Hi everyone! Picking up my lovely pup on Saturday morning and the journey time is 4 hours. Have read some other posts on the first journey home and have decided to not stop, just keep on driving to get the journey over with as quick as poss and just accept that i might get weed on! Or worse...! I'll keep him by my feet and/or chest, depending on how he reacts, and have a warm soft toy to put with him if he prefers the footwell. And I'll have lots of towels everywhere! I'll have some water on hand just in case but i was wondering whether it'd be a good idea to give a frozen treat kong to keep him occupied/chewing on something and keep hunger slightly at bay? Did anyone do anything similar? Or could it make him sick to give him some food on first journey? Thanks in advance! S
Re: First journey home... Awwwww how exciting!! The breeder gave us a chew stick for Bella, but she wasn't interested really was too busy sniffing and licking oh and sleeping!! But I def think it's a good idea to take something and keep him occupied if needs be. The breeder said that was in case she wanted to nibble my friends hands on the way back ;D. Pics soon please!!!!
Re: First journey home... Welcome Sally and your new pup! I think every coming home adventure is unique...since no two puppies are the same. Bring someone with you if you can, so that you are safe when driving. My husband and I drove 6 hours to pick up our Bella, and turned straight around with her and drove right home too. I held her in my arms while hubby drove. The first 30 minutes was hearbreaking....she cried, howled, whined, barked, and pretty much just broke our hearts....but then she crashed. The rest of the journey home she mostly slept, with just a couple unsettled times. We stopped about half way home for potty breaks all the way around, gave her some water, but no food. We just powered through...understanding that it was a highly tramatic time for her... in her eyes...this is what happened: I'm asleep with my momma and my brothers and sisters....2 strange humans come to our den and pick several of us up and talk to our humans for a little bit....and then...OMG....I am carried away by these strange humans!!!! We get into this really scary noisy box and I can't see my momma or my family...or my humans even.... This strange human holds me close and the scary box we are in is so very noisy ad makes odd movements that make my tummy feel not good.... WHERE'S MY MOMMY?!?!?!?!?!? I'm so scared and crying and the human holding me is talking softly and petting me, and holding me secure....I'm scared but she makes me feel safe from the scary noisy box we are in....and I'm so tired from crying....so I fall asleep.... They get over it soon...but remember...everything in their world has just changed dramatically...so be patient with them!!!
Re: First journey home... Willow was a little angel to bring home. Ours was a four-hour trip, too. She sat on my lap for a while, but then went into the footwell and slept almost all the way home. No crying or anything. We had spent a couple of days with the puppies before we brought her home, though, and looked after them all for a week when they were 6 weeks old, so it's not as if she didn't know us. In the footwell, I put a bin bag (so there would be no leakage onto the carpet of the car), then newspaper to soak up any liquids, then a towel. I also had a towel for my lap, a whole roll of kitchen paper and about twelve packs of wet wipes! Because I was so prepared, she obviously didn't do anything messy. I'm sure if I hadn't done that, there would have been wees and vomit galore I'm not sure I'd give him a filled kong, because I'd be reluctant to be giving them any food that might need to come out, but I don't see any problem with having a toy or two in there, just in case he is awake and bored. Do you have a name yet? What colour is he? Make sure you get us pictures as soon as possible
Re: First journey home... OH and I picked Poppy up from her breeder in Wiltshire, then we drove home to Frankfurt in Germany. 11 hours!!! She too was an absolute angel. I think she thought the car was her new home, to be honest. We had visited her several times before, so she knew who we were, which helped I think. Also we had a (rather smelly) towel which the breeder had given us, that smelt of her mother and litter mates.
Re: First journey home... I think this is highly variable depending on the dog. My best advice would be to have some nice treats ready and make sure he is tired before you pick him up. I was quite lucky with Louis when I picked him up 2 weeks ago in Buenos Aires and flew him back to Chile. Door to door it was like 7 hours incl customs, car rides etc. He behaved very well most of the time, the few difficult moments I addressed with some delicious treats as well as putting my hand gently on him. Both helped when ever he was uncomfortable. That said, I think it also helped that he had only had a light breakfast which meant that he was happy with any food I have him and no need to poo -- yet not too hungry. Also, breeder had kept him from sleeping so he was quite tired and slept most of the trip.
Re: First journey home... [quote author=andreasjuuls link=topic=9617.msg139047#msg139047 date=1422038997] I think this is highly variable depending on the dog. My best advice would be to have some nice treats ready and make sure he is tired before you pick him up. I was quite lucky with Louis when I picked him up 2 weeks ago in Buenos Aires and flew him back to Chile. Door to door it was like 7 hours incl customs, car rides etc. He behaved very well most of the time, the few difficult moments I addressed with some delicious treats as well as putting my hand gently on him. Both helped when ever he was uncomfortable. That said, I think it also helped that he had only had a light breakfast which meant that he was happy with any food I have him and no need to poo -- yet not too hungry. Also, breeder had kept him from sleeping so he was quite tired and slept most of the trip. [/quote] Hold up.... He was allowed on a flight?!?!
Re: First journey home... Just let him sleep. Too much food will upset his tum. When I did our 5.5 hour journey home I just had a small amount of kibble, about 6-8 pieces just to take the edge of the hunger. My pup slept all of the way apart from my pit stop to dash to the loo. She was in her crate for the whole journey. Hope it goes well and just deal with things if they happen; be cool 8)
Re: First journey home... Thanks so much everyone! Great advice. Especially about the kitchen roll and wet wipes! We drove off, he whined a lot (so sad but I remained calm), peed on me, threw up on me, then fell asleep for 3 hours. He woke up when we had a loo stop, didn't drink a jot of water, but I gave him a few kibbles to take the edge of the hunger. He then started to chew my feet, so I gave him an empty kong which he loved, then feel asleep again! I popped him straight into his outdoors pen for a wee when we got back- it seemed to take an AGE! He preferred chasing leaves to weeing...But he did a big wee after half hour and now he's fast asleep in his crate! So in love with the little chap. Will post pics soon but for now I need to have a shower and get some sick free clothes on!
Re: First journey home... So,glad it went well Sally and your first night goes well too Hi from Dexter my 2.5 year old and me Angela x
Re: First journey home... Well done! It all starts now and is such a lovely experience. Just snooze when he does - like he is a baby
Re: First journey home... Thanks everyone! First night went well! He whined once I think then shuffled about, fell asleep for four hours. Didn't whine for a wee, I let him out, took him a few mins to wee, then went back to bed. He wanted to play but I was having none of it at half 2, and he soon fell asleep again for another 4 hours. Amazing!x
