What is it like to take a long drive with a dog?

[Hopeful8]

Thinking ahead to next summer and might drive down to North Carolina with our 3 y.o. dog (approx. 15 hour drive, probably over 2 days - Ontario to NC). Any tips? Pros & Cons to driving with the dog? My daughter and I are a bit hesitant about taking her, thinking it will be very long but my husband is keen to take her, as is my son. We are debating on spending one week or two at our destination.

 

[OpieDoodle]

I drove from Ohio to Washington state with my dogs multiple times (previous military family). We drove a few hours, stopped at rest areas and walked them. We stayed at dog friendly hotels. Make sure to bring grocery bags or doggie poo bags to pick up messes.

It wasn't really a big deal for us. The dogs slept most of the way so they acted like raging lunatics running at high speeds when we got to our destination.

 

[Moliphino]

It really depends on how good your dog is in the car. We've had dogs who are great and ones you can't stand for more than the 15 minutes to the vet because he never stops freaking out.

 

[petrola]

We drove with our Wheaten from CT to Key West. As OpieDoodle mentions, dog friendly hotels are key! Our 20 month old DD was with us too, so frequent stops were essential! lol... We did 3 overnights and made a very fun trip out of it. We also stopped at Jupiter beach - which is a dog friendly beach so lots of fun for everyone!

 

[SteveH]

Depends on the dog. Long time stuck in the car isn't a lot of fun for a dog. It can change your vacation too, you can't leave a dog stuck in the car on a warm day while you go do something, at least around me you'll wind up with a ticket and/or a broken window. Many restaurants will not accommodate a dog, and you need to make sure you book any hotels so you're assured a room with a dog. If you can manage that, then go for it. We take our dogs on most of our adventures, but we also have a motor home or we know which hotels we're going to.

 

[HeatherC]

We have taken our Cocker Spaniel on long road trips since she was a puppy. She loves the car and jumps and goes absolutely psycho crazy for literally 30 seconds. Then she finds a comfy spot and pretty much passes out.

We also stop for gas or quick break every couple hours and run her on a leash for a few minutes.

 

[sarahann77]

It really depends on the dog. My family growing up would do 10 hr trips with our animals to our summer place. The dogs we had enjoyed the car and would just sleep. Wouldn't mind the quick stops at rest stops etc. Maybe just barking the last hour etc as being excited they knew where they were. My next one froze in the car but otherwise was fine. My current one howls when we're not on the go. Rest stops have to be quick or she's howling. She actually did better this last trip. Get a portable fan that's battery operated so that can be running while at stops. Every stop I need for myself I take the dog out too so the stops are usually combined for when I need food, gas, or restroom.

Find the dog friendly hotels, if spending the night on the way etc.

 

[JenBush]

As everyone else said, it really depends on the dog. Last week I took a girls trip with my mom, aunt, and my aunt’s dog. We drove about 8 hours with a few stops along the way. The dog did great and slept most of the ride. Now, my grandma’s dog gets so stressed in cars that even a 20 minute drive is too much.

 

[Hopeful8]

Thank you, everyone! Yes, I would definitely look into dog friendly hotels - there was an app that was recommended for fnding dog friendly hotels...anyone know what it is? Escapes me at the moment.

 

[CynBeth]

Some things to think about are even if a hotel does allow dogs there might be restrictions on not being left alone in a room even in a cage or noise and usually there is an extra fee.. Also you would have to go back to walk her and check on her at different times during the day which can cut into your plans.

 

[Hopeful8]

We would not be leaving her in the hotel alone, the hotel is just a stop for supper & sleeping. For supper, we often just bring our own sandwiches or food to be microwaved. And the end destination is a pet friendly house rental.

I think we will have to take a few shorter test road trips to see how she likes longer drives. We did one two years ago when she was a puppy and it was 3.5 hours and she was fine but that was quite some time ago!

 

[Wendy31]

Like others have said, it depends on the dog.

We take our dog w/ us on trips because he doesn’t well if we leave him - he gets very anxious & then makes himself sick.

Thankfully, he’s a very good traveler! He’s happy & content as long as he’s w/ us.

However, it does change your travel.

On the way there & back, you won’t be able to stop & eat at most restaurants - you’ll have to do drive-ins.

Once you’re at your destination, you may be able to find some restaurants - especially ones w/ outdoor seating - that will allow dogs.

