puppy since the puppy will be too small to have bladder control and go on queau. It will be tough but there are a few things you can do to make things easier, ask the breeder if she would be okay if you sent her a collar or if she has one to put on him. Puppies take a little while to get acclaimated to the leash and you will need one to confine him to a specific area to go potty. So at least get him a little used to a collar. Also ask the breeder what the puppies use for potty with her eg pads, newpapers and bring that, they tend to get used to that kind of surface... I think some breeder do not feed the puppies when they send them home...? Car sickness? Air sickness? Potty accidents?


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

If you're making the trip alone, ask the breeder to purchase a puppy crate for you and start getting the pup used to it in the week or so before you pick up the pup. A crate is the safest way to travel. If you have older kids or another adult who will go with you, they can hold the pup on their lap for part of the trip. That's how I made the hour drive with Quiz. My friend drove and he was on my lap on a towel in case of a potty accident. We did stop once on the way to see if he had to go, but he held it until we got to the grass at home.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I think if you pick spots other than the dog area at a rest stop, you should be fine. There's plenty of grass at rest stops that isn't a great place to take an adult dog that you can totally take your pup. Just find the least likely place for other dogs to have gone.

As far as in the car, I've done two 7 hour trips with new pups, and we've had one driver and one puppy-holder. I know crates are safer, but we wanted to prevent bad associations from getting formed with the car. Puppies generally don't pee while you're holding them, particularly if you stop every couple of hours, but bring a towel anyway and make sure it's under both ends of the puppy, since vomiting is likely.

Pups tend to drool for a few minutes before they puke, so it's a helpful heads-up. I don't think they all do it, but if your dog is starting to drool profusely, it's a good clue that he may be about to vomit. I've also found that they are less likely to puke when they have a little food in their stomachs, so feeding a little puppy kibble every 1/2 hour can help. Of course, if they do puke, that's more to clean up, but I think preventing it is more important so it doesn't become the beginnings of a habit of hating the car and getting sick.

Get him nice and tired at the breeder's before you leave. They'll often settle down and sleep after a while because the whole process is just too exhausting, and that's the ideal.


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## KatieandAngie (Dec 24, 2008)

We threw the crate in the back seat of the truck and she rode alternately in Vicky's lap or sleeping upside down in the crate... Angie would scoot the blankets into a corner and then sleep on her back with her butt in the air and her head at the bottom. We brought pee pads and would put them on the floorboard in front of the passenger seat. She'd pee on them and then we put em in a trash bag until we got somewhere to throw them away.

Pretty uneventful trip except for having a blowout on an icy highway (we were out running a snow storm heading back home)... Only other thing was when we stopped and got some el pollo loco, if she'd been bigger than 8 weeks she'd come over that arm rest for it. 

So I'd say take a crate and use it for when they're really tired and things are hectic (city driving bad traffic conditions etc...) and otherwise take turns driving and cuddling with your new bundle of joy.


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## Red22 (Jul 12, 2009)

Thanks guys, I know its a little early for me to be worried about such things, but I thought I'd ask while its on my mind. I will def. bring a crate and a kong! I like the idea of the pad too cuz if all else fails and I can't get too a "safe" grassy area at least she will have somewhere to go!


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## Bob-N-Tash (Feb 24, 2008)

It isn't too early to ask these questions.

Here is one more suggestion... take a camera. We shot some wonderful photos of our new puppy on that trip home.


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## simmotwo (Apr 29, 2018)

Hi, 
Quick question. I noticed that many years ago you had to take a 3-day trip to bring your puppy home. I have something similar, I was just wondering how you went about accommodation? Obviously you would have had to stayed at a dog friendly hotel/etc, was there any implications staying somewhere like this considering your puppy may not have been fully vaccinated by this stage?
Hope that makes sense.
Thanks for your time.

Ben


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