Gather Your Gear Ahead of Time
You don’t need a lot of gear but your trip home with your new puppy will be easier and safer if you have a few items with you.
●● Someone to hold the puppy on the trip home or a puppy-sized crate
●● Collar and leash, be sure the collar fits the puppy snuggly so you can’t lose your
puppy on the trip home
●● Water bowl
●● Treats, small, healthy goodies
●● Paper towels
●● Snuggle Puppyor other large, soft toy for puppy to snuggle with
●● Chews, such as stuffed Kongs, bully straps, pig’s ears and marrow bones
●● Baggies for potty cleanup
If you are bringing your puppy home in a crate:
●● Crate pad—get an inexpensive, washable crate pad that is the correct size for the
crate.
●● A bed sheet large enough to fully cover the crate
If you are staying in a hotel on the trip home:
●● Enzymatic cleaner, such as Nature’s Miracle or Simple Solution
●● Wee wee pads
Setting the car up for success!
You can help your puppy relax and fall asleep in the car by creating a comfortable environment. If you are traveling with someone else for a short distance, this is the only time I would advise to have your passenger hold the puppy on his or her lap. This is a HUGE change for the pup and they will feel lonely. Comfort on the way home will go a long way. However there are a couple puppies that don’t care to be restrained for long periods of time so would be happier in a crate even for a short trip. Best to be prepared for both and then you can choose which will work best. For traveling longer distances you definitely should have a crate set up in the car.
Locating the crate
●● If you are traveling alone, secure the crate on the front passenger’s seat with a seatbelt. Face the door of the crate toward you so the puppy can easily see you and you can talk to her.
●● If you are traveling with someone, secure the crate in the middle of the back seat so your passenger can reach around and stick a finger into the crate to comfort her if needed. (Now is not the time to train the puppy to be quiet in her crate.)
●● If your puppy cannot see you from the back seat, one person should sit in the back to be near the puppy.
CAUTION: A common error people make is putting the puppy’s crate in the back of the car for the trip home. Since this is the first time your puppy is by herself in your car, the puppy is likely to feel abandoned and alone all the way in the back. The puppy will start howling, barking and crying.
This crying is not necessarily about being in a crate but instead is the puppy doing the “lost puppy” cry so that her mom or littermate can find her. This is very stressful for the puppy and can contribute to car sickness and fear of cars. In addition, it can be pretty loud. To avoid this stress on both you and your puppy be sure the puppy is close to you when you are traveling home.
Motion
Many puppies have a difficult time settling into a crate in the car as the world whizzes by them! Your pup will likely settle more easily if you place the crate low in the car so she cannot see things moving or you can cover the sides of her crate with a sheet. Be sure to fold back the sheet on the side of the crate that faces you so she does not feel isolated from you.
Temperature of the vehicle
Puppies are comfortable when it’s cool – they sleep when it’s cool. That’s what we are going for. When puppies are hot you will know it because they cry, move around and cannot get comfortable. And puppies are often hot when the temperature is comfortable for us. Even if you are traveling in the dead of winter, be prepared to keep the car cool. Bring something warm to wear for each non-doggie passenger in the car and keep the temperature in the car cooler than you would probably like in order to allow your pup to be comfortable. If your puppy is crying during the trip, and you know she does not have to potty, she likely is hot. Be prepared to stay warm.
Preparing the crate for the trip
Getting the crate ready for travel is important! Add each of the following items to the crate
BEFORE putting the puppy in:
●● An inexpensive crate pad or blanket placed on the bottom of the crate so the puppy
won’t slide around.
●● I will provide a blanket with the litter’s scent. Some of you have mentioned Snuggle Puppies. I think they are great. The beating heart and warm pack in a Snuggle Puppy make it a great choice for traveling. Kinda reminds me of raising pups with my Grandpa – we used a hot water bladder and a ticking clock – both wrapped in the ‘smelly towel’. Worked a charm!
●● One or two things for the pup to chew on.
○○ Pigs’ ears or bully straps are a good size and weight
○○ The chewy should be easy for your puppy to chew. You want the puppy to be able to pick up the chewy and move to the other side of the crate with it.
●● A few small toys for the puppy to play with.
○○ A soft toy
○○ A small ball or rubber squeaky toy
●● Toss in a few treats that they can find on their own when you put them in the crate.
○○ If you use fresh treats toss them in just before you place the puppy in the crates they don’t spoil.
●● Do not put water in the crate itself. During this trip you need to monitor how much water your puppy is drinking so you won’t have to stop too frequently. Be sure she has had access to water before you leave and then offer her some water every few hours, without letting her drink too much water at one time.
When to get on the road
Be ready to leave when the time is right for the puppy! Ideally you want to get on the road when:
●● The puppy has had lots of exercise, running and playing with her littermates or you, and is ready to crash! Remember tired puppies make the best travel companions!
●● The puppy has gone to the bathroom recently. Don’t assume because you have been outside sitting in the grass enjoying the litter and chatting with the breeder that your puppy has gone to the bathroom recently. Keep an eye on her and be aware of the last time she pottied.
●● The puppy has preferably not eaten a meal in the last hour or two, if possible, to avoid any carsickness.
●● The car is completely packed—all you have to do it put the puppy in the car and drive away! If the puppy is settled and quiet, avoid long goodbyes and get moving right away! It is not always possible to time the above list perfectly, but keep these things in mind to enable you and your breeder to get you off on your trip at the right time.
Pottying the puppy
Your puppy should be able to go about two hours between potty breaks, if she pottied just before you left. If you are traveling longer than that we’ve put together a few tips to help you and your pup have success with safely pottying your pup while traveling:
●● When your puppy wakes up she will need most likely need to potty very quickly so look for an office park after she’s been asleep for 45-60 minutes. I suggest mapping out a few office areas so you can have them in mind as you travel.
●● If your puppy is screaming in the car and you are not sure if she needs to go, believe her! She likely has to potty.
●● Try to find a place away from traffic to set her down. Be sure she is on leash!
●● If you must stop on the side of the road be SURE your puppy cannot slip out of her collar no matter how hard she pulls on it! This is good advice at any time but is critical when your puppy is in a brand new place with people she barely knows!
●● Do your best to get off the highway at either an exit or rest stop. If you have to go to a rest stop DO NOT take her to the “dog walk” areas. She has not been fully vaccinated and must be kept away from areas where unknown dogs go to the bathroom. Instead find an out-of-the way grassy area to set your puppy down. Avoid any dog feces you see no matter where you are walking her.
●● The safest place to potty your puppy is at an office or industrial park. Find some grass
in an area that would not likely have had other dogs around and set her down on leash.
●● Once she has gone, praise her and give her some treats.
●● Be sure to clean up after your puppy!
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