Terrified Traveler - YorkieTalk.com Forums

dinkyweil · 02-26-2011, 10:35 AM

So we drove with Dinky from Michigan to North Carolina, stayed for a week and drove back. He had his crate, favorite cuddling blankets, lots of attention and potty breaks, but he was a mess. \\It is a very long drive-over 10 hours with stops and starts. the way there he did not sleep for more than a couple of minutes at a time. He just can not seem to sleep when the car is moving. He got used to the cabin in about 2 days. Then on the way home, he not only not sleep, I could barely get him to drink water and eat. Again, when the car was stopped, he ate a little bit and nodded off. He doesn't whimper or whine, he just looks miserable and refuses to sleep. I tried leaving him in his crate to eventually crash, but he just stood there looking sad for over an hour! No amount of cuddling will convince him to sleep. My idea is that he thinks he is lost, even though we are there. He just stares out the window. He is definitely not happy. He's just over a year old now. Any hope he will begin to like travelling in the car?
So... the next time we make this trip, would you give your dog anything so that he could sleep? DH is horrified by the idea.

dinkyweil · 02-26-2011, 10:39 AM

By the way, he slept great last night, got up once and drank water, and ate like a little pig this morning! Today he has either been napping or frolicking happily about home sweet home!

Yorkiedaze · 02-26-2011, 11:08 AM

Sounds like he did really good on the trip. If he was scared, he would have been salivating and trembling, and vomiting. You should take him everywhere possible to get him use to going, and make it fun for him, not just to the Vets' where they then associate pain or bad things with the car ride.

KazzyK810 · 02-26-2011, 11:42 AM

You said he was a year old....but is he not used to traveling in the car yet?

I agree with Yorkiedaze...try taking him more places so he is used to the traveling in the crate in the car. I put my lil crate in the backseat of my mustang and when we go to my parents house, I pop ZoE in there for the quick drive. I take her with me to run quick errands, like banking, post office, etc. And, I often take her over to friend's houses. Now she is used to traveling in the car. Then when I make the 3 hour trip to visit either of my kids that are away at college, ZoE is no problem on the trip.

dinkyweil · 02-26-2011, 11:52 AM

Dinky travels in the car frequently. He does okay when we go on errands, through drive thru's, visiting. He likes his routines. He and my DH have a daily routine of errands, and while Dinky never acts thrilled to be in the car, he does okay.
This long car trip seemed to unnerve him. The specific behavior that is problematic is that Dinky remained awake all day on the way there (over 10 hours) and on the way back he not only did not sleep, but he barely ate a bite. I had to give him water by hand to get him to drink.
He pottied fine although it was obvious he was apprehensive. On the way there, weather was great so he was able to have longer breaks when we stopped. On the way home, winter winds were blowing on the Ohio Turnpike, so the stops were short.
He was obviously exhausted, yet he could not sleep. We are moving to NC in the fall and expect to make this trip at least 3 times before then. Any ideas on how to get the poor guy to sleep on a long car trip?

02-26-2011, 10:35 AM	#1
dinkyweil YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Nebo, NC Posts: 479	Terrified Traveler So we drove with Dinky from Michigan to North Carolina, stayed for a week and drove back. He had his crate, favorite cuddling blankets, lots of attention and potty breaks, but he was a mess. \\It is a very long drive-over 10 hours with stops and starts. the way there he did not sleep for more than a couple of minutes at a time. He just can not seem to sleep when the car is moving. He got used to the cabin in about 2 days. Then on the way home, he not only not sleep, I could barely get him to drink water and eat. Again, when the car was stopped, he ate a little bit and nodded off. He doesn't whimper or whine, he just looks miserable and refuses to sleep. I tried leaving him in his crate to eventually crash, but he just stood there looking sad for over an hour! No amount of cuddling will convince him to sleep. My idea is that he thinks he is lost, even though we are there. He just stares out the window. He is definitely not happy. He's just over a year old now. Any hope he will begin to like travelling in the car? So... the next time we make this trip, would you give your dog anything so that he could sleep? DH is horrified by the idea.

02-26-2011, 11:08 AM	#3
Yorkiedaze My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca. Posts: 12,228	Sounds like he did really good on the trip. If he was scared, he would have been salivating and trembling, and vomiting. You should take him everywhere possible to get him use to going, and make it fun for him, not just to the Vets' where they then associate pain or bad things with the car ride. __________________ AZRAEL RAZAEL JILLI ANN

02-26-2011, 11:42 AM	#4
KazzyK810 Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Michigan USA & Sheffield UK Posts: 4,119	You said he was a year old....but is he not used to traveling in the car yet? I agree with Yorkiedaze...try taking him more places so he is used to the traveling in the crate in the car. I put my lil crate in the backseat of my mustang and when we go to my parents house, I pop ZoE in there for the quick drive. I take her with me to run quick errands, like banking, post office, etc. And, I often take her over to friend's houses. Now she is used to traveling in the car. Then when I make the 3 hour trip to visit either of my kids that are away at college, ZoE is no problem on the trip. __________________ Karan & ZoE (Chelsea )

02-26-2011, 10:39 AM	#2
dinkyweil YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Nebo, NC Posts: 479	By the way, he slept great last night, got up once and drank water, and ate like a little pig this morning! Today he has either been napping or frolicking happily about home sweet home!

02-26-2011, 11:52 AM	#5
dinkyweil YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Nebo, NC Posts: 479	Dinky travels in the car frequently. He does okay when we go on errands, through drive thru's, visiting. He likes his routines. He and my DH have a daily routine of errands, and while Dinky never acts thrilled to be in the car, he does okay. This long car trip seemed to unnerve him. The specific behavior that is problematic is that Dinky remained awake all day on the way there (over 10 hours) and on the way back he not only did not sleep, but he barely ate a bite. I had to give him water by hand to get him to drink. He pottied fine although it was obvious he was apprehensive. On the way there, weather was great so he was able to have longer breaks when we stopped. On the way home, winter winds were blowing on the Ohio Turnpike, so the stops were short. He was obviously exhausted, yet he could not sleep. We are moving to NC in the fall and expect to make this trip at least 3 times before then. Any ideas on how to get the poor guy to sleep on a long car trip?