Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 20
  1. #1
    Puppy
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    12
    Thanked: 1

    Need Advice: First Road Trip with the Furbabies

    We are taking our first road trip with Sophie and Summer in a couple of weeks and I am close to a nervous breakdown trying to make sure we have everything they need. AND I watched crash tests with dogs yesterday and I am completely freaked out about getting into an accident. After watching those videos, I bought the Sleepypod Clickit Sport Harnesses. Anyone have experience with Sleepypod? Sophie and Summer are really well-behaved in the car, I just want to make sure they are safe as possible for our 9-hour trip. Any advice?
    Last edited by pitrpatr8paws; 09-24-2015 at 11:36 AM.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Carolina in my mind..
    Posts
    6,391
    Thanked: 4178
    Have not tried the Sleepypod myself, you'll have to let us know how the dogs tolerate them for that long drive! I have used car harnesses on our dogs, a crate doesn't fit in either of our cars, and not ones for both dogs. The main issue I've had with car harnesses is the dogs wanting to stand up and change positions and getting tangled in their own or each other's harnesses or seatbelt straps. Lark likes to lie down and take up most of the room in the back seat, Chase prefers to lie on the floor if we're in a sedan. They normally ride in the back section of my midsized SUV and I don't think the sleepypods would work back there.

    Aside from the harness issue, my travel advice is to take copies of their vaccination records and look ahead to see what vets might be available at your destination. If you're visiting family, maybe they have a vet they use. I just like to have some idea of what is available in case of illness or injury at our destination. Make sure they have ID tags on their collars and that they're wearing their collars in the car.

    My dogs don't really do anything in the car except sleep on long trips. I take them on 6-8 hour trips pretty regularly and aside from a stop midway to go to the bathroom, there's not much else that happens from their perspective. Packing a car for a long trip can make things crowded so I try to keep a few things within easy reach. I keep bottled water and bowls handy for a drink when we stop for a break. I keep their leashes where I can get to them readily. When we stop, it's also often at a mealtime for me, so they might get a plain cheeseburger or chicken sandwich from whichever fast food place I stop at, or else I keep a snack handy for them to eat while I eat. I figure a plain McDonald's cheeseburger every other month or so is not going to cause a health issue for them and once the car smells like french fries? How can you just give them a handful of kibble?

    I have a bag of dog stuff that I pretty much take on all our trips, it never gets unpacked. I keep extra leashes and collars, a few first aid supplies including hydrogen peroxide, since one of my dogs used to eat socks regularly, a few other things I almost never need but feel better having.

    That's a long trip but if they're good in the car in general, you probably won't have any trouble. Have fun!
    Sue

    Chase 9/29/2006- 6/30/2017 Always in our hearts
    Lark 12/25/2012- 2/2/22
    Henry 7/14/18
    Joey 5/14/2022

    “Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”

    Mary Oliver, Hidden Content

  3. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to smartrock For This Useful Post:

    labsnewfy (10-01-2015), pitrpatr8paws (09-25-2015), Tanya (09-25-2015)

  4. #3
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    SE, PA
    Posts
    4,406
    Thanked: 1992
    I do have the Sleepy Pod harnesses for use in our one vehicle the crate does not fit in. I have never used them on that long of a trip though. I am sure as long as your pups get a few breaks to stretch their legs and potty they will be fine.

    I always make sure I take a first aid kit, extra leashes/collars with ID, bottled water, vaccination records and a big fat bully stick to keep them occupied if they get antsy. Making a list so I don't forget every day essentials is important for me. I once left home without their food and bowls, not my best day!

    I hope you enjoy your trip, travel safely!

  5. #4
    Senior Dog
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Williamsburg, Virginia
    Posts
    2,610
    Thanked: 2964
    How old are Sophie and Summer? We've taken a number of long car trips with Kimber. When she was younger (under 3), we'd stop every couple of hours to let her potty, and if the trip was over 6 hours, we'd try get a 15-minute fetch session in at a deserted rest stop at a half way point. We would also try and tire her out the day before, and plan to take her on a good walk when we arrived at our destination.

