[Simone's Mom]

Simone & I are taking our first road trip tomorrow from Indianapolis to Atlanta. I have never traveled with a dog before. I know I need her food, crate, bedding, & toys but could use some advise from seasoned travelers regarding other items you think are essential. How often do you stop to let them void? same as home schedule? Do you restrict food or water? I've read that the La Quinta chain is very dog friendly but am open to suggestions, I assume 5 star hotels probably would not welcome Simone's early morning wake up bark . Thanks in advance.

 

[bubbad]

She should sleep a lot of the time so mostly when you stop for you she will need to go too. You could just stop like say every three hours weather you need to or not so you can allow her to go first and put her back then you can go. Do what works for you. Do not be alarmed if she does not eat full meals on a road trip sometimes they don't.Give her water every time you stop or at least present it to her. My dogs are usually very good on a road trip. When we took Esa up to NY to have her bred back in March it was 6 hours up and back. We had to take Vinny with us, Esa would be staying there but Vinny traveled back with us. Esa is never comfortable in a vehicle but Vinny laid on his bed(always use a crate for the safety of the dog but Vinny rode up on his bed,he hates crates,which is not a good excuse) and slept the whole way up except for gas stops etc. Esa just shifts in her crate,but sat the entire time going up ,would not relax and lay down once. Have a good trip.

 

[Wworm]

How exciting for you and Simone! Please take some pics..

At 5 months, we took Worm on 6 hr road trip each way, and stopped every 2 hrs. He was pretty good about sleeping most of the way, but at 1 1/2 hrs, would start awaking and fussing a little bit. So every 2 hrs worked well for us.

Will give you a heads up, tho, after our own mistake of putting his dry food in accessible area in the trunk (when we went camping), we have a hatchback so he had access to the trunk and all our stuff. We left him in the car w/our stuff for an hour-- he found the dog food (3 days worth of dry food) and ate it all. This was my expression We were NOT anticipating that!

 

[shallhb]

There are actually lots of pet friendly motels around these days, ranging from bare bones, so to speak to plush. Check the web site "Pets Welcome". I have found it very useful, at least in CA. Some chains that take dogs--tho it will vary by site--are Motel 6, Holiday Inn Express, Best Western (only about half of them), Red Lion,Residence inn, as well as La Quinta. Oh, and thevRitz Carlton . Really. At least we saw one advertise that it did.

 

[Esther]

don't know how simone is with this stuff but i hurl everytime I ride in the backseat if I've eaten recently. food for thought. cause you'd rather have it for thought than to see it again all over your floorboard. *PUKE*

 

[Mikey T]

The length between stops should be no longer than the dog normal goes now. if the dog need to go every hhour then sop every hour. Mine can last a tank a gas obut six-eight hours.


other pet frendly hotel chan include Motel six which has an AKC discount

http://www.akc.org/motel6_studio6/Motel 6 and Studio 6 offer a 10% nationwide discount to AKC Registrants. To receive the discount guests must reference the AKC codes:
Motel 6: CP542764 — Studio 6: CP542765
Reservations can be made at 800-4-MOTEL6 (800-466-8356),

Ginger is a non-narcotic that is proven effective in reducing nuasea and car sickness.

Ginger can ease dog's motion sickness

Dogs/motion and or car sickness

The causes of motion is the same in dogs as humans in dogs prone if you can get them to lie down and cover up so they can not see out the sidewindow they rarely get six. If traveling in a van or wagon using a crate to keep the dog below windo height helps a lot along with covering the top of the crate if wire or open to prevent the dog looking out that way as well.

obviously food and water must be restricted while your traveling but I offer water every time i stop and food at regular meal times. There activity level is less on a long trip so you need to reduce meal sizes appropriate. but with aircondioning and heat the environem in the car tend to be dryier than the average house so they often require a bit more water than normal. Give the quality and taste of water varries a lot I try and take enough water in containers from how so I don;t have to worry about water quality issue or by expenseive bottled water for the dogs.

If the dog do not sleep in crates but on the bed bring an extra sheet to cover the hotel linen is always appreated a long with a tip for the cleaners that have a bit of extra work because of the dogs as well. Also need to pring the supplies required to clean-up affter your dog as well.

 

[mhvonalmen8908]

The last time we traveled home, which is 6 hours each way from us, we'd have to stop for Virga about every hour because she was a little puppy and couldn't hold it very long. Now I think she could make it further.

We don't feed ours before we get in the car because they both get carsick. So when we get to our final destination we feed them immediately and then another meal a couple of hours later so they still get the same amount of food they would normally get. As for water, we present it to them each time we stop. Doppler normally only takes a couple of laps if any at all. And Virga will drink her normal amount of water.

Virga will usually sleep the whole trip until we stop to pee. But Doppler sits up the whole time and refuses to relax. He hates traveling in the car. Now we have an SUV though and they'll be able to travel with plenty of space or in their crates. I think Doppler would feel more comfortable like that.

The biggest thing I think is to listen to your pup. She'll tell you when she needs to stop to pee or simply get out of the car. I go stir crazy in the car sometimes and can only imagine they do too. Good luck in your travels!

 

[Simone's Mom]

Day 1: Simone vomited after less than hour in the car, luckily I had put a water proof mattress pad under her blanket so not too bad. Kind of whiney but ok. She did fabulous at the hotel, no accidents or barking. Charmed everyone she met.
Day 2: Decided to crate instead of doggie seat belt. No vomiting, less whining. Discovered she quieted when I had country music on the radio, who knew she was a country music lover? The things you learn about a rescue! Met her "niece" for the first time, my son's bulldog Maggie. They loved each other and played so hard that she is snoring right now.

 

[LottesMama]

I'll just throw in that a lot of the Marriott brands are dog friendly too. We enjoy (if we have some planning time ahead of the trip) to search local B&Bs that are pet friendly. Charlotte loves to have full run of someone's house plus all the extra attention, she is in doggie heaven.

 

[Basset Momma]

Our Jake - now 7 likes to travel with us. We drove to Arizona from Texas with him one year...he was too bashful to potty in strange places! It got to be a worry as he would eat- but after no poop for 2 days I called the vet... after he stopped laughing he told us not to worry, Jake would go when ready. He finally got comfy enough at the hotel to use the grass outside- but I always remember that trip because one does not usually worry about a constipated basset!

 

[lrash]

We recently took Olive on a 7 day tour of the south west. She was fantastic in the car and hotels, but like Jake she had problems going potty. I think her issue was the southwest landscaping. She would walk for the longest time trying to find a spot that at least resembled grass.

 

[Simone's Mom]

Day 3: Learned another new thing about Simona while vacationing. Apparently she has never seen a chain link fence before. While playing with Maggie the bulldog, Simone ran full steam ahead into the fence, bounced off, and just sat there like "what the heck"? Good news, she was smart enough not to do that again! Thanks to everyone for your advise, I think there will be more road trips ahead, it is so nice to have her with me and not worry about how my "fur baby" is doing at home without me.

 

[Boomer's Mom]

Maybe you could take some artificial turf for Olive next time.

I don't think a vacation is a vacation without the fur babies.

We took Boomer for short road trips right away after we got him, and he does great. Sits very well in the cars (he has HIS window!), will pee and poo when he needs to. Going to try a camping trip this summer.

 

[Wworm]

Enjoy hearing about your trip, Simone. and glad to hear it is going well!

Also all the pics from Olive's trip. Such nice pics. Where were all those colorful cars taken?

--Worm