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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

How did you bring puppy home?

17 replies

cantsaveme · 10/05/2022 10:27

Golden retriever puppy. Collecting her on Friday.

Someone gave me a carrier but it's tiny and I think for smaller breed.

Two hour drive with as many stops as she needs. I'll be in the back with the puppy and DH will be driving.

Do I need a carrier? Would my cat carrier be ok?

I don't want to waste money on something she'll be grown out of soon.

OP posts:

PollyRoulllson · 10/05/2022 10:35

I wouldnt stop on a 2 hour journey. Get/borrow a carrier that can be attached to the car . Have a play before you leave the breeders, give her chance to wee, pop her in the crate and drive straight home.

If someone sits near her so they can reassure her and stroke her if needed.

Put vet bed or towels in the crate and take spare with you and if she wees, is sick etc swop over vet bed and carry on your journey home. Good plan to take bin bags to pop any dirty bedding into.

Hoefully she will sleep, some do, she may be sick, very common but best to drive straight home and then let her chill at your house.

Measure the cat crate and ask the breeder if it will be suitable size.

Exciting times enjoy your new puppy

tizwozliz · 10/05/2022 11:15

We had a 2.5 hour drive home with our lab. We did stop once but in retrospect it wasn't needed. No pee, poo or sick, she slept pretty much the whole way. We had a car harness I bought second hand and someone sat on the backseat alongside.

wetotter · 10/05/2022 11:27

Cat carriers are typically for animals up to about 7.5 to 8kg

In a crate, lined with vet bed (breeder gave us a piece, as she uses loads of it) perhaps with puppy pad underneath to absorb any wee.

maddy68 · 10/05/2022 11:43

My son sat in the back with ours and looked after her

axolotlfloof · 10/05/2022 12:06

We all went. I sat in the back with puppy on my lap.
It's not as safe as I would normally transport a dog, but given we were taking her away from her mother it seemed the kindest way.
She was fine - 90 min journey and didn't stop.
If you can avoid stopping I would as pup shouldn't really be on the ground in public till pup has completed their vaccinations.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 10/05/2022 12:44

Ours travelled on the backseat with a harness and seatbelt. We had old towels down just in case and I sat with him.

He didn't go to the loo or be sick - he cried a bit then fell asleep on my lap ☺️

Cockle1234 · 10/05/2022 12:48

5 hour journey, held pup on my knee, had a big plastic storage box next to me lined with puppy pads. Popped her in there just the once for a wee. Pup wasn't vaccinated at the time so stopping wasn't an option

Antarcticant · 10/05/2022 12:51

I put him in a cat carrier and sat in the back with him.

He was sick half way home but recovered instantly when we arrived.

We had a long and happy life together, and I still miss him every day. Enjoy your wonderful new companion, OP.

tabulahrasa · 10/05/2022 13:01

I brought my rottie puppy home in my cat carrier, he fitted and it can be fastened in with the seat belt.

current dog was older when I got him, so he just went in the boot.

just drive straight through with both of them though, not quite a 2 hr drive, but not far off.

NoThanksThough · 10/05/2022 13:01

Two hour drive with as many stops as she needs. I'll be in the back with the puppy and DH will be driving.

Do you mean stopping to let puppy out for wee and poo? I wouldn't do this because until she's fully vaccinated you don't really want to be putting her on the ground in public spaces.

I've heard of some people sending a blanket to the breeder in the days before collecting puppy up to get mums scent on it to make it less distressing.

NorthernPlights · 10/05/2022 20:55

We brought our 8 week Goldie back in a cat carrier too. It was the perfect size for him to feel secure but still with plenty of room. I sat next to him in the back. He never went in it again though so don't spend much on it!

DogsAndGin · 10/05/2022 21:02

Had a similar sized pup, held her on my lap on lots of towels and blankets. 5 hour journey - one stop. How exciting! Enjoy

Pugfostermum · 10/05/2022 21:07

My pup had a 2 hour journey home.
He mainly slept on a towel on my lap.
We stopped as he was getting fidgety needing a wee.
We stopped at services and let him out on a triangle of grass between the lorry park and the petrol bit, as we figured no dogs were likely to have been there, as there was plenty of large bits of grass for people to exercise their dogs. (He’d only had one jab).

Original poster

cantsaveme · 10/05/2022 23:27

Thanks everyone!

I'll go for carrier combined with lap if needed I think and we won't stop either.

OP posts:

muddyford · 14/05/2022 12:48

A cat carrier won't be big enough. When we picked up our Labrador puppy DH drove back, I was on the back seat, masses of towels on my lap, puppy snuggled in those. It was about an hour and half journey and he was fine until the last quarter of an hour, when he turned into an eel.

You need to be aware that dogs have to be restrained in cars, so I attached a long light lead to his baby collar, then attached that to something that clips into the seatbelt. I would never do it with an older dog, just a one-off to comply with the law. If you have an accident with a dog loose in the car, your insurers would potentially not pay out.

Original poster

cantsaveme · 15/05/2022 16:28

I went for a RAC carrier that was much bigger in the end and it was fine.

She's now settling in and causing havoc!

OP posts:

zippyswife · 15/05/2022 18:51

Sorry to jump on the thread but I have a 4 hour journey with my new puppy in a couple of weeks. Any tips? I will need to stop for a wee never mind the dog! What should I do about him having a wee? He will be 8 weeks and only had one vaccination at that stage.

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