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Preparing for a 6 hour car ride with a new puppy

A

ArJuN

Platinum Member
I'm picking up a, I think 10 week old puppy soon and driving it back home. The car ride is 6 hours and I'm not sure how to go about it since it's my first time being responsible for a dog. At first I thought I'd just throw it in my car and maybe keep it on my lap. Then I figured the chances of it remaining there for the length of the trip was close to zero. I have an SUV so the dog would end up under the back seats knowing my luck. I searched ebay for a solution and came across something like this. As of now that's where I am at. I'm going to order and probably line with a something more comfortable and something easier to clean. Any one have any better advice? Also...would a 6 hour straight shot with no stops be a bad idea?
 
You said you have an SUV so put down the back seats or take them out so it has some room to run around in. Also make sure you make stops every hour since it's a new dog and it's going to be nervous since it doesn't know you or where it's going and is probably going to be pissing a lot and just to let it stretch it's legs as well. Obviously put down some old sheet/plastic so when it does pee it doesn't get into your carpet.
 
The only real important question here is has the dog been "trained" yet? That is house/car/potty whatever 'trained'.

Probably a stupid question I don't know at what age they learn.
 
It's a maltese...wasn't my choice, I prefer big dogs. But is letting him running around in the back a good idea? I feel like running around and being unsecured in a moving vehicle is a bad idea...
 
Pet container like you would use for transporting on a plane?

And don't forget a container with some water in it.

 
I borrowed my dad's old station wagon when I bought my pup home. It was a 20 minute ride but he still shit in the back. Good luck.
 
Do you plan on crate training him? If yes, then purchase beforehand and bring it.

If not, just find a 2'x3'x1 cardboard box line it with some towels and place it on your passenger seat. It will more than likely get motion sickness and throw-up. Bring papertowels and extra towels.

Try to get it tired and do it's business before leaving. Plan to stop every couple of hours at a minimum. Bring a bowl and some water, maybe a couple of toys and treats.
 
I don't think I'll be putting him in a crate...I really don't even want to buy one. I think I'll stick to purchasing the carrier as it is similar to a cardboard box like Caveman said. I guess towels, paper towels and some treats are in order. Do I need to purchase a collar for him right away? Or can that be done once I get home? I think he's too small to run away on the trip if I make a stop (meaning he's easy to catch).
 
Originally posted by: ArJuN
I don't think I'll be putting him in a crate...I really don't even want to buy one. I think I'll stick to purchasing the carrier as it is similar to a cardboard box like Caveman said. I guess towels, paper towels and some treats are in order. Do I need to purchase a collar for him right away? Or can that be done once I get home? I think he's too small to run away on the trip if I make a stop (meaning he's easy to catch).
Click to expand...

Do you have alternative ideas on how to house-break a dog? I think you should at least do a little research on dog ownership before bringing one home.

Giving a young puppy different food than what he is used to will probably result in loose stool especially during a 6 hour car ride.

You should get the dog comfortable with a collar/leash as soon as possible.
 
I would definitely place it in a crate of some sort, it might run around in the car and have an accident in the car or CAUSE YOU to have an accident.
 
Thanks for the advice. But I'm not in charge of the dog at all after I drop it off. I no longer live at home, so this is for my parents. They asked me to bring it to them since I was closer to the adoption agency. They've already done the research and everything and are prepared to train it.
 
I would say buy the dog kennel that will comfortably fit the dog when fully grown.

You don't know when your parents leave home for a day or two and want to take dog with them.

 
Originally posted by: RKS
Originally posted by: ArJuN
I don't think I'll be putting him in a crate...I really don't even want to buy one. I think I'll stick to purchasing the carrier as it is similar to a cardboard box like Caveman said. I guess towels, paper towels and some treats are in order. Do I need to purchase a collar for him right away? Or can that be done once I get home? I think he's too small to run away on the trip if I make a stop (meaning he's easy to catch).
Click to expand...

Do you have alternative ideas on how to house-break a dog? I think you should at least do a little research on dog ownership before bringing one home.

Giving a young puppy different food than what he is used to will probably result in loose stool especially during a 6 hour car ride.

You should get the dog comfortable with a collar/leash as soon as possible.
Click to expand...

I agree, get a kennel and kennel the dog when you're out. It makes house training easier and you DON'T want to have a puppy running around your house when you're gone. He'll most likely chew on stuff, furniture, shoes, or even worse (my dog tried extension cords a few times, we broke him of that fast). Also, puppies get very worried when they are alone. Being in a smaller enclosed space makes them feel better, it's like their own little den. Introduce him to it early on and when he goes and sits in it leave him alone. He'll be very scared for a while and letting him have a 'safe' spot in the house that's his own will make him feel better.

