Long drive with puppy

[Dozycuntlaters]

Hi all, this is a really silly question but I'm going to ask anyway.

I am bringing my puppy home in three weeks time and have to drive roughly three hours to get her. I have got a puppy booster seat so am not worried about that but I'm worrying about driving all that way with her........what about water (one of those portable bottles) and going to the loo? It's mostly motor way driving so I don't want to be stopping on the hard shoulder. If she has a wee before she gets in the car will she be able to go three hours without. Or should I just put a puppy training pad on her booster seat? Any tips/advice would be massively appreciated. Thank you :)

[Motorina]

I brought puppy 2 home in the boot. She managed to fling herself out of the boot onto the back seat where she discovered her bag of food, and stuffed herself rigid.

She clambered onto the front passenger seat and projectile vomited all that food everywhere.

It was a filthy, wet November night. On little country lanes with nowhere to safely pull in to restrain her. So she spent the last few miles on my lap, trying to climb the steering wheel onto the dashboard.

You need a crate.

[User43210]

We had a really long drive with our little one, we gave him a car seat, I sat in the back with him and gave him a teddy and blanket. He mostly slept. This was about a 3 hour drive. We stopped at a service station and thought he might want to wee (on the pad, definitely not on the random floor!) but he actually held it the whole drive. We gave water at the station and offered it frequently throughout, as well as bits of his kibble.
When we got home, he had a look around the house, we took him straight outside and he weed then. He was really house trained already from when we first got him at 8 weeks, it was incredible.
This has made me broody for another pup!

[JonHammIsMyJamm]

Ask the breeder for advice, @Dozycuntlaters. Presumably, she won’t have given her breakfast if you’re picking up first thing (most wouldn’t).

[Dozycuntlaters]

Ok thank you @JonHammIsMyJamm

The breeder told me she'll be on three meals a day by then. I'm going to leave home at 5am so I can be with her by just after 8 (hopefully) so I can get her home nice and early. Will be getting food from the breeder anyway so will just play that one by ear.

[JonHammIsMyJamm]

It depends when she last ate and if she’s nauseous or sick on the drive. If she is due a meal (she’ll probably be on 4x meals a day) and isn’t sick or nauseous on the drive, I’d offer her a smaller meal than she would usually have on one of your stops.

[moosemama]

@Dozycuntlaters. She is gorgeous. I love Border Terriers and the pups are ridiculously cute!

@iusedtohavechickens another gorgeous pup. Those little white snips on his face are so sweet. Fantastic name! My gang always overrule me on names too. We have just been placed on a waiting list for a pup in 2022 (our choice, we are not ready yet, but rare/vulnerable breed so need to plan ahead) and my lot are already compiling a list of names!

[Dozycuntlaters]

What about food? Presume she'll be ok till we get home to eat (unless any hideous traffic delays).

[iusedtohavechickens]

Yes had a bottle of water and a small bowl and just offered him every time we stopped xx

[JonHammIsMyJamm]

Yes, just put a water bowl down for her in the boot.

[Dozycuntlaters]

Thanks @Mychitchatdays, as I've already said I won't be doing that. I will be stopping off at various service stations, letting the puppy in the boot for a wee etc and will then pop her back in her crate :)

[Mychitchatdays]

You do know it's illegal to stop on the hard shoulder unless your car has a fault or there is a medical emergency? You can get a fine and points on your licence.

Put the puppy in a well padded crate and stop at least once an hour, off the motorway.

[Dozycuntlaters]

Good idea chickens - I will def do that!! What did you do about water? Just give him a bit overtime you stopped?

[iusedtohavechickens]

We stoped and got him on a mat in the boot as he wasn't vaccinated, didn't put him on ground outside, just fresh puppy pad in the boot x

[JonHammIsMyJamm]

She shouldn’t be weeing in public areas anyway, as presumably, she is unvaccinated? Keep her in the car, use puppy mats, plan regular stops for changes and water breaks.

[iusedtohavechickens]

We are so in love with him! We were getting lots of photos too but yes even cuter in person! He's amazing and is already sitting on command and stops tugging my daughters nappy when told no! Although he keeps going back much to her amusement! She lives to be naked so Roley gives her the perfect excuse to run around without a nappy and now we are toilet training both of them! 😖🤓😂

[Dozycuntlaters]

Aaaw Sir Woofington is gorgeous too, look at that cute face!! Butter wouldn't melt.

[Dozycuntlaters]

@iusedtohavechickens

Thank you, she is totally gorgeous. I get weekly videos and photos of her, she gets cuter each week.

Yes will def do that. Getting a new car next week, so it will be padded to high heaven lol.

Cool name, very grand!!

[iusedtohavechickens]

Ours is called Roley Sir Woofington 3rd! (I didn't name him!!)

[iusedtohavechickens]

She beautiful!

Put some puppy pads in her cage with her and on floor around cage just in case there is leakage! ❤️

[Dozycuntlaters]

Here she is, so damn cute 💙

[Dozycuntlaters]

@moosemama

I'm getting a border terrier.

@iusedtohavechickens

Thanks, that's good to know. I'll be going up on my own so I'll put her in her crate.

[iusedtohavechickens]

Hiya, we brought home our puppy last Thursday, it was a nearly 4 hour journey. We stopped twice at services but neither time did he go to toilet just had a drink of water. We had a cage in the car but he slept on my daughters lap all the way home sleeping! Had a big wee and pooh on the floor when we got home! She had a puppy mat on her lap in case he had an accident!
X

[moosemama]

You’ll be fine.

Good luck with your new pup and have fun!

What breed are you getting by the way?

[Dozycuntlaters]

I definitely will not be stopping on the hard shoulder, I will pull over at intermittent service stations and pad the crate out with puppy pads and take spare blankets/towels.

[moosemama]

To be honest, if you plan to stop at service stations, you should be fine. One little wee accident is not going to cause bad habits and you can switch the bedding for a fresh set at your next stop if needs be. Make sure you take a few blankets or old towels with you just in case.

In my experience, the hum of the car lulls a lot of pups to sleep. I think only one of my pups has stayed awake for any length of time on the journey home over the years.