16 hour road trip... - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Dazzles · 04-04-2012, 07:25 PM

I'm going to visit family and I will be driving (to show off my new car for one!). The puppy will be going with us. Any advice on how to help him survive this trip with as little trauma as possible?

ralphthepoodle · 04-04-2012, 08:28 PM

Hi!

How fun! Ralph came from SC to toronto with me last November and he had a lot of fun! My advice is to either have a car seat and put a blanket or something that your pup sleeps with a lot. I also put one of the tee shirts i wear that i did not need in his car seat and his two favorite toys. We stopped every three hours to potty and we also went on a walk so he was getting excersise. Though it made the trip last longer ralph loved the walks! Also i got a water rover for his water. And the night before i left i froze to water bottles so we were ready and then i had the water rover and changed the water. I also had his travel bowls. For the hotel i made sure to pack his bed and all his favorite toys to make the hotel feel as homey as possiable. I also suggest bringing LOTS of treats and bully sticks to entertain your pooch ralph chewed a lot.

Hope that helps! Have fun on your trip!

Lovetodream88 · 04-04-2012, 09:29 PM

Make sure he gets enough potty brakes and when you stop to take potty brakes make sure to walk him for a few minutes at least. You also need to make sure he is safe in the car either in a crate, carseat, or on the seat with a seat belt thing hooked to his harness.

ashley_ · 04-05-2012, 04:47 AM

2 summers ago when Joli was less than a year we drove from Houston to Atlanta. I think it ended up being about 18-20 hours total. But I planned a stop in the middle so we did about 2/3 one day and the rest the next. [It's always better to drive longer the first day, IMHO].
She had her carseat which was actually fairly new at the time and I gave her toys, but she was pretty uninterested in them while in the car. And we were moving for the summer so my car was completely FULL besides my seat and her seat (even the floor bored on her side was completely full and inbetween us). She handled all of that pretty well. She gets car sick, so I had to make sure I gave her some car sick meds a couple of times. She just curled up and slept for about 90% of the time. The last hour or so she started making very pathetic sounds and it made me very glad we reached the hotel. It was like she was saying "are we there yet? are we there yet? mommy i'm bored. are we there yet? please please please let me out. oh mommy please"
So my advice:
make sure the puppy is comfy.
If you aren't opposed to using meds, "calming" med and/or benadryl is very helpful.
and like others said, plan on adding 1-2 hours to your trip for puppy potty breaks that probably need to be longer than your normal breaks.
And since you are going to see family you will probably have plenty of ouputs for the extra energy on the way there! The drive back will probably be much sleepier!!

Dazzles · 04-05-2012, 05:14 AM

PUPPY potty breaks?! More like Dazzles potty breaks. I usually need to stop ever hour and a half/two hours just for myself.

We do have a carseat, and it can go in the back. I just hope he'll sleep the whole time instead of screaming at us. There will be no breaks, we drive straight through (alternating drivers).

gracielove · 04-05-2012, 05:39 AM

I have a car seat for around town driving but I really advise a carrier that is strapped in for highway travel. No one ever plans on an accident and I pray none of us ever have one but it is not a pretty sight to see what happens to a pet during a high speed MVA. Many times a dog is more likely to settle down and take a nap inside a hard carrier and it is protected should something unexpected happen.

Lovetodream88 · 04-05-2012, 06:26 AM

I also forgot its very important he has all his shots if you will be letting him on the ground at rest stops or any where other then home.

04-04-2012, 07:25 PM	#1
Dazzles Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Austin, TX, USA Posts: 36	16 hour road trip... I'm going to visit family and I will be driving (to show off my new car for one!). The puppy will be going with us. Any advice on how to help him survive this trip with as little trauma as possible? __________________ ~Mommy to Optimus Prime - birthdate 08/06/2011~

04-04-2012, 09:29 PM	#3
Lovetodream88 Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md Posts: 23,248	Make sure he gets enough potty brakes and when you stop to take potty brakes make sure to walk him for a few minutes at least. You also need to make sure he is safe in the car either in a crate, carseat, or on the seat with a seat belt thing hooked to his harness. __________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart!

04-05-2012, 04:47 AM	#4
ashley_ Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 122	2 summers ago when Joli was less than a year we drove from Houston to Atlanta. I think it ended up being about 18-20 hours total. But I planned a stop in the middle so we did about 2/3 one day and the rest the next. [It's always better to drive longer the first day, IMHO]. She had her carseat which was actually fairly new at the time and I gave her toys, but she was pretty uninterested in them while in the car. And we were moving for the summer so my car was completely FULL besides my seat and her seat (even the floor bored on her side was completely full and inbetween us). She handled all of that pretty well. She gets car sick, so I had to make sure I gave her some car sick meds a couple of times. She just curled up and slept for about 90% of the time. The last hour or so she started making very pathetic sounds and it made me very glad we reached the hotel. It was like she was saying "are we there yet? are we there yet? mommy i'm bored. are we there yet? please please please let me out. oh mommy please" So my advice: make sure the puppy is comfy. If you aren't opposed to using meds, "calming" med and/or benadryl is very helpful. and like others said, plan on adding 1-2 hours to your trip for puppy potty breaks that probably need to be longer than your normal breaks. And since you are going to see family you will probably have plenty of ouputs for the extra energy on the way there! The drive back will probably be much sleepier!! __________________ Ashley and my gimpy, little bit Somi

04-05-2012, 05:14 AM	#5
Dazzles Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Austin, TX, USA Posts: 36	PUPPY potty breaks?! More like Dazzles potty breaks. I usually need to stop ever hour and a half/two hours just for myself. We do have a carseat, and it can go in the back. I just hope he'll sleep the whole time instead of screaming at us. There will be no breaks, we drive straight through (alternating drivers). __________________ ~Mommy to Optimus Prime - birthdate 08/06/2011~

04-05-2012, 06:26 AM	#7
Lovetodream88 Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md Posts: 23,248	I also forgot its very important he has all his shots if you will be letting him on the ground at rest stops or any where other then home. __________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart!

04-04-2012, 08:28 PM	#2
ralphthepoodle Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: West Columbia Posts: 426	Hi! How fun! Ralph came from SC to toronto with me last November and he had a lot of fun! My advice is to either have a car seat and put a blanket or something that your pup sleeps with a lot. I also put one of the tee shirts i wear that i did not need in his car seat and his two favorite toys. We stopped every three hours to potty and we also went on a walk so he was getting excersise. Though it made the trip last longer ralph loved the walks! Also i got a water rover for his water. And the night before i left i froze to water bottles so we were ready and then i had the water rover and changed the water. I also had his travel bowls. For the hotel i made sure to pack his bed and all his favorite toys to make the hotel feel as homey as possiable. I also suggest bringing LOTS of treats and bully sticks to entertain your pooch ralph chewed a lot. Hope that helps! Have fun on your trip!

04-05-2012, 05:39 AM	#6
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	I have a car seat for around town driving but I really advise a carrier that is strapped in for highway travel. No one ever plans on an accident and I pray none of us ever have one but it is not a pretty sight to see what happens to a pet during a high speed MVA. Many times a dog is more likely to settle down and take a nap inside a hard carrier and it is protected should something unexpected happen.