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We have made a few long distance trips with our dog. She loves to ride in the car, but once we are beyond her normal outing range she gets very nervous. I read somewhere that dogs have a "scent map" of their area and can get upset when they travel beyond it. I don't know if this true or if it has more to do with the length of time in a vehicle, either way, it applies to our dog.
We moved from CA to VA when she was one and after about an hour she began panting and shaking. We stopped every 2-3 hours for her to stretch her legs and use the bathroom/get water, but she was still very nervous. When stopping for the night, she would eat a small amount of food, then crash. By the time we arrived in VA she had lost several pounds.
Our next trip with her was a vacation to FL from VA and we decided to get a sedative for her to hopefully make the trip easier on her. Unfortunately that didn't work out... it made her groggy, but she still did the panting and shaking. It also made it more difficult for her to get in and out of the car(she is 85lbs so difficult for us to lift) for potty breaks and she wasn't interested in drinking either. Luckily it wasn't as long a trip, but we decided it was better for her on the trip home not to use the sedative. Every animal is different, but I would use caution if you decide to use a sedative and weigh the possible side effects vs. benefit.
Good luck on your journey!
yes, i will cover the seat in some way and maybe get big doggy pillows for them. my dogs are a herding breed mix, (australian shepherd and australian cattle dog) not too high strung. they've always been fine in the car and really enjoy going for a ride so i'm not anticipating problems with car sickness or nervousness. as long as they are by our side they're happy!!
Hi, Artyst, driven two trips with my birds. My cockatiel and my bugie loved the trip. We didn't cover them, but we did buy really small cages for teh trip. My cockatiel just had one perch to sit on, but he just sat there the whole time calmly looking out the window. We let one out to visit for a while, but that's it. ALthough, I didn't have a dog with me, so that would be a bit more challenging. Just find a place where they can see you, but are strapped in securely. It's actually entertaining traveling with birds, hehe.
hi deegers, yes, the birds are kind of the least of my worries!! i'm going to buy small cages for them and pack their homes. i imagine they'll do some chatting along the way i need to take my dog around town in the bettle with the top down to see how that goes. it might be fun to have the top down for part of the trip.
i have two dogs and two birds to move with me from az to ny. can anyone share their experiences and advice on traveling with pets? i'll be driving with my pets.
I drove from California to Ohio with two dogs. I have an SUV, so we had plenty of room, however...I still crated one for her own protection and the other I had seat belted. Anything could happen.
I hit bad driving conditions in New Mexico. I was pushed off the road and into the median by a semi due to icy road conditions.
If the dogs were not secure one or both of them would have been hurt. I know that for a fact.
Also, plan ahead with your lodging...make sure you get places to stay that will accept pets. I always requested a lower level suite near an exit for when they had to go outside I wouldn't have to deal with disturbing others.
oh that must have been scary. luckily i'll be traveling during the summer. i'll have to get some maps and plan my route so that i can stay at hotels that allow dogs. a lower level room is a good idea!
I recently moved from FL to NH with a dog and 2 birds.. my dog was fine, he was used to moving long distance and he actually slept almost the whole way, we wouldn't let him have A lot of water, little sips during the day so he was hydrated but not bursting at the seams. I also had some doggy snacks and a rawhide for him to chew on when he was away, that kept him pretty busy. I just laid down a towel in the backseat and it was doggy heaven. As for the birds I put them in the back seat in their cage, threw a safteybelt over the cage so it wouldn't shift on turns and move a lot, and I actually kept it uncovered , the birds enjoyed looking out the window and from time to time I'd crack the back window and let them get some air, they'd both be fighting to stand in the wind. I only covered them when we stopped at night at a hotel, but brought them in of course. Over all it was very easy and I had no problems what so ever.. good luck!
I drove Las Vegas to Atlantic City on a Toyoto Landcruiser [like a jeep] with an 85 lb Siberian in the front seat.....he stood the entire time cause he didn't want to miss anything.....everytime he'd lay down we'd meet a truck and he jumped up to look .....at night he would collapse in the motel room and never move til morning.
lol funny ^ my little girl dog will ride with my son in the moving truck. she's pretty easy going, she usually lays down except for ocassionally putting her head out the window. i'll take my little boy dog in the back seat of the beetle. he's pretty vigilant, he'll watch out the window for a while before relaxing and laying down. thanks for sharing your story dynimagelv!
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i need to take my dog around town in the bettle with the top down to see how that goes. it might be fun to have the top down for part of the trip. 
i have two dogs and two birds to move with me from az to ny. can anyone share their experiences and advice on traveling with pets? i'll be driving with my pets.
