Has anybody got any insights to share about a coast-to-coast car trip
with your dog? In particular, difficulties finding lodging, or
unexpected things to be prepared for. thanks -hdt

In article ,
Henry David wrote:

Has anybody got any insights to share about a coast-to-coast car trip
with your dog? In particular, difficulties finding lodging, or
unexpected things to be prepared for. thanks -hdt

I haven't done coast to coast, but I've done far north and far south.

Plan your trip. Make advance reservations and plan some off time on
the way. Many chain motels take dogs, so that isn't usually a problem.
Last minute reservations may not work out so well though.

Bring your dog's usual food, and a supply of bottled (jug) water. If
possible, set your dog up with a bed, water bucket, and chew object, in
a crate in your vehicle. Stop at least every 4 hours. Good for
everyone to stretch legs, and you'll probably need gas then anyway.
Make sure your dog's ID has your cell phone #, and if possible, travel
route. I use collar wallets and include that information.

Bring a large sheet to cover motel beds with. Carry Nature's Miracle in
case your dog gets sick. Bring cleanup supplies and bags of course.

Don't leave your dog in motel rooms unattended. I bring mine along in
the car, safely crated. I park where I can see the car from my table
and use something called ventlocks to lock the hatch in a semi-open
position, I also leave windows down a bit and open my sunroof, and
sometimes (daytimes) will run a fan as well. If traveling during hot
weather a cool-bed may be a good investment.

Make sure your dog is leashed at reststops and at the motel. Don't let
your dog bark in motel rooms. Bring along chew toys to sooth an anxious
dog. No rowdy play after 7 p.m., and even then, try to keep noise down
in general.

Bring a pet emergency book, identify pet ERs and vets along the way,
just in case, carry immodium, grooming tools, and a first aid kit to
address any injuries or illness.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

Janet Boss wrote:
In article ,
Henry David wrote:

Has anybody got any insights to share about a coast-to-coast car trip
with your dog? In particular, difficulties finding lodging, or
unexpected things to be prepared for. thanks -hdt

I haven't done coast to coast, but I've done far north and far south.

Plan your trip. Make advance reservations and plan some off time on
the way. Many chain motels take dogs, so that isn't usually a problem.
Last minute reservations may not work out so well though.

Bring your dog's usual food, and a supply of bottled (jug) water. If
possible, set your dog up with a bed, water bucket, and chew object, in
a crate in your vehicle. Stop at least every 4 hours. Good for
everyone to stretch legs, and you'll probably need gas then anyway.
Make sure your dog's ID has your cell phone #, and if possible, travel
route. I use collar wallets and include that information.

Bring a large sheet to cover motel beds with. Carry Nature's Miracle in
case your dog gets sick. Bring cleanup supplies and bags of course.

Don't leave your dog in motel rooms unattended. I bring mine along in
the car, safely crated. I park where I can see the car from my table
and use something called ventlocks to lock the hatch in a semi-open
position, I also leave windows down a bit and open my sunroof, and
sometimes (daytimes) will run a fan as well. If traveling during hot
weather a cool-bed may be a good investment.

Make sure your dog is leashed at reststops and at the motel. Don't let
your dog bark in motel rooms. Bring along chew toys to sooth an anxious
dog. No rowdy play after 7 p.m., and even then, try to keep noise down
in general.

Bring a pet emergency book, identify pet ERs and vets along the way,
just in case, carry immodium, grooming tools, and a first aid kit to
address any injuries or illness.


Just what I needed -thanks!

"Janet Boss" wrote in message
...

Don't leave your dog in motel rooms unattended. I bring mine along in
the car, safely crated. I park where I can see the car from my table
and use something called ventlocks to lock the hatch in a semi-open
position,

Janet -
You have mentioned ventlocks before, but this time I did a little searching
for them online. What size do you use with your hatch?

