To crate in car or not?????

[Patti33610]

I planned on driving the 900 miles with the new 9 1/2 week old puppy in an adult size crate in the car. Planned on many pit stops and a motel stay ovenight to break the trip up. I've had some negative feedback that they puppy may be traumatized if not held and cuddled and maybe develop a fear of riding. Since I'm flying out next Wednesday to get the puppy and rent a car it's a little late to have a human chow cuddler along. What is your opinion?

[Mia]

I would put her in a crate near you and that way she/he can hear and maybe see you.

If she/he cries a lot, you can put her in the seat next to you for a little and hug her/him when you are stopped.

OK, I am the wrong person to ask. I would want her/him right next to me, and my breeder friends are shocked. Of course, they have told me some horrible stories to scare me, so now I would say crate.

[bama]

I think I would purchase an adjustable doggie-seat belt,
and carry it on the plane with me.
That way you can strap your chowkid in the seat
next to you. That way the puppy is secure, not crawling
on you. Chances are, the puppy will want to lay in the
seat and sleep.
Good luck!
Let us know how it goes.

[Mia]

Sorry, I guess I didn't hear right. I thought you were driving.

Better yet, do what I did with my bunny rabbits. I put them into a basket and snuck them onto the plane. Then, after we took off, I would put them in my lap with a blanket covering them.

One day I got snagged by a stewerdess who wanted to know just what I was doing under that blanket.

BUSTED!

[Mia]

PS: Needless to say this was before 9/11.

I wouldn't do that now.

I think bunny wabbits are on Homeland Securites bad list.

[Patti33610]

I am flying up and renting a car to bring him back. I was not comfortable with how many dogs died in plane shipping. I looked into flying back with him and he is too large to fit into the under the seat carriers. Maximum height is 8 inches and he was already 8 inches tall at 6 weeks. Maybe I will get one of the seatbelt harnesses to take with me. That way I'll have the crate and the harness. I just want to make the trip as stressfree as possible for the little guy. I forgot how much fretting that comes with being a "new mommy".

[Rowlee]

I like the suggestion of the doggy seatbelt. Wilbur has one for in the car and it's great.

I flew back with Wilbur from the other side of Australia on a plane and he was just fine. Over and one with a lot quicker than driving........

Good Luck either way!!

[JH]

I planned on driving the 900 miles with the new 9 1/2 week old puppy in an adult size crate in the car. Planned on many pit stops and a motel stay ovenight to break the trip up. I've had some negative feedback that they puppy may be traumatized if not held and cuddled and maybe develop a fear of riding. Since I'm flying out next Wednesday to get the puppy and rent a car it's a little late to have a human chow cuddler along. What is your opinion?

I would disagree that traveling in the car will cause any trauma to the puppy. The more you take it in the car with you, the more accustomed it will become to riding. My breeder brought our pup part way to meet me, and I drove about 400 miles to meet her and pick him up. He was perfectly happy on the trip home, and since we were alone, it was a great time to bond with him. I just talked to him all the way back home, and took him out several times to relieve himself and walk around. He loves being in the car, and we take him everywhere now. The crate is a good idea, (particularly if you are going to stay overnight in a motel), but you don't necessarily need to keep him in it during the entire trip. I use a backseat-hammock that keeps the dogs cradled between the seats and allows them a little bit of movement. The important thing is just to keep talking, since the sound of your voice will have a very calming effect.

[Coco Chow]

We had a 3 hour ride to take Coco home when she was 8 1/2 weeks.
She was on my lap all the time.
She's been quite agitated the first hour.
Then she threw up her dinner in my hand.
Then we made a stop for potty.
After that, she just felt better and was perfectly fine for the rest of the journey home.


Because you'll be by yourself, and to make the trip more comfortable for
the both of you, you shouldn't let your puppy totally loose in the car IMO...


Best of luck with your new baby!

[coleywoley]

I made the two and a half hours trip to bring Ginger home with Sophia-who is two and sits in a carseat in the back. I had thought ahead enough to bring a basket with a pillow and blanket in it for Ginger so she would be contained and comfy...I didn't bring her crate though because it was huge and she would have bounced around a lot in it and been way in the back by herself. Since she had been spayed the same day I wanted her close by so I could keep an eye on her. I wish I had thought to do the seatbelt. She spent the first half hour trying to climb out of the basket-which made me nervous because she wasn't supposed to be moving around too much. The rest of the way home she sat in my lap. Sadly that is one of the few times she has come close to cuddling-she really hates being held otherwise.

[Dogdad]

When I picked up Yoshi 9 hour drive and Maxwell a 4 hour drive, I let them sit in the back and did lots of poddy breaks. They were well behaved but it was pretty stupid of me, If we would have gotten in an accident, they would have been killed. I would try both, the seat belt is preferable, it will allow the puppy to sit next to you and look out the window as well as get scratched by you. If the puppy to too rambuncious, then the crate would come in Handy. Maxwell and Yoshi, slept most of the time during their trips but they weren't puppies

good luck and keep us posted.

[Patti33610]

I'm going to get the seat belt harness as well as bring the crate. The crate will come in handy at the motel and with the seatbelt harness she can sit in front with me so we both will ride easier.

[puddinglove]

Drove 5 hours home with Pudding when we got her from the rescue, and she slept on my lap (dh was driving) all the way home. She slept so well and soundly I was a little alarmed and kept checking her vitals Dh still laughs at me about this...

If I were driving by myself, I would go for the seatbelt or hammock.

[enchantedonyx]

I'm going to get the seat belt harness as well as bring the crate. The crate will come in handy at the motel and with the seatbelt harness she can sit in front with me so we both will ride easier.

Sounds like a good plan! I know we aren't always the best with traveling with our dogs- usually just in the car and off we go. We should buckle them in. But when Fiona made the trip from Georgia to Michigan, she was in a minor car accident with Amanda while driving through West Virginia. They spun on the interstate and ended up in the median (no damage done, just a bit shaken up). My mom and Amanda were both completely freaked out by the whole thing and Fiona was just sitting on the backseat of the car, having not moved at all, looking at them like, "why are we stopped?".

No, I wouldn't let a pup ride in the car unsecured, but I think adult dogs are a lot more resilient than we ever give them credit for. Our rescues are proof of that. In our case, Fiona did a "I've been to hell and back in this short lifetime of mine, there is no way a spinning car could upset me!".

[redangie24]

I use seatbelts and think it works great for the ride since they are right next to you on the seat so you can reach over for little pets and rubs.