Travelling with very young puppy

[candapack]

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Hi all, new to forum and looking forward to bringing new puppy home soon. Border Terrier, it will be just 8 weeks old.

My question is, when can we reasonably start travelling in our motorhome? Does a young puppy need a period of stability in its new home, and if so, how long? The main priority is making sure it gets the best start in life, if that means not travelling for a few months, so be it.

Look forward to hearing from you experienced owners.

 

[goldenbear2013]

Hi there,

I would probably say alternate between the 2. Whatever training you do in your home, then do the same in the motorhome whilst its parked on your driveway or wherever you keep it.

This may mean sleeping in the motorhome some nights to get your puppy used to the 2 different places.

If you introduce the motorhome right from the very first day you bring your puppy home then they will know no different that they have 2 places to sleep instead of one, whether it be travelling or not.

Once you have intoduced the motorhome to your puppy (the same applies for travelling in cars btw) then turned the engine on and let him sit in the motor home with the engine runnig for 10 minutes. this will allow him to get used to the noise the motorhome makes.

then drive off the drive and back on again, so he gets used to it moving. then drive round the block, then a couple of miles and so on.

This will mean that your puppy gets used to the movement and noise of the motorhome without being thrown into it and have no idea whats going on.

Again, do all of this from day one.

I would probably say give it a month or 2 before you start travelling. This will give you time to train your puppy, toilet train him/her and give them time to bond with you too.

Hope that helps!!

Happy travelling!

Sophie x

 

[candapack]

Thanks Goldenbear, sounds like really good advice.

(Are you by any chance also a motorhomer/caravanner?)

Chris

 

[goldenbear2013]

Hi Chris,

I'm not no, but we do alot of driving around and travelling to various places with our dog, so I know what it's like to get them trained and used to travelling. Whether its the boot of a car or a motor home, it's pretty much the same method of training.

The one thing I will say when you start travelling is keeping him secure. Either a harness on one of the seats so he is with you but secure, or crate training him and having the crate in a secure place in the motor home so he doesnt slide about everywhere. You can then concentrate on driving and not worry about your dog. It will also make him feel safer and more at ease knowing he has a safe place to be when you are out and about.

If you crate train him, you will need to do this in your home as well. The crates collapse so transfering them from the house to your motor home will be easy

Sophie x

 

[poppy2714]

From previous experience it is all about creating a safe place for them - I and my aunt both have crates that we use for our dogs for traveling and if we are at home or staying somewhere else (caravan or hotel) Both our dogs were crate trained but it is a bit of a pain to keep moving a heavy metal crate so we now use fabric but it creates a den for them which means they know they have a safe place to go. They both also know if we are away they get longer and more exciting walks and they just love it!!

 

[Hagrid]

Theo wouldn't get in the car of his own accord for a long while so we built up our time and doing it step by step he has now learned to love the car. He hears the key and he sat at the door waiting as he knows it normally means a nice long walk.

We have a crate for him in the back so that we know he is safe and not doing any damage.