New GSD coming and a long drive to get her home!

Congratulations on your new puppy!

Personally, I would not give any kind of meds to a puppy this young, for motion sickness. I would just bring extra towels, and maybe just be prepared to clean her off and change the crate bedding a few times (whether she gets motion sick, or potties in the crate, this would come in handy).

If she gets motion sickness, it won't be the end of the world if she throws up. I totally understand you wanting to keep her comfortable, and not having her 1st day w/you be hard on her, but I wouldn't risk the meds. I'd rather have her motion sick one day, than be sorry I gave her a drug. JMO.

Maybe you'll get lucky and she'll either 1: sleep most of the time, or 2: not get car sick. Make sure you have a mild puppy shampoo at home to use when you get back. You might need it (also - no flea/tick shampoos at that age in my opinion. Someone just posted about a fully grown GSD that died from using a Hartz flea shampoo). Not to scare you, just to warn you.

Good luck! Have fun and take LOTS of pictures. They grow so fast it's amazing! (Maybe have the breeder take a pic of you two together when you pic her up! I wish I had one of those w/my baby).

We had a 10 hour drive home with Dena. Fortunately, she never got sick, but if your puppy does, she does. I wouldn't give her dramamine - no idea if it's safe or not, I just don't think it's necessary. I'm sure the breeder won't feed her in the morning, and you can bring some small treats to give her throughout the drive if necessary. I used Natural Balance food rolls, and Solid Gold Jerkey, both are healthy snacks.

Definitely crate her in the backseat. My hubby drove and I sat in the back next to the crate. Can you bring someone with you so she won't be alone? She may sleep, or she may cry - Dena did both. I talked to her, and put my fingers through the crate door for her to lick. Because I'm strange that way, I actually started training her on the drive, rewarding her with little treats for responding to her name.

We brought a bowl and some water for her, and a garbage bag and some paper towels in case of accidents, but we didn't end up needing them. Maybe a spray bottle of water would be good too, to help clean out the crate, just in case. If she gets sick and you don't want to stop and clean the crate, it's not going to kill her to wait until you get home to clean her off if she gets it on herself. Just make sure she's kept warm if you have to bathe her. I bathed my dogs in the kitchen sink when they were puppies, up until the time they were too big to fit. I'd towel dry them well, wrap them in another dry towel, and hold them on my lap.

Any time we needed to stop for gas or a food break for us, we offered her some water and let her out to potty. Be careful where you let her out, she doesn't have full immunity yet and you don't want to expose her to parvo. Dena was more interested in sniffing around than peeing or pooping, but she peed like a racehorse on the front lawn when we finally got home. She got a full meal then, and some water. I was paranoid that she'd slip her collar somewhere along the way, so I bought a martingale collar that tightens up if the dog backs up or pulls forward. A harness would work too, or you can just make sure her collar is tight enough that it won't pull over her head.

Hi Troy,

Congratulations on your new puppy! I'm sure you can't wait to see her.

Just two weeks ago, I picked up my puppy after he was shipped by air, and drove the 500+ miles home with him and my other dog who came along for the 10 hr drive.

I agree with Kodee girl, best not to try to medicate such a young puppy. Hopefully, the breeder that you are getting your pup from has already started crate training and has taken her on short rides to get used to cars and get over the motion sickness. My breeder did so, and my pup coped with the 13+ hrs in the crate for air shipping and the long drive the next day just fine.

I would feed the puppy very lightly that day. Yes on the crate! That is a must for the safety of such a little thing. I wouldn't give her anything in the crate other than towels or blankets to lay on, but that's just me. Except if the breeder has a favorite toy or other item from home that is going with the pup for the reassurance of familiar smells.

Bring towels, paper towels, moist wipes, and plastic bags for cleanups if needed.
I stopped every two hours for a bathroom/excercise break with mine, gave plenty of water, and fed him as per his schedule, and no problems. He slept most of the way, the motion of the car and the noise tends to put them to sleep.

So hopefully, all will go well for you too and the new little one!

Re: New GSD coming and a long drive to get her hom

Another good treat is Zuke's Mini Naturals, which are a perfect size, and we also like the Old Mother Hubbard biscuits, but even the smaller puppy size are too big for training. I like to use them as housebreaking treats for when puppy potties outside, or for when she goes in her crate.

Because I'm cheap and like REALLY small treats for training, I've even pinched Zuke's into 2 or 3 pieces. I cut the Natural Balance rolls into pieces about 1/4", and the Solid Gold Jerky, which comes in flat pieces about an inch square, I cut into at least 12, or even 16 pieces. A bag of treats will last you a looooong time that way! Yummy Chummy makes some salmon treats that my dogs love, and we also like Liver Biscotti, but those are a little big for training too - we mostly use them for nail trims.

People food, such as really tiny pieces of cheese or hot dogs are good too, but can upset puppy tummies, so make sure she can handle them before giving too much. In a pinch, kibble can be used for training. No matter what you use, if she's getting a lot of training treats cut back her meals a bit so she's not getting too many calories. If she'll work for kibble, the easiest thing to do is to measure out a portion of her daily allotment, and use that for training. You can also mix more interesting stuff into a ziplok bag with the kibble to flavor it a bit.

She's adorable!

Re: New GSD coming and a long drive to get her hom

I think you'll do fine. I did 1000 miles in three legs the last time. We had one upchuck because the kennel help had fed the pup right before we left. There was a several day lay-over before starting the second leg. So we had several days at a friend's elegant home with only one spot on the rug; one night in a motel; and home. The time before that it was about 150 miles (with a very pushy puppy that wanted to crawl under my feet while I was driving). Both dogs have traveled ever since.

To be more specific with the "be careful where you stop advise" With puppies, avoid rest stops and just-off-interstate exchanges where everyone else toilets there dog. (Transmission of diseases like Parvo in particular.)

You might as well take along the huge bottle of nature's miracle that you're going to buy anyway - maybe just part of that huge bottle. If there happens to be urine on your car seat you will want to get it up FAST! And poop pickup bags because you will want to use these so someone else doesn't have to avoid the spots you stop at.

BTW if you need to add a stop Super 8 & Motel 6 are pretty good about dogs although Super 8 depends upon the franchise. Some Holiday Inns also take dogs. You will need a crate to reassure most of them that your pup will not piddle in the room. (Another reason for that bottle of nature's miracle...)