Recommendations for transport tips - new puppy, long drive home

[NewMaltese]

Hi all,
I'm collecting my new puppy on Friday 😍😬😍

For various reasons, I will be collecting her by myself. The biggest issue with this is a 3hr drive home.... I'm praying she sleeps a lot of the journey but I'm more than prepared to stop as often as is needed and for as long as is needed.

• what can I do/take to make sure she's comfortable? (I currently have a heartbeat pup, am getting a toy or blanket from the breeder, a portable water bowl, puppy treats, towels, wipes)

• is a harness or crate or carrier better? I'm guessing a crate/carrier for longer journeys so she's enclosed. How does a crate stay secure in the car? Do seatbelts attach to them, or do you put them somewhere they won't move?

• If the puppy is asleep when I arrive, I'm planning on asking the owner to wake her, so that she doesn't wake in the car and have no idea where she is and be permanently traumatised 🤦🏼‍♀️ Does this sound sensible or am I overanalysing?

• If i need a pee on the way home, um......? I wouldn't leave her in the car, but can't imagine many toilet cubicles have room for a dog carrier 🤦🏼‍♀️😅🤦🏼‍♀️

Any other ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated, so the journey is as stressfree as possible and doesn't put us both off car travel for life 🫠

Trouble with taking her to the loo in a sling is that many services don't allow dogs.

@NewMaltese hope the journey goes smoothly today! Don't forget the mandatory pics once you've got her home 😀

Thanks so much for all the advice. The journey was a quarter stressful (with her SCREAMING at the start), then absolutely fine. I was hoping to not need the loo, but ended up desperately needing. I stopped at services and was going to Google if it was dog friendly but it was swarming with them as soon as I pulled into the car park 😆
Put her in a cat carrier and took her in with me.
In hindsight I'm glad I had to do that, as it made me see how straightforward it could actually be, rather than my mind working overtime and it being this huge deal.
I gave her some water and food at this point, and she then slept the rest of the way home.

She is just wonderful 🥹

Oh my word, look at her! 😍

She is stunning! Enjoy your new addition and I hope she settles in well 😊

Glad the journey went quite well. What a little dearie.
Tim Dowling's column in the guardian is quite good for new pup owners at the moment as the is writing about is sweet new pup Jean