Sue and Atty

"Henry David" wrote in message
...
Has anybody got any insights to share about a coast-to-coast car trip
with your dog? In particular, difficulties finding lodging, or
unexpected things to be prepared for. thanks -hdt
==============
If you are a member of AAA, call them when planning your trip, and they will
map out your trip for you, mail you maps, driving directions and make the
motel reservations. They will let you know which motels allow dogs. They
are extremely helpful.
When traveling with my dog, I stop every couple of hours to refresh, walk
the dog for ten minutes and give the dog a drink. I always carry water
bottles and her water dish for her in the car/ I take her dog bed, dog
food, dog dishes, toy, treats, heartworm and flea and tick meds with me.
She is a good traveler and so far have never had a problem traveling with
her.

Henry David wrote:

Has anybody got any insights to share about a coast-to-coast car trip
with your dog? In particular, difficulties finding lodging, or
unexpected things to be prepared for. thanks -hdt

Make sure your dog is chipped and that your contact information is
current, including your cell phone number. Use engraved ID plates
riveted to your dog's collar rather than tags, which can be snagged and
torn off, or worse yet, get your dog hung by the neck. Consider using a
harness with ID plates rather than a collar. Pointy-headed breeds (my
JRT included) can back out of a collar

Before you leave make sure your dog is eating on a schedule, which helps
in training the dog to eliminate on a schedule. Get her/him used to
pottying on a leash shortly after being fed. Teach and use a key word
or phrase. "Go potty", "Get busy", whatever doesn't make you feel like
too much of an ass if it's overheard in a public place. Carry baggies
in the pockets of every garment you bring and clean up after your dog.

I fill washed out gallon milk jugs half full with tap water and freeze
them in my deep freeze. When we get ready to travel I top them up with
water and load them into a cooler. That way my dogs have good, cold
chemically familiar water to drink, and the jugs keep sandwiches, etc.
cool without getting them wet. If I run short I buy distilled water.
Keep the lid closed on the toilet at the hotel.

Pack an "uh oh" kit. A waterproof rubber crib sheet, some newspaper, a
roll of paper towels, a bottle of Resolve or enzyme cleaner to clean up
biological fluid messes, a bottle of old fashioned KaoPec (available
through pet supply cataolgs. Don't use the human version as the current
formulation contains ingredients that shouldn't be given to dogs. A
package of immodium capsules, if your vet is okay with it.

Never leave your dog unattended in a hotel room, crated or not. In hot
weather, drive-through fast food places are your friend. Dominos will
deliver just about anywhere. In cool weather, sit-down restaurants are
okay if you can see your vehicle from your table.

Never underestimate the stupidity and/or malice of the public at large.
I have seen yahoos encourage their toddlers to stick their fingers
into the wire crates of unfamiliar dogs to "pet the puppy". And I have
seen teenagers deliberately antagonize dogs confined in a vehicle. If
your dog hurts someone, no matter how gross the provocation, you will
most likely be the one to pay, possibly with your dog's life.

"Janet Boss" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Henry David wrote:

Has anybody got any insights to share about a coast-to-coast car trip
with your dog? In particular, difficulties finding lodging, or
unexpected things to be prepared for. thanks -hdt

I haven't done coast to coast, but I've done far north and far south.

Plan your trip. Make advance reservations and plan some off time on
the way. Many chain motels take dogs, so that isn't usually a problem.
Last minute reservations may not work out so well though.

Bring your dog's usual food, and a supply of bottled (jug) water. If
possible, set your dog up with a bed, water bucket, and chew object, in
a crate in your vehicle. Stop at least every 4 hours. Good for
everyone to stretch legs, and you'll probably need gas then anyway.
Make sure your dog's ID has your cell phone #, and if possible, travel
route. I use collar wallets and include that information.

Bring a large sheet to cover motel beds with. Carry Nature's Miracle in
case your dog gets sick. Bring cleanup supplies and bags of course.

Don't leave your dog in motel rooms unattended. I bring mine along in
the car, safely crated. I park where I can see the car from my table
and use something called ventlocks to lock the hatch in a semi-open
position, I also leave windows down a bit and open my sunroof, and
sometimes (daytimes) will run a fan as well. If traveling during hot
weather a cool-bed may be a good investment.