And you’ll need to find pet friendly accommodations. Some will be more accommodating than others, & some will cost more than others.

A lot of places are becoming more pet friendly.

One site that lists pet friendly accommodations & maybe even restaurants is BringFido.com.

EDITED TO ADD - Our dog is crate-trained, so we bring his crate w/ us. If we’re out of the condo or hotel room, we crate him. And, we’ve found that, for longer stays, most of the time, it’s easier (& less costly) to find a pet-friendly house or condo than it is a hotel. There are some hotels that are pet-friendly - but a lot of hotels ask that you not leave your pet in the room if you’re not there & will charge extra per night - whereas a condo or house usually just adds a pet fee to the total stay.

I’m very appreciative of any pet friendly accommodations that we can find - because it’s not always easy. So I try to be very conscious of not leaving any kind of pet “residue.” We bring a plastic tablecloth to go under his crate. I put a plastic lid under his food & water dish. He’s a Keeshond, so he sheds hair in clumps which we try to keep picked up. And, before we leave, if there’s a vacuum in the condo, we’ll vacuum.

Also - be aware that the water wherever you’re staying could be slightly different & could be upsetting to your dog’s stomach. While we’re away, our dog either gets bottled water or filtered water from the refrigerator of wherever we‘re staying.

 

[lifesavacation]

We take our 10 lb. dog on long trips. She does great and mostly sleeps. We do drive a Tesla so are stopping every 3 hours for charging and that's when we let her out and walk her. We also don't have any worries leaving her in the car alone since our car has "puppy mode." I've never had trouble finding pet friendly hotels. I usually ask for a room on the first floor so it's easy to take her out.

 

[SteveH]

...there was an app that was recommended for fnding dog friendly hotels...anyone know what it is? Escapes me at the moment.

Might have been BringFido

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Rather than post more of the same, I’ll approach it from a safety angle.

A little preparation and forethought can go a long way.

Make sure your dog is microchipped and has a collar on with contact information, in case it somehow, worst case scenario, gets lost. I’ve met and read stories about people who were separated their dogs at a rest stop when it ran away, or after an accident, etc. Dogs can get scared in unfamiliar or sudden circumstances, and bolt. If you take the dog out of the car, make sure the leash is secure. Keep it away from other dogs, who may also be scared. And keep a good picture of the dog on hand in case you do get separated and have to do a “Lost” posting (for which there are specific networks, I believe; thankfully have never had to use any, but good to know they’re there).

Also make sure your dog is up to date on vaccinations, including bordatella (kennel cough) as it could pick something up at the dog areas in rest stops or other walking areas, or drink out of a dirty puddle, etc. If you suddenly have to use a kennel (which we had to once on a trip) some may require vaccination records. Or if you have to take the dog to the vet it’s good to have a printout or picture of a printout in case your own vet is closed. Also make sure they have flea and tick preventative as some areas may have these that your own area doesn’t.

Make sure the dog has plenty of water. Be careful with food - stick as much as you can to home food as the stress of the trip can cause tummy problems. Our dog travels pretty well but still gets slightly anxious in hotel rooms. Dogs are creatures of habit and even though they’re with their people, they don’t always like the disruption of their routine. This was just our experience, but our dog did better if we didn’t go back in the room after we left (for a reasonable time, like a few hours, not all day). Once DS forgot something and had to go back, and that caused the dog to bark, thinking it would get him back again, and that caused a problem. So before you leave the room, make sure you have everything you need. We did use a crate, as well.

And of course the biggie is not leaving the dog in a hot car. Temperatures can soar inside in minutes, and as a pp mentioned, it could be a problem. If we find ourselves in those circumstances, one of us usually stays in the car with the dog with the AC on while others go inside somewhere, and we switch off. It takes a little longer but it’s better that way. I wouldn’t leave the dog alone with the car running. Dog theft is also a big problem now as dogs became scarce during the pandemic. Your dog is worth a lot of money to someone who has bad intentions, so protect your dog at all times.

 

[Hopeful8]

Might have been BringFido

Yes! That is it! Thank you.

Rather than post more of the same, I’ll approach it from a safety angle.

A little preparation and forethought can go a long way.

