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Hi everyone,
My family and I are relocating to Pensacola, FL from Minnesota October 31. So of those who have traveled with dogs. How and what treatments were they given to keep calm and rested for the loooooong drive? Either over the counter, home remedies, or Vet recommended.
Thank you all
If you get a prescription from your vet, be sure to get an extra dose to test your dog's reaction ahead of time. We used a tranquilizer, too many years ago to remember what it was, for a dog we used to have, on a long trip. It didn't calm him much and it actually made him very irritable and snarky with his "sister", which was totally unlike him. These paradoxical reactions aren't all that uncommon.
Obviously make sure your dog is comfortable in the car for short periods of time. I try to make sure my dog is worn out before the trip. I'll send him to doggie day care the day before (which always wears him out) and I'll look up a dog park near my stopping point so if we stay over at a hotel I can take him to run in the morning before we leave. I pack extra water for my pup. Always keep your pets records with you so that you have them in case a hotel asks for them for confirmation or in case of an emergency.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Is your dog typically stressed and/or obnoxious when you take him in the car, even on short drives? Artie HATES city driving (and when I'm driving, rather than when my husband is at the wheel), but as soon as we get on the highway, I suppose because it's smooth -- with no bumps in the road, and no stop-and-go stuff -- he falls asleep right away.
As obnoxious as Artie is in his "daily life," I've never medicated him on car trips. Our longest one was 7 hours and he did fine, sleeping for most of it.
So if your pupper is usually fine on short car trips, I wouldn't worry and I wouldn't medicate.
Will you be crating your dogs for the trip or will they be belted down to the seat? Our dogs always got worn out by the excitement and went to sleep or enjoyed looking out the window - always big dogs. We also took a break about every 2 to 2 1/2 hours at a rest stop to walk them.
My dogs traveled from California to Maine and did fantastic.....then with one different dog....we traveled from Maine to Florida.....it was all good.
On the first trip our little westie was in her carrying case and slept most of the way....she loved being in there.
she was almost impossible to travel with out of the case "because she had a thing" about windshield wipers.....she would stand at high alert on the passengers lap.....tense, stomping her little feet trembling, copious drooling and stairing at the windshield.....even on a sunny day. She was waiting to attack the windshield wipers....God forbid it should actually rain. In her carrier....she was off duty and just slept.....even if it rained.
The other dog had been returned to the humane society shelter from failed placements several times.....and she has a real concern about abandonment...."am I good enough" issues" so she trembled and was anxious all the first day....but settled down after the first overnight on the road. "The girls" became much closer while on the trip to Fla and the weeks in a hotel once we got here.....that bond has lasted....a really nice outcome.
We didnt need any treatments.....they really got into the rhythm of the trip. Traveling with children is much much harder....(and I did resort to dramamine as a sedative with one kid. The pediatrician gave his blessing.)
Wow! Thank you all to whom have responded. My dog is more anxious. He is a 10 lb Shih Tzu and will be in his crate. I have comfortable items for him while I am driving. I will have my 2 kids 14 and 7 along for the ride too My husband will be driving his truck down with his dog. He is planning on medicating him. He is a 60 lb Blood Hound. I am just not sure if I want to medicate because I have not ever given him anything like that before. He has monthly meds for worms and stuff. That's about it. He is pretty healthy. We will take breaks as well. Thank you for the responses.
1: get them used to the form of travel NOW...if your going to be driving, start with short car trips, if theyre going to be crated get the crates they will be traveling in, set them up and feed treats in there ect, make the travel crates a fun wonderfull place to be.
2: do NOT sedate unless absolutly nessicary...
3: the ONLY product ive ever used is bachs Rescue remedy. its herbal all natural and a calmant NOT a sedative.
i traveld form CT to TN with my 2 dogs, 2 cats 2 parakeets and a macaw...the dogs have been desensitized to car rides but not being in a motel room so they got a doe of rescue remedy once we got to the motel so that they wouldnt be quite so stressed on the overnight. the cats and the birds all got rescue remedy every 6 hours. no problems form any of them.
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