For house training, leave the dog in the kennel when you're gone. If you got a properly sized kennel he'll try his hardest not to go in it. Dogs don't like to go to the bathroom where they sleep. If you get a kennel too big though they'll crap in one corner and sleep in the other so put some thought into it. You'll want one large enough for the dog to turn around and lie down when he's full grown.

Even after we've trained our dog and he can run around the house when we're home he'll sometimes go and sit in the kennel when he's tired and doesn't want to play. It's natural for dogs to like small enclosed places.
 
Cheap: get a 6'x8' tarp at a dollar store type of place. Get a bag of pine shavings. Put the tarp in the back of the SUV to protect the interior. Cover it with the pine shavings. Done.

Originally posted by: wiredspider
I would definitely place it in a crate of some sort, it might run around in the car and have an accident in the car or CAUSE YOU to have an accident.
Click to expand...

From a puppy? Very doubtful. Tons of people, at least around here, have their dogs in their cars with them. I've never heard of an accident caused by one of their dogs. When I took my dogs to the vet last week, our Great Pyrenees decided to be a lap dog & laid in my lap for most of the journey. (BIG dog.) I can't even conceive of how she could cause an accident, unless she decided to attack me.
 
When I first got my puppy, I held her on my lap on the drive home. But the second time I was on the road with her, I put her in her cage and left that in the trunk. When I got home, I noticed she couldn't walk straight. She threw up 3 times after that (car sick). I felt so terrible! To this day, she is afraid of car rides.

I wouldn't suggest holding the puppy in your lap for the 6 hour drive, but definitely secure it some how. Letting it "run around in the car" will only hurt it. You definitely want the puppy's first car ride to be a happy rather than painful memory.

Good luck! 🙂
 
The first time i took my malti-poo on a car ride, i got a big box, cut it in half (just high enough so the dog could look out, but not high enough for it to jump out), put down some bedding on one side of the box, put a bowl with some food, and hung its water bottle on the other side.

stopped every 30-45 minutes so he could go for a walk ,and pee/poop if needed.

no accients.

but my dog was about a year old at that point... and the car ride was 4 hours long.

 
Originally posted by: ArJuN
I don't think I'll be putting him in a crate...I really don't even want to buy one. I think I'll stick to purchasing the carrier as it is similar to a cardboard box like Caveman said. I guess towels, paper towels and some treats are in order. Do I need to purchase a collar for him right away? Or can that be done once I get home? I think he's too small to run away on the trip if I make a stop (meaning he's easy to catch).
Click to expand...

Yes, bring a collar and leash. You don't know where you'll pull-over and you don't know if something is going to spook him.
 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Cheap: get a 6'x8' tarp at a dollar store type of place. Get a bag of pine shavings. Put the tarp in the back of the SUV to protect the interior. Cover it with the pine shavings. Done.

Originally posted by: wiredspider
I would definitely place it in a crate of some sort, it might run around in the car and have an accident in the car or CAUSE YOU to have an accident.
Click to expand...

From a puppy? Very doubtful. Tons of people, at least around here, have their dogs in their cars with them. I've never heard of an accident caused by one of their dogs. When I took my dogs to the vet last week, our Great Pyrenees decided to be a lap dog & laid in my lap for most of the journey. (BIG dog.) I can't even conceive of how she could cause an accident, unless she decided to attack me.
Click to expand...

Being that the puppy has never been for a car ride before, odds that he will get motion sickness and throw-up or poop/pee. Better that he be contained somewhere for easy clean-up.
 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Cheap: get a 6'x8' tarp at a dollar store type of place. Get a bag of pine shavings. Put the tarp in the back of the SUV to protect the interior. Cover it with the pine shavings. Done.

Originally posted by: wiredspider
I would definitely place it in a crate of some sort, it might run around in the car and have an accident in the car or CAUSE YOU to have an accident.
Click to expand...

From a puppy? Very doubtful. Tons of people, at least around here, have their dogs in their cars with them. I've never heard of an accident caused by one of their dogs. When I took my dogs to the vet last week, our Great Pyrenees decided to be a lap dog & laid in my lap for most of the journey. (BIG dog.) I can't even conceive of how she could cause an accident, unless she decided to attack me.
Click to expand...

A maltese puppy probably can't even jump high enough to really do much... however I would be concerned if it's a larger dog that is new and you are not aware of it's behaviors. I can easily see a dog going ape sh*t, jumping on you that causes you to veer into the wrong direction of traffic and into a semi....
 
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