# Picking puppy up from breeder... tips for 8 hour drive?



## acornah (Aug 10, 2011)

We'll be picking our Saluki puppy up from the breeder in September, when she's 8 weeks old. Salukis are a little uncommon, so the breeder we found was quite a distance away, mostly highway driving. 

Any tips for making the trip a bit easier? How often should we stop for bathroom breaks? Are gas stations a good place to stop at? She won't be leash trained at this point yet... should I use one anyway? Should I hold her in my lap in the car during the trip or keep her in a crate in the car?

Thanks!


----------



## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

I made a pretty significant road trip to pick up Squash... 13 hours? I seem to have blocked it out somewhat.  This was when he was 11 weeks old.

I would definitely recommend keeping the puppy in a crate in the car. It's safer and less distracting for the driver, even with two people. Don't be surprised if she sleeps most or all of the trip -- or, conversely, she may be fussy. Having two people makes everything much easier, if some shenanigans start up the passenger can deal with it and the driver won't be distracted.

Because Squash slept pretty much the entire way, I took him out to go potty whenever we stopped for gas or human potty breaks but I didn't make special stops just for him. If he had been awake more, I would have... I probably would have stopped every 2-4 hours or so. I did have some toys, food, and water in the car, although he didn't play with or chew on the toys. I offered him water every time we stopped and I offered him some food about halfway through the trip since he wasn't carsick at all. 

Good luck! It will probably be easy peasy with a baby that young.


----------



## KodiBarracuda (Jul 4, 2011)

We brought Kodi home 7-ish months (I think) ago, and we learned real fast that he did NOT like being in the crate AT ALL in any way. He cried and cried and cried, so he rode in my lap in the passengers seat for the 4 hour drive home. I agree that it is much easier having two people.

We made one stop in the four hour trip about half way though and he didn't even go (although it was practically blizzarding and it was complete mush wet snow so he didn't really want to be outside. 

Our trip went off without a hitch but now he gets car sick even on 20 minute drives. SO...Be ready for vomit, put down some old towels in the crate or in your lap or wherever you are going to have the puppy that you wont mind tossing for quick and easy vomit removal and clean up. Nothing like an eight hour drive in a car/truck/SUV that smells like vomit. We were lucky, we picked the puppy up then had to make a quick dentist visit and I stayed outside for an hour with the puppy and he threw up there, which is why I think he didn't throw up in the car...

As for leashes, I wouldn't let any kind of puppy out anywhere without one, for potty breaks, clip the leash on and let the puppy lead you around until it finds a place that is suitable.


----------



## +two (Jul 12, 2011)

Great advice so far. 

Two people is key. really. 

Bring lots of water and a bowl. Offer it to the puppy every hour or so (unless he is sleeping). Honestly, he will probably sleep the majority of the way. Just in case though I would bring a cooler with some cold toys in it (for teething). Maybe even a stuffed Kong. 

I would not recommend feeding the puppy until you get home. And like KodiBarracuda said, DO NOT let your puppy out of your sight, and always always always have a leash on him. Bring his collar and tags as well.


----------



## minihart (Feb 14, 2011)

I would agree with the advice so far.

Our road trip to pick up Cosmo took the better half of a day - and in a blizzard, mind you! We made his travel crate super comfy for him - it had a blanket with him mom's scent, a chew toy from the breeder, and some extra blankets. So yes, I'd definitely recommend having her crated while you drive. It's the safest option, and will help curb your desire to coddle her in the car. 

We stopped about every 2-3 hours, mostly around gas stations. Was a good chance to start getting him used to his leash (yes, have her leash on at all times), and break up the drive. 

Cosmo puked halfway home, but we kept calm, pulled over, cleaned up and continued. If that happens, don't make it a big deal. Be prepared to clean up any messes, and like people above have said, have some water and food at hand just in case.

Good luck!


----------



## dmickle1 (Jun 19, 2011)

*Paper towels and cleaning supplies. *

My mom picked up her Golden from a breeder about two hours away. Ten minutes into the car ride, the Golden was having puppy diarrhea all over my mom's lap and hands (which is why a crate is also a good idea). They didn't have any cleaning supplies, so they stopped at a gas station where my mom washed up. Don't think anyone wants to have to go through that. 

Even if you use the crate, your pup may go in there and you'll want to clean it out before putting her back in 

Congrats and I look forward to seeing some photos!


----------



## Elliebell (Mar 13, 2011)

As others have said, BRING PAPER TOWELS. Neeka's breeder was about 4 hours away and she vomited at least 5 times on the way home- and then would eat her puke. Still, it was gross. I'm happy we at least put a towel under her, or else the car would have been way harder to clean up.