Make sure your dog is microchipped and has a collar on with contact information, in case it somehow, worst case scenario, gets lost. I’ve met and read stories about people who were separated their dogs at a rest stop when it ran away, or after an accident, etc. Dogs can get scared in unfamiliar or sudden circumstances, and bolt. If you take the dog out of the car, make sure the leash is secure. Keep it away from other dogs, who may also be scared. And keep a good picture of the dog on hand in case you do get separated and have to do a “Lost” posting (for which there are specific networks, I believe; thankfully have never had to use any, but good to know they’re there).

Also make sure your dog is up to date on vaccinations, including bordatella (kennel cough) as it could pick something up at the dog areas in rest stops or other walking areas, or drink out of a dirty puddle, etc. If you suddenly have to use a kennel (which we had to once on a trip) some may require vaccination records. Or if you have to take the dog to the vet it’s good to have a printout or picture of a printout in case your own vet is closed. Also make sure they have flea and tick preventative as some areas may have these that your own area doesn’t.

Make sure the dog has plenty of water. Be careful with food - stick as much as you can to home food as the stress of the trip can cause tummy problems. Our dog travels pretty well but still gets slightly anxious in hotel rooms. Dogs are creatures of habit and even though they’re with their people, they don’t always like the disruption of their routine. This was just our experience, but our dog did better if we didn’t go back in the room after we left (for a reasonable time, like a few hours, not all day). Once DS forgot something and had to go back, and that caused the dog to bark, thinking it would get him back again, and that caused a problem. So before you leave the room, make sure you have everything you need. We did use a crate, as well.

And of course the biggie is not leaving the dog in a hot car. Temperatures can soar inside in minutes, and as a pp mentioned, it could be a problem. If we find ourselves in those circumstances, one of us usually stays in the car with the dog with the AC on while others go inside somewhere, and we switch off. It takes a little longer but it’s better that way. I wouldn’t leave the dog alone with the car running. Dog theft is also a big problem now as dogs became scarce during the pandemic. Your dog is worth a lot of money to someone who has bad intentions, so protect your dog at all times.

I thought of some of these and had mentioned them to my husband - because I am a worrywart and try to think of everything - and he seemed to think that it would still go ok. And because I am a worrywart, it makes me a bit nervous to take her, knowing I will be thinking of everything to make sure she is safe. Thank you for all those things to think of!

Lots to think about!

 

[LuvOrlando]

We drive with our dog a lot in 6 hour increments & he stops to go when we stop to go & grab gas so I'd say 3 hours then break.
I would invest in a doggie car-seat/bed as it keeps everyone safe and comfortable. This is my little guy in his car seat which I move from car to car, this Voyager harness from Chewy is strictly for the carseat and is very soft, I wouldn't use for walking because he could probably pull out of it. I use a Sporn mesh harness when walking and keep that separate

Personally, I found Bring Fido to be completely useless, they list tons of places that actually refuse a dog when I make a direct phone call to the front desk so I stick with Red Roof. Only thing is I found about traveling is my dog really needs a flea and tick shampoo before we travel and a bath when we get home. Not a big deal to me to have my buddy with us.

 

[DisneyOma]

Thinking ahead to next summer and might drive down to North Carolina with our 3 y.o. dog (approx. 15 hour drive, probably over 2 days - Ontario to NC). Any tips? Pros & Cons to driving with the dog? My daughter and I are a bit hesitant about taking her, thinking it will be very long but my husband is keen to take her, as is my son. We are debating on spending one week or two at our destination.

Have you looked into what vaccinations and paperwork you need to have to bring a dog into another country? You'll want to protect your dog from ticks and mosquitos down here, at least.

 

[Hopeful8]

Have you looked into what vaccinations and paperwork you need to have to bring a dog into another country? You'll want to protect your dog from ticks and mosquitos down here, at least.

No, I haven't - good point. Our dog is up to date on her vaccines here in Canada and is on monthly tick medication. Will look into it now, thank you.

 

[White Cat]

Thinking ahead to next summer and might drive down to North Carolina with our 3 y.o. dog (approx. 15 hour drive, probably over 2 days - Ontario to NC). Any tips? Pros & Cons to driving with the dog? My daughter and I are a bit hesitant about taking her, thinking it will be very long but my husband is keen to take her, as is my son. We are debating on spending one week or two at our destination.

I have done the drive several times from Ontario to Florida and to Maine with a small dog with no problems. But she’s a well travelled small dog has also flown a lot and used to being in a carrier. Make sure you have current vaccination papers for the border.