Make sure your dog is leashed at reststops and at the motel. Don't let
your dog bark in motel rooms. Bring along chew toys to sooth an anxious
dog. No rowdy play after 7 p.m., and even then, try to keep noise down
in general.

Bring a pet emergency book, identify pet ERs and vets along the way,
just in case, carry immodium, grooming tools, and a first aid kit to
address any injuries or illness.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

Very good advice, Janet. We took Kiba for his first motel stay last
weekend, after we got back from our own holiday. We just couldn't see
taking him all the down to the States and back in the car. Finding hotels
or motels would be the easy part. My main concern is what the hell to do
when the humans need to eat? Fast food is OK, I guess, once in a while, but
how do you eat at a restaurant, in summer (or spring for that matter), with
a dog in a crate in the car?? Well, you can't... So we left him home, and
missed him horribly, and when we arrived home after three weeks, couldn't
bear to leave him with the sitter again. So he had his first night in a
motel. He was confused (after so long at the sitter's, he must have
wondered why we weren't at home!), but he was very good, and even put
himself in his crate around 4:30 in the morning.
It's his comfort and safety that concerns us. We can deal with carrying all
the supplies and stopping to let him out etc... but I would never want to
put him in danger, whether from the heat, vandalous teens, or a mis-guided
citizen who sees a "poor, abandoned doggie" in a car while at a rest stop,
and decides to "rescue" him. I suppose it's the restaurant part that has
got me too worried to take him with us. Oh, and yes, Domino's delivered to
our motel room. Kiba was very good, and didn't even bark at the kid.
--
Phyrie
Kiba the Cav's Pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phyrie/...758930/detail/

In article ,
"Sue and Atty" wrote:


Janet -
You have mentioned ventlocks before, but this time I did a little searching
for them online. What size do you use with your hatch?

I have 2. I have a 24" and a 6". I *had* an 18" before those, but DH
managed to dump it at the dump when he unloaded a bunch of yard waste!

Besides being really useful for dog travel, we have used them to secure
the hatch when bringing home hardware store goods that are just a tad to
long. Sometimes we've done that using a leash with the ventlock as
well. Much nicer than a bouncing hatch! We used the red one (6")
yesterday, to bring home a 12' length of moulding.

I've gotten mine from clean run. Don't know if they are sold elsewhere
or for a better price. I really like being able to give the dogs air
and still have the car locked.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

In article D0TXj.2797$Yp.1422@edtnps92,
"Phyrie" wrote:

I suppose it's the restaurant part that has
got me too worried to take him with us. Oh, and yes, Domino's delivered to
our motel room. Kiba was very good, and didn't even bark at the kid.
--

I've eaten plenty of meals in my room, don't get me wrong! I've also
had dogs with me at outdoor seating restaurants during the day, try to
keep indoor dining to evening when they can be safe and comfortable
temperature wise (no sun load) in the car. I've jumped through some
hoops to get a good table where I can see the car, but it makes me feel
a lot better.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

"Janet Boss" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Sue and Atty" wrote:


Janet -
You have mentioned ventlocks before, but this time I did a little
searching
for them online. What size do you use with your hatch?

I have 2. I have a 24" and a 6". I *had* an 18" before those, but DH
managed to dump it at the dump when he unloaded a bunch of yard waste!

Besides being really useful for dog travel, we have used them to secure
the hatch when bringing home hardware store goods that are just a tad to
long. Sometimes we've done that using a leash with the ventlock as
well. Much nicer than a bouncing hatch! We used the red one (6")
yesterday, to bring home a 12' length of moulding.

I've gotten mine from clean run. Don't know if they are sold elsewhere
or for a better price. I really like being able to give the dogs air
and still have the car locked.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

Thanks.

I never thought about using them for bounce control for hauling long things.
Much better option than a bouncing hatch, which I've had.

Sue and Atty