Traveling with the pups – possible issues

I’m going to post something short today, because I have been a little focused on getting my new business website finished. If you would like to check it out, it’s at http://www.beebeeclown.com.  My “day job” is being an entertainer for kids and adults.

So what can go wrong when traveling with the pooches?  The first issue I would bring up is the throwing up issue.  My first dog Max threw up so badly when he was in the car that at the time I bought a Jeep Wrangler and told the dealership not to have any carpet in the car, and not to have any embellishments simply for the reason that they would be quickly ruined by stomach acid and bile. Max never really improved. I learned, however that not feeding him too close to travel time did help.

Trumpet had his first travel experience when he was two weeks old and I drove him 10 hours to get him home.  He was in a cardboard box, with fluffy fabric, on someone’s lap while the car overheated, and we had to stop about every 20 minutes to let the car cool down, and when we did drive it was with the heat on in 90 degree weather.  Amazingly, Trumpet has an amazing stomach. He loves car rides and has only thrown up once or twice in all the of the travel we have done over the span of his four years.

Trombone cannot be fed near the time of travel because the kibble he just finished will end up right back up in his crate.  He is pretty happy in the crate while traveling as long as he can see me. But not if his tummy is full. He will silently leave me a little package of goodness all over the crate if I don’t pay attention.

So for the sake of the car, the noses of passengers, the other dog, the comfort level of the dog, it is definitely best not to feed the dog too close to travel time. I highly suggest treating it like swimming. Wait an hour or so before getting in the car after meals.

Trumpet was two weeks old when I rescued him