long drive w/ dogs - have you done it?? Need advice.

[Coco'smommy]

We travel quite a bit with skinkids & Coco - to be honest Coco rides better than the skinkids! She sleeps a lot in the car, we also have a restraint for her that we use on longer trips. Just around town I don't use it much but we travel 1 1/2 hours several times a month to my parent's farm (which Coco loves because she can run like crazy and aggravate the older dog at the farm...ol) Just this past weekend we took a 5 hour trip and she did wonderful. We only stopped once to let her do her business and the rest of the time she slept. I always take bedding for her and new chewies or something to keep her occupied when she's awake. she enjoys riding and likes to be able to see out the windows when she chooses to get her lazy puppy butt up. 2 1/2 hours should be a breeze if you can keep the skinkids occupied, I'd say that will be a bigger hurdle than the doggies. Good luck!

 

[adobeboxers]

My 2 travel about 5 hours every 2 weeks or so and all I do is make sure they have a long run, a trip to the dog park or something before we go and then they pretty much sleep the whole way. We usually stop half way through to go the bathroom and stretch and then it is back on hte road and back to sleep for them.

 

[Kali's Mom]

I visit another BW member who lives 2hrs away from me. My girls enjoy the ride and do fine. They mostly sleep. But I don't have to stop with a 2hr ride. They ride in the back seat and do good. I would like to get a barrier one day, but for now they enjoy the car rides and don't move around too much. I'll be making that trip this weekend.

Have fun!

Melaina-Kali and Gia

 

[Jan]

Markus has been on many trips where we have driven all day. He has always been fine and as long as we stop every couple of hours. He went on his first long trip when he was 4 months old.

 

[kpdangermouse]

jezebelle is another frequent traveler! we trek accross PA about every other month...just about 7 hrs. i do stop at rest stops, to let her pee...and esp in the middle of the state, the reststops are in the woods, so we might go on a short romp in the woods. (not in deer season though! shes fawn colored!! )

anyhow, she usually just sleeps, or looks out the window...ive got a blanket and pillow for her in the backseat. i put toys/bones back there too, but shes not interested in them in the car. im sure your pups will be fine on a 2 1/2 hr trip!

 

[Thomas Liggin]

Both Indy and Ava travel very well. Each made the nine plus hour trip from
Virginia to Massachusetts when we got them at about nine weeks of age.

We got Indy in February of 2002, and Ava in March of 2003. Both made the trip without incident. We did give them plenty of attention when they were awake, and let them sleep as they wanted.

I have a pickup with a cap on the back, so I lined it with cardboard and papers to serve as a bathroom. I didn't want them to have contact with the ground, since they had only begun their series of innoculations.

They can travel for up to four hours between stops, but we usually stop every two to three hours. They sleep a lot when we travel, and only wake up when we slow down for traffic, tolls, or rest stops.

Most of the time, we don't even know they are there.

Bring a cooler with some bottled water, and a few treats. You shouldn't have a problem.

If you can get them to go potty just before you leave, you shouldn't need to stop unless they get restless or carsick.

Like people, some dogs travel better than others. Most dogs seem to do very well.


Tom

 

[Kaylamyboxer]

I've drove 7 hours with Kayla.Just have bathroom breaks.

 

[sunni_d]

Lucy is a car dog. she always wants to go where ever we do. We take her on 2-3 hr trips all the time. i have a single cab F150, so me, Lucy and my boyfriend all pack in. Lucy falls asleep about 5 mins into the drive and only wake up when we stop. This weekend we are going on about a 4 hr trip, and i'm sure it will be the same way. good luck on your trip

 

[ladyluck_t]

Katie and I travel from NM to AL about 1-2 times a year, it is a 20 hr trip one way and she does great. I attach her crate pieces to the front seats, fill floorboard with pillows, pad the seat with blankies, seatbelt her in and she is OUT until we stop for gas. So we go about 4-6 hrs at a time before a potty break. she loves it. She is a little nervous when staying in hotel room but that is to be expected.

Good Luck!

Carolyn and Kate

 

[Az Boxr Lovr]

Hi...Joe and Scampy (our 7 month old BT) travel a lot to Duranago (4 hours). They each have their own seatbelt and they get buckled in. I give each a favorite chew toy and off we go. We don't even stop for a potty break. They ususally sleep most of the way. You will be surprised just how easy it is to travel with a dog.
Cheryl