    Now she's 10 and on our most recent car trip (12 hours) she just slept. When we stopped for our own potty breaks, we took her out on leash and she also eliminated. It was darn easy. We're planning a two-day road trip in December and I'm hoping she can be laid back for that long!
    Stormageddon, Princess of Darkness, aka "Stormy"
    Birthday 9-13-18, Gotcha Day 11-11-18
    Hidden Content

    Miss Kimber, CGC, 6/15/2005-1/27/2018 forever in our hearts



  6. #5
    Puppy
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    12
    Thanked: 1
    Thank you all so much for your responses! You've all given great advice and I've added the items to my list.

    I bought seat extenders from Orvis for the back seats so their legs won't hang over the edge and will hopefully give them more room to spread out.

    Sophie is almost 9 years old and Summer is 5. They both travel really well in the car for the short trips that we take but I have always put all of the seats down flat in the back of my SUV and put a bed in the back so they can lie down the whole way. I just hope they don't feel restricted or like they can't relax since they will be attached to the seat belts. And I didn't think about the tangling thing mentioned above... so we'll see how it goes. Thanks again for your input, I really appreciate it!

  7. #6
    Moderator
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Greenwood, Delaware
    Posts
    7,348
    Thanked: 7148
    Lot's of good info!!! I'm assuming they are microchipped????

  8. #7
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    10,985
    Thanked: 6722
    Sure I'm going to repeat some info. Vac records, your vet info, chip numbers, license records all in a plastic bag in the glove compartment. Along with that, add in a recent picture of both just in case. Doggy first air kit. Roll of paper towels and plastic bags for poop pickup. Since the trip sounds like it's will be long, carry gallon jugs of water from home. Sudden changes in water can cause tummy upset. If you are going somewhere where you will stay a while, slowly change over the water by refilling the jugs will the water where you are going. (Hope that makes sense.) I've found it convenient to put kibble in serving portions in baggies. Also, if you have, collars with their name and your phone number stitched on it. Also, you can use tags with the info engraved on them. Extra collars and leashes and if the situation where you are going will allow, 20-30 foot long leads for exercise.

    Think you'll find it will be easier than you expect.
    Hidden Content
    Kissing Bandit

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to POPTOP For This Useful Post:

    Jollymolly (09-24-2015)

  10. #8
    Senior Dog Jollymolly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    5,108
    Thanked: 2778
    If you are doing this all in one day have you mapped out the rest areas for you and the dogs. Do you know your dogs tells in the car. I could not really travel for more than 3 hours before needing to stop nad play and get some stress and energy out of Molly. She tended not to sleep in the car.

    Good luck

  11. #9
    House Broken
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Somewhere
    Posts
    101
    Thanked: 38
    I have the click it sport, for my two dogs, and it works well for us. Before that, I had the Utility (got it before the click it sport came out) and just had problems. Sleepypod allowed us to exchange the Click It Utility for the Click It Sport, and that solved our problems. We have made trips up to 12 hours in the car (with breaks every few hours) with no problems with the harnesses. Try it out on short trips first to make sure the size is adjusted correctly, and that they have room to stretch, lay down, sit up. We found that our lab, who is tall and lanky, prefers to be strapped in to the passenger side because he likes to lay on his left side, and didn't fit into his preferred position when strapped into the driver's side.

  12. #10
    Puppy
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    12
    Thanked: 1
    Oh yes! And I took them to the vet yesterday to have them scanned and verify the number (haven't done that since they were babies - they came with microchips from the breeder) and make sure all contact information was up to date on the microchip website.

    Sorry I haven't used this message board in years and didn't reply the way I intended.

 



Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet?
Register for Free and Share Your Labrador Retriever Photos

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •