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  1. #1
    Senior Dog MightyThor's Avatar
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    Lessons from a roadtrip with two labs, including a six month old.

    We were gone for nine days and the boys did great. But since I've seen some posts here asking about road trip tips in the past, I thought I'd summarize what works for us after many many road trips with Thor (and now Barley).

    One general observation I have is that Barley (6.5 months old) came back a much more mature dog than when we left. Breaking up routine seemed to accelerate his mental growth. Before we would need to do the typical forced time outs and naps in the crate since he would just go go go when he was out. Now he will lay down and nap when he feels like it. We have only used the crate once since we got back on Saturday. He and Thor are also closer. They would play a lot prior to this trip, but Thor would get annoyed at the puppy antics. Now they are cuddling and playing in a more even and low key way.

    Anyways, road trip tips:


    • Bring more poop bags than you think you'll need. Then pack more. I had one roll in my backpack, my camera bag, my purse, the passenger door, the console, and in the bag of dog stuff. We also had a hard sided container to store the used bags and contain the smell if a garbage can wasn't near.
    • Since this was a longer road trip with two dogs in bear country, we bought a small vittle vault to carry their food. We measured out the amount needed beforehand and added a few extra scoops. On smaller road trips we use pre-measured amounts in ziploc bags.
    • Carabiners and home made leashes/tie outs: having a climbing background is useful! We repurposed some old locking carabiners (NOT the cheap branded 'not weight bearing' key chain carabiners) and strong cord to make leashes and lines of several lengths. We would use these lines to tie off the dogs in campsites, or clip them into the truck frame somewhere if we were stopped for a picnic. We could vary the length based on the amount of space they had.
    • So many towels and blankets: It was the pacific northwest and it was wet. We had a lot of muddy dog to deal with.
    • I've talked about this before, but our truck setup is great for the dogs. We removed the seats from the cab and lined it with thin dog beds and blankets. It's a giant den and they are completely happy hanging out there all day if they need to on the long ride days, or if we leave them in the car while checking out a view point or nature trail (on cool days).
    • Bring snacks that take a long time to consume. We stopped to eat at several dog friendly places, so letting them out of the truck with a marrow bone or bully stick to gnaw under the table was a fun stop for them.
    • Break up the day with dog friendly activities. Our road trip was mainly through the national parks which do not allow dogs on trails, but we planned specific stops in the national and state lands around the national parks to get them out for exercise and mental stimulation. Since Barley is still young we did a lot of short little walks where Thor could be off leash while we worked on trail manners with Barley (oh boy he loves to bark at other people on the trail, not something we had to deal with with Thor).
    • Always carry your dog's medical records! We never needed them, but if we had to make an emergency stop it would have been useful. Related: look up and carry the contact info for emergency vets along your route.
    • Just like poop bags, carry lots of water bowls. I love the squishy ones by Silipint since they fold up and can be tucked into backpacks, the pocket on the back of a car seat, and more. We kept a couple of them around the truck, as well as an easy water source (lots of big growler sized water bottles). Every time we stopped the dogs would get a bowl of water. We tried keeping one full in the back seat with them while moving but they would just knock it over. And that is why the truck is currently airing out with the windows down - smells like wet dog carpet in there.
    • I carried my general dog kit in its own bag for easy access - medical kit, booties, harnesses, extra leashes and collars, water bowl, back up poop bags, towel, treats, toys, etc.
    • The boys have their own camping mattress for inside the tent. It provides insulation and protects the tent floor from their sharp nails. The husband and I both had blankets that the dogs would snuggle under next to us at night. The little furnaces helped keep us warm!
    • Practice road trips: we knew Thor was a great road tripper, but since this was Barley's first outing we wanted to make sure he was comfortable, so we did lots of practice day trips with a similar routine.


    I'm sure there is more that I will think of, and I'm curious what other tips you have!
    Mighty Thor, "So Much Dog", born 1/6/2014
    And baby Barley, born 3/9/2018

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  3. #2
    Senior Dog SamsonsMom's Avatar
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    Great advice! Samson and Asher have their own backpacks for our road trips to the Outer Banks. Sounds like you've got two awesome travelers too. My boys are such great travelers. 47 days till we hit the road for 11 days in Outer Banks. Count down is on!

  4. #3
    Senior Dog Shelley's Avatar
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    Great thread idea!

    We used a strong cord once on a camping trip, and one of the dogs pulled the cord into the fire, and burned it through. So we use cable tie outs now, we carry various lengths, but 50 feet is good to string between trees (higher than the top of your head DAMHIK LOL), and then attach the dogs collars to the cables overhead with 6-10 food cables. They both have more room to move around, and you can use the 10 foot cables just like your carabiners, to attach the dogs to the car or truck frame or door latches, around table legs at restaurants, etc...

    Like this
    Amazon.com : XiaZ Dog Runner Cable Dog Run Trolley Tie Out Cable for Large Dogs Up to 250 Pound, 50-Feet : XiaZ : Pet Supplies

    And this, we have several colors, so it helps keep them untangled in storage, they have swivels too, so they don't get kinked.
    Amazon.com : 10ft Tie Out Cable Dogs, Outdoor Yard Camping Medium Large Pet Dogs : The Pet Supplies : Pet Supplies

    I always carry my First Aid bag, for the dogs, and a tick spoon, and Lots of poop bags too LOL

  5. #4
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Nice list!

    I'd also add the following:

    Have your dogs travel in safe crates that are held down in your vehicle. Wire crates are better than nothing, but not the safest, as the can pop open and/or the wires can become dangerous when struck. Wire crates are for containment, not safety. Same goes for the airline crates. There are several safe crates available on the market and there are seat belts as well. Attached to the crates, your dog's information and a leash, both on the back and the front. Have a way to get the dogs out in the event that your back hatch does not open.

    Accidents with dogs in vehicles happens often and if dogs are not secured, can easily be ejected from the vehicle. If they are not injured being ejected, then they may get run over or take off if they are scared. Having their information on tags is helpful, especially in the event that they have special medical or behavioral issues. If you are incapacitated, they will have a number to call to have someone hold your dog versus going to the local shelter. In addition to the dog being injured, in an accident they can become a projectile and severely injure passengers. An unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert approximately 2,400 pounds of force. Crates can also slam into passengers if not tied down. I also use crates that lock, and I lock them when I stop at a rest area or to eat, etc., but I don't lock them while driving.

    I always carry a first aid kit that includes a tick picker-offer and Benedryl with dosing instructions for all sizes of dogs. And, a friend got me this little dog first aid book that I keep in my kit.

 



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