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

[Crayolita]

We drove 16 to 17 hours from Houston to Orlando Florida! we divided the trip in half, so we drove 8-9 hours per day, plus we stoped every other hour, and they did just fine, they in fact slept most of the trip. So, I think your babies would do fine. Make sure to bring water, and plenty of toys

Good luck,

 

[mobrian]

Anyone have any info on these type of barriers? I am wondering if I could just place something between the bucket seats to keep them from walking up to the front. The love to walk up front and see what's going on. The barrier seems a little safer though in an accident. Any thoughts?

I can't tell you much on the minivan barriers but I am sure they are just like the ones for SUV's only they have bars that go down all the way to the floor. I think you will be happier having a barrier because they will only jump over anything you put on the floor. After all a cushoned seat is much nicer than the floor of the van.

 

[Sirus'Mommy]

I have only had good experiences with traveling with Sirus. He is a dream in the car. But he has been traveling in cars since he was 8 weeks old, he is almost a year and a half now. I take him with me everywhere dogs are allowed to go.
Anyway...on to the point...the Boyfriend and I were planning a 2 week vacation to Northern California to visit his parents, and obviously I didn't plan on leaving Sirus for 2 weeks...I would have gone nuts! I was, at first, a little worried about how Sirus would do on an approx. 8 hour drive!!!
Let me just tell you...he did soo good. I was so impressed with him. He slept in the back seat pretty much the whole trip. He woke up a couple of time and set his big 'ol fat head on my shoulder...but that was it. And of course he got up to get out and pottie.
I think your 2 1/2 hour trip will work fine...

 

[jray]

Oskar and Disney LOVE car rides! They go nuts when we say "ride" We took them to Pitt. about 3 hours drive for us. We lined the back with blankets and brought some great chew toys and bones. we stopped half way through and let them run and potty. They slept most of the way.

Jenny & Oskar

 

[JulieM]

From the Queen of Paranoia....

If it is at all possible, I would put the dogs in crates for the trip. If you're in an accident, anything that is loose in the car will go flying - that includes dogs, as well as anything that might crash into them. The barriers help somewhat, but the dogs are still going to be thrown some distance into the barriers. Granted, they'll probably get bumped around a bit in a crate, but not with nearly as much force.

I've heard of several handlers' accidents, which involved their truck/rig and the dogs crated therein. Generally the handlers are pretty banged up, but the dogs are relatively injury-free. Pretty convincing to me.

 

[totallyhip]

Luke was sooooo good!

We got back yesterday from our 12 hour drive to Calgary and back. (not in the same day of course, it was over a weeks time). But Luke was soooo good in the car I was very impressed. He was in his seatbelt harness in the back seat. We stopped for lots of walks and pee breaks both for me & Luke .....
It did get more difficult the longer it went to get Luke back into the car. The last 2 or 3 hours were kinda tuff. He was super grumpy and pouty. He turned his back to us and ignored us for a while. During the ride back the last hour he started to chew his seatbelt harness. But all in all it was great. Just remember to take lots of water & walk breaks