Odd post I know, however I'm traveling with my puppy for Christmas from the NYC area to West Virginia. The trip is approx. 9 hours. Any suggestions on how to keep him happy/calm and me sane? I've been taking him in the car everywhere to build up to this trip but he really doesn't like it. I would not like to medicate him if possible....

Speak to your vet. If he doesn't like the car now, it's not likely to get better unless you do something fast. Have you been taking him to fun things in the car? (ie NOT the vet or some place where he gets left in the car alone).

Yes we have been taking him to fun places - Ramapo, PetSmart to get toys, the beach, etc.

I have a special toy which I'm "unveiling" on the trip hopefully that helps but I'm pretty sure the vet is going to recommend a sedative.

Go for the sedative. I've done trips with pets both ways, and with the sedative, they'll take a nice nap, wake up a little groggy, and adjust to their new surroundings with an inquisitve nature. No sedative and spend 9-hours in a car with a traumatized pet who howls the entire time, and once reaches the destination, hides in the closet for days whimpering and urinates on the couch. I'm not big on pills for humans or pets, but there was a WORLD of difference between the two experiences.

Don't give him a sedative if he doesn't need it! (Your vet probably won't even let you sedate a puppy.)

Get your dog used to a small crate for the car. Put a couple of toys in there. Even if he's miserable, at least you'll be able to drive safely.

Don't forget to stop a little more often and bring him out on a leash.

Instead of the sedative, I'd try something more natural first. I give my dog either Bach Flower Remedies Rescue Remedy (safe for pups or kids, and even yourself if you need it!) or specifically for dogs, Homeopets Anxiety drops. Neither has any harmful side effects and my dog handles fireworks and going to the vet very well with either. She loves to ride in the car so that's never been a problem.

Personally, I would still consult a vet before I gave the animal ANYTHING.

A dog which likes to ride in the car anyway is not what you have so far described.

Thanks for all your advice. I have made an appt with the vet so I'll see what he says.

Also my "puppy" is an 8 mo old yellow lab who is already 60lbs and unfortunately his crate won't fit in my little car. I do buckle him in with a doggie seat belt so he is a little more safe.

I have had many dogs in my life. Some love the car, others do not and I always suspected they felt a bit ill in the car. Bach's Flower Remedy called Cherry Plumb is good for anxiety. A crate or steady car seat will also help. The little guy needs to build up some confidence in travel. Frequent stops and stretches, as well as a vented window near him will help as well. Good luck.

A little tranquilizer that your vet recommends probably won't hurt him. I would talk to your vet about getting a dose to try out at home first though. Individual results vary.

We tested 2 tranqs on Pup recently.
Rescue Remedy did nothing , nuthin , nada LOL
Then we got pills from the vet , poor thing, he sat around the house like a junkie all day, drooling and barely able to wag his tail.
To take a dog for a ride in a car is really easy , at least it has been for us. Pup started riding in cars at a little bitty size, threw up every time. But the vet said take a ride around the block . Then after that works, take a ride around 2 blocks. We did it, he drove across the country with us last year, 5 days..he thought it would never end, but he was sooo well behaved, as long as we were there, he was happy.
Ask the vet, I think being carsick is very typical of pups. Leave the window open, as long as pup had his head out, he was ok..now he just lays down and goes to sleep lol

If he doesn't like to travel and you can't transport him safely and easily, why are you taking him? Leave him with friends or at a kennel. Dogs really don't enjoy vacations because life, for them, is a neverending vacation.

Our dog likes to ride in the car, but whines constantly with excitement, and our Vet recommended giving him a human Benadryl (just one since he is 21 lbs.) about 1/2 hour before the car ride. She wasn't at all supportive of giving him anything stronger.

I can't say that the Benedryl does all that much for our dog, but it is an option you might mention to your Vet.

Mike T. The dog will be safe. That I am 100% sure of. Furthermore, if I had to choose between him being uncomfortable for a day or boarding him in a kennel where he'll be uncomfortable for a week, I'll choose the first option.

I continue to find it odd on this board how people offer advice for a question that was never asked. It's not an option to leave him.

two thoughts on puppy/car travel -- when we adopted our lab from the shelter, we were told that she threw up everytime she rode in the back of the woman's subaru. But we found that after two trips she was totally happy in the back of our tahoe -- but only in the way back; if we put the back seat down and gave her tons of room, she didn't like it. (hmmm... maybe she just prefers american cars!!) Anyway, not sure what kind of car you have, but if it's possible, you might try experimenting with how you arrange the space: crate or no crate, confined to the back or not, etc. (People will say they should be safely constrained, and I'm sure that's true, but that's another topic!)

Secondly, my dogs go absolutely crazy for Kong toys filled with peanut butter. (Kongs are the big rubber chew toys shaped like beehives) If you fill the Kong with peanut butter and bits of cookie, then put it in the freezer for a few hours before you leave, it will likely keep him busy for a long time. Good luck! I'm so glad he's joining you!

Anything you can do to *really* tire him out the day before you travel? We take our dog to daycare once a week to frolick with the other dogs. She gets so worn out at day care that she sleeps like a log that night and the next day. If your dog is not a big fan of travelling, I doubt that this would replace the need to give him something to help calm him down, but it might help a bit.

Hi jodeenyc,
My first thought is to wonder why your pup doesn't like the car. Do you think his belly is upset or do you think the passing cars freak him out.

No expert here, but I wonder if there's something you can give him to calm his stomach down if he's quesy.

As for the anxiety, just an idea, can you put together some kind of covered nest area that he can escape to or rest in. Does he have a blanket or something with familiar scents from your house on it, that you could incorperate in. He may just need a comfort zone to retreat to.
Best of luck!