Java (09-04-2017)
What is cross country. We picked up Gigi 500 mile away.lasf year we did 5k in total trips. The highest mileage was we drove 1000 miles in 24 hrs as I brought a motorcycle online ...
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Java (09-04-2017)
Sounds like a great adventure!
Shelley has some great ideas.
Early last year we took Achilles and Stella on a three week, 7,500 click odyssey to Texas, from one end to anoother and back. We had months to plan the trip. It went almost flawlessly for several reasons - research and planning; experience (ours and the dogs) in travelling; they are (were - past tense for Stella) well-grounded seniors so I expected no significant concerns to come up.
I researched pet friendly lodging and booked well in advance. We stayed mostly in La Quinta hotels. Unfortunately there are very few LQ locations in Canada. There are pet-friendly-lodging-specific search engines - PetsWelcome and Pet Friendly are two. You could also try Tripadvisor, AirBnB, as well as bed and breakfast search engines.
In addition to carrying the usual paperwork I prepared lost dog flyers for each one. I also created a brief information sheet about each one; this was mostly for law enforcement and vets just in case we were in a crash. I printed cards with contact phone numbers to slip into wallet and purse. There are a vet locator apps in Google Play and the App Store; while I can't review any they might be worth checking out.
We travelled in our Mazda3 hatchback so taking crates was out of the question. We used Kurgo harnesses to secure them in the car. Because we had complete confidence in their goodness they had run of the room during the brief instances we had to leave them. We took our own sheets and throws to drape over furniture, the points being to 1) have something familiar feeling and smelling, and 2) minimize leaving dog hair behind.
I think our longest drive was about 11 hours; otherwise they were nine or less. We started out with water from home and gradually switched to water from places we stayed. Achilles and Stella had no obvious issues with the change. My opinion is that while this can be an issue for a sensitive dog or one with a sensitive digestive tract, the concern is a little overstated - dogs are remarkably resilient. Of course Achilles and Stella could be exceptionally tolerant.
Last edited by Mr Kleb; 09-04-2017 at 06:12 PM. Reason: add links
Andrew, Faye, Fitzi, and Lucy
Not gone, only gone on ahead - Bruno, Rex, BoJo, Kendal, Kingsley, Moonpie, Avis, Corndog, Stella, and now Achilles
I invite you to visit my blog, Hidden Content .
Great advice, Mr Kleb! Adding them all to our list. I'm so glad I asked. Thanks, everyone! Feeling more confident about taking Boomer along. Wondering now how much room his stuff is going to take.
Mr Kleb (09-08-2017)
Sounds like a fun trip
Rocky has done many 9 hour trips north and i've brought fosters along the way (and of course Penny). I've rarely had issues. The drive itself (and new environment) can tire them out so I found I didn't need to go out of my way to do that much exercise before/after/during.
And the dog stuff usually took more room than my stuff hahahaha
Ivy
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Java (09-09-2017)
Sounds like a good plan to bring him along I love the soft crate. I use ours whenever we are traveling or visiting friends. Easy to carry up to hotel rooms and gives CASSIE a piece of home in a strange environment.
Java (09-09-2017)
Annette
Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009
And remembering:
Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015
And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014
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Java (09-09-2017)
You have gotten great advice! Last year, we moved from PA to Colorado with Molly & Jack. We used Comfort Suites for our two overnight stops. They have pet friendly rooms, even saw someone with a huge parrot in a cage. LOL At the very start of our journey, we made a few short stops so they could get some of that Car Ride excitement out of their systems. They settled in beautifully. Our travel rule was, if the dogs are content, keep on driving.
Make an easy-to-access meals kit for traveling: food, treats, water. Having all the pieces in one place makes it easier on you than digging through your luggage area during stops. Good luck and wishing you a safe journey.
Java (09-09-2017)
My dogs are usually very good with water source changes as well, I just suggested bottled water (by the gallon) because it was easier to refill water buckets for 4 dogs that way, instead of hauling water buckets to a bathroom or faucet at every stop. My dogs drink tons of water, so I oblige them, it's good for them too. :-)
I travel everywhere with Bubba, actually drove 14 hours yesterday with him! I don't do anything special for him when we travel. When I stop for gas about every 4 hours he uses the restroom and gets water. I used to bring soooo much stuff for him everywhere we went, but realized that I actually wasn't using any of it (so many toys!). Now I just bring the essentials: leash, collar, food, travel bowl, a towel (usually two depending on where we're going), soft crate, and a ball just in case. He is micro-chipped and I keep his vet records on my phone. In terms of water, I always fill up two refillable water bottles, one for me and one for bubba, and I fill his water that way.
I've stayed in several pet friendly hotels, though those are usually way stops. When I'm actually visiting somewhere we always stay in Airbnbs. My biggest piece of advice would be that a lot of time pet fees are hidden when booking, especially through sites like hotel.com or bookings.com. You choose a cheaper option, and then realize later its not actually cheaper because of a hidden pet fee. La Quinta has no pet fees which is nice.
Java (09-09-2017)
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