Driving With Your Puppy

Whether you are driving 20 minutes or 12 hours to bring your puppy home, there are a few things you should know:

Carsickness

First, puppies can get carsick just like people do. Some puppies have more trouble with it than others at a young age and it’s not unusual for a puppy to drool and throw up in the car.

Be prepared with puppy pads, baby wipes, and a garbage bag if your puppy throws up in the car. We also try not to give our puppies a big meal right before traveling.

Seatbelts?

A lot of people ask us how the puppy should travel in the car. Technically, the correct answer is that the puppy should be placed in a secured crate. You can buy crates that strap into the car’s seat belts.

Now, I know most people would rather hold the puppy on their lap and I’m fine with that (just keep those puppy pads close in case of sickness!).

Potty Breaks

How long in between stops? Well, an 8 week old puppy will need to use the restroom every two hours, so unless you want to do a lot of cleaning after your trip, I advise you stop at least that often.

Rest stops along the highway are an easy way to make a quick stop, but be aware that if your puppy isn’t fully vaccinated, they could pick up a nasty disease from the droppings of other dogs. Try to avoid the designated pet areas or stay on the outskirts where there may not have been a lot of traffic. We will also wipe our puppy’s feet before re-entering the car.