Author Topic: New Puppy - Travelling  (Read 3873 times)

Offline Saint Pyr

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New Puppy - Travelling
« on: May 25, 2009, 10:02:52 am »
Hi there.  It has been along time since I have been here; was surprized that my account was actually still active!!!

If you remember me, we got through our trials with Otis our Pyr and have learned to live with his quirks.  Must say he is a constant source of laughter.

Slugger our Saint passed away in his sleep 5 weeks ago at the age of 11 years  :'(.  We weren't expecting it at all and it has been a very hard time for us.  The heartache is still there but we are moving on and welcoming a new pup into our home.

We are picking up our new girl on Sunday  ;D.  She is a Mastiff x Saint Bernard and will be 7 weeks old.  It will be a 4 hour drive home with her and I would like some advice as to travelling with such a young pup?  What to bring; stopping; food and water; and any other thing you feel free to share.

Looking forward to the puppy advice and hopefully sticking around this time  ;D

Cheers
I hope to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.

Offline Laureada

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Re: New Puppy - Travelling
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2009, 10:39:52 am »
Congratulation s on your new addition. I would say to not feed her before the trip but I don't know how long before would be ok since she is so young. When I got Gabriel in March, he was 6 weeks old and the trip home was 4 1/2 hours. I put him in the kennel cab and when he cried, I would put my hand at the door. He did really well. He was at Animal Control and although they knew I was coming, they let him eat. Poor boy, he threw up twice on the way home. I brought towels, a bowl for water, and waterless shampoo. We stopped a couple of times, about every hour and a half. But that was just me.

Offline chaos270

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Re: New Puppy - Travelling
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2009, 09:14:02 am »
Every 30min to an hour would be good for stopping. Stop about 5-10 minutes after giving water and I'd avoid giving food prior to the trip.  I'd also bring some puppy pads maybe so if the puppy has an accident it won't be as big of a problem and bring some paper towels for clean up if necessary.  Also if you hold the puppy during the ride put a puppy pad in your lap so you don't get peed on LOL! My mom learned that lesson the hard way with Kali on her 5 hr trip home.
Erin and the critters
Kali ~ the newf
Lacey ~ the aussie 
Gabby ~ Holsteiner mare
Fire ~ Appendix Quarter Horse/Belgian gelding
Lilah and Hannah ~ Kali's kitties

Offline DAMAGE

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Re: New Puppy - Travelling
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2009, 03:39:02 am »
I too would like to express my sympathy to you on your loss of Slugger. Eleven years! You were very blessed.
 A thought I had about bringing your new puppy home. Try not to stop at "rest stops" for potty breaks. Most of them insist on all dogs using the same area for relieving themselves. Dog only knows what nasties a seven week old could pick up there. If you must use one, carry her to the most remote corner and only let her down long enough to "go" and then pick her up and carry her back to the car. Take along some alcohol or antibacterial wipes and give her paws a good cleaning before you put her back in the car. We WILL need pictures ASAP!! 
Dana
& The George Saints
"Raemi"
"Breccan"

Offline Saint Pyr

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Re: New Puppy - Travelling
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2009, 04:11:23 am »
Thank you for your sympathies for Slugger.  He was a wonderful boy.  We do feel very blessed to have had him for as long as we did, thou it definitely wasn’t long enough  :'(.
 
Thank you for the great advice for travelling with the new little girl.  I hadn’t thought about puppy pads. Will definitely get some as we are probably going to need them  :o.  And a great idea about the rest stops.  Never thought of all the yuckys that other dogs could leave behind.  Will definitely take her to other corners.  I will ask the people we are getting her from to feed her really early before we get there and hopefully that will help incase she is sick.  I will have her sitting on paper bags as well as they help counter motion sickness. 
 
One idea I had was to bring a soft sided pet bed that we have.  We have 6 cats who all sleep in it, and even Otis tries to curl up in it, thou how a Pyr thinks he is the size of a large cat baffles me, and that he can actually almost fit really amazes me!!!!  Anyway I was thinking that with all the smells of her new brothers and sisters it would give her a heads up as to what to expect, also maybe some of their scents would rub off on her and make her alittle more familiar with the other furkids.
I hope to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.