----------



## IWlover (Sep 4, 2009)

Husband and I drove 8.5 hours each way to pick-up my 10 week old IW pup. I sat in the back seat with him on my lap. He slept most of the way and I think we stopped twice for pee breaks. I did have a leash on him and just let him walk around until he went. One tip I'm glad my breeder suggested was not to stop and let him out at big highway stops with lots of loud trucks--too scary for him. She said Cracker Barrels were good places to stop


----------



## acornah (Aug 10, 2011)

Thanks for the tips! I didn't consider vomiting/diarrhea in the car. We'll definitely bring the appropriate supplies and use the crate.

Thanks again, I'll keep you updated when we pick her up in a few weeks


----------



## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I have found that most puppies are like babies, they may fuss a little bit at first but the motion of the car puts them to sleep. I wouldn't stop unless the puppy starts fussing and like everyone has said, keep a leash on them and let them lead you around if they are not used to it.


----------



## Charis (Jul 12, 2009)

I also vote for the crate, towels, cleaning supplies and leash...
I want to add...
Make sure the crate is appropriately sized because if you have to slam on the breaks your pup may go flying across it. 
Get tags now and put them on as soon as you get the pup. Make sure they have cell numbers on them so that you can be reached on the road.


----------



## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

Oh man! Our drive home from picking up Reed was only 5 hours - and it went perfectly. He sat by my feet and chewed on an antler and slept the whole time. He's always loved car rides though so I guess that was proof of what was to come. Since he's been with us he's driven from TX to California, and TX to Virginia (plus a 3 day drive home through 4 extra states). 

Take a crate, kong (not stuffed), an antler (best chew toy ever), water and towels. You need two people, one to drive and one to watch/entertain/pet puppy. I usually try to crate the dogs for drives but on the first drive I'd give in and hold the puppy instead, less traumatic.


----------



## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Charis said:


> Get tags now and put them on as soon as you get the pup. Make sure they have cell numbers on them so that you can be reached on the road.


Oooh, excellent, excellent point that I totally forgot about. Have your tag and collar all ready to go just in case the little peanut escapes at a rest stop.


----------



## acornah (Aug 10, 2011)

Shady http://www.dogforums.com/dog-pictures-forum/101801-new-saluki-puppy.html is home with us now, and for anyone who is interested (or found this thread because they also have a long drive with a new puppy), I'll tell you how it went:

We picked her up from the breeder at 12 after spending 2 hours there talking and getting her used to the collar with tags. We brought a stack of towels that we put on the ground, and all the puppies piled onto it for a nap without any encouragement from us. We also got a fleece blanket from the breeder that supposedly had the dam's scent on it.

We had a plastic dog crate that was a smidgen too big for her, but she travelled with us in the back seat with the front of it wedged between the front seats so we could look back and check on her. We also had a soft toy and an antler bone for her to chew on. At truck stops, we had one of those doggy water bottles that folds out into a bowl that they can lick from. We also had a tag made at petsmart with her name and our numbers, which we attached to her collar.

She howled the whole way home (8 hours) unless she was sleeping. This was understandable as she was only 8 weeks old and separated from her pack for the first time. She refused to pee at truck stops. The stops were large with grassy areas away from traffic but I think she was just too anxious to let go. Therefore, she ended up peeing in her crate, usually within seconds of waking up from a nap. We were able to replace the peed-on towels with fresh ones. She defecated once, and we immediately pulled into the next exit and threw the towel in the trash as we didn't want it stinking up the car (we only brought old towels that we don't care about). She ignored the toy and antler. In hindsight, a soft tasty chew may have kept her occupied.

When we got home at 8, she got to drink and eat some of the kibble that the breeder gave us. I asked for a lot of it, so we got a grocery store bag full of her old kibble, just in case she has difficulty adjusting to the new (grain-free) diet. We set her crate up in our bedroom on our nightstand with the door facing us so she could hear and see us. She howled all night, even through earplugs. I took her out to pee 3-4 times. 

Thinking she'd get over it, we kept this up for a few days. She continued to howl, even with a hot water bottle, an old shirt with our scent on it, and rescue remedy. Eventually, sleep-deprived and low on patience, we moved her crate downstairs on day 4 or so with a radio going softly. Her crying has gone down considerably, presumably because our presence wasn't constantly fuelling her desire to be in bed with us. Concerned that she's developing separation anxiety, we had a professional trainer come in today and do an evaluation. She concluded that our puppy does NOT have separation anxiety using a few tests, and that she had been anxious being away from her family and in a crate for the first time in her short life. We learned some handling tricks and some crate games to help establish our role as leaders and make her more comfortable in the crate. Although I had studied dog training books many months in advance to prepare for our puppy, there's nothing like having an experienced person show you the ropes in the beginning, if not just for the peace of mind that you're not doing anything wrong .

She gets along great with the cats (even eating from the same bowl) and I believe we're a great match!


----------

