Traveling with a dog (restaurant, food, car)

[roselily]

Hi everyone, I could use some advice. I'm going to be traveling with just myself and my 12 year old lab. I've driven the route before so I already have plans for where I can let him out, and will have water, treats, poop bags, everything we need.

My concern is when I need to stop for a break. Obviously I can't leave him in the car, and I can't take him into gas stations/rest stops. I also can't drive 8 hours without peeing. I can do pay at the pump for gas but I will need to go inside at some point. Suggestions, please? Other than an adult diaper

[uptown_urbanist]

you can leave him in the car for a few minutes with the window cracked while you go inside the gas station or rest stop; that's not going to hurt him and no one is going to accuse you of animal cruelty.

when we did a cross-country trip with pets we brought food for picnics (supplemented with stuff purchased along the way) which gave pets and people alike a break and a chance to get out of the car.

[601halfdozen0theother]

In warm weather with pets in the car I simply drive at night when it's cooler. That way you don't have to worry about them baking in the sun while you run in to P. I highly recommend this simple solution!

[TUMF]

Put him on a leash, and attach the leash to the bumper, of your car parked in the shade, while you go inside.
Leave water out for him, so if your trip to the john isn't a stand up job... or, take along a mayonnaise jar and stop somewhere you can fill it...

[roselily]

Well, it probably will be dark by the time I get there, but not until I'm out of the urban areas. I'm far less worried about once I get to the rural areas, people are much less sanctimonious about animals there. (I have no intentions of letting my dog overheat in the car, but people will freak out over less than 5 minutes around here.) A leash on the bumper isn't a bad idea. I don't think anyone is going to try to steal a deaf elderly dog.

[ellysbelly]

I think rather than tying him to a bumper (which there's a risk he can get loose, that's a bigger concern in my mind-- more so than someone taking him or someone getting all sanctimonious!), there are almost certainly some gas stations with bathrooms that have doors from the outside of the building, so you can likely bring your pup into the restroom with you.

If that's not an option, assuming that he's well behaved, I would likely bring him in with you to a rest stop and use the "family" bathroom before leaving him tied up or in your vehicle-- unless it was a cool day, or at night, as someone else suggested. Or, if you're at a fast food restaurant or gas station where you can get in and out of the restroom within minutes, I'd leave him in the car with all of the windows cracked-- 5-10 minutes is fine; though I get that people freak out, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!