We pick up our new pup tomorrow and we have a long drive, about 5 hours each way.
I am slightly concerned about the length of the journey. I'm hoping he will sleep most of the way but have visions of travel sick, scared puppy crying the whole way home.

I have a crate, lots of newspaper for toilet breaks and plenty of towels. Anything else I should take?

Has anyone got any tips on how to help him settle?

I always think it is best whenever possible to take someone else with you to pick up a new puppy. They don't often settle in a crate on their first journey home as everything is so alien to them, but to have someone sitting in the back seat with the puppy on their lap offers some reassurance and that is when they would hopefully be more inclined to sleep for most of the journey.

water to drink and i would take a pigs ear to chew and some dry food too

5 hours isnt too bad......just allow him to sleep on someones lap or in a crate next to someone and i bet you wont hear a murmur after the 1st 10 minutes.

I'm going with my husband as I'm not yet allowed to drive (I have a shoulder injury)

I will sit in the back with him and think that I will have the crate on the floor next to me, that way if he is really upset he can come on my lap.
If i'm honest I feel it's safer for him to be in his crate, particuarly as the weather looks so bad for tomorrow.

Bring a puppy bone of some sort, they love to chew and it will be your fingers if you have nothing else to offer. Towels for accidents, a damp one for clean-up and a dry one for drying off, newspaper or pee pads (I only use them for occasions like this) as your pup will need a few wees in that time period. I know there's the whole safety issue but for me it's more likely that a pup would get stressed stuffed in a strange crate than that our car would be involved in a bad accident. I sit in back and let them walk around on the seat or sit on my lap. My girl just looked out the window for a few minutes, laid next to me and chewed her bone then went off to sleep for half the journey.

> I know there's the whole safety issue but for me it's more likely that a pup would get stressed stuffed in a strange crate than that our car would be involved in a bad accident. I sit in back and let them walk around on the seat or sit on my lap. My girl just looked out the window for a few minutes, laid next to me and chewed her bone then went off to sleep for half the journey.

Lori you maybe right, I'm more than happy to do what ever it takes to keep my little lad calm and settled.
I think I'll wait and see what works best at the time.

Awww I bet you are so excited, I loved getting my eldest (my youngest was flown to us) it was like the first journey home from hospital after giving birth all exciting!!

I agree with the others, the little one will probably sleep most of the journey, it always amazed me how much they could sleep when they were little ;-)

Good luck I hope it all goes well for you and the weather isn't too bad :-)

I usually get people to put them in a large cardboard box and for them to sit next to them on the back seat.

> I usually get people to put them in a large cardboard box and for them to sit next to them on the back seat.

Thanks that's an excellent idea. I've just spoken to hubby and we've agreed this maybe the best approach.

I have been agonising over the best thing to do. With the last pup we had (14 years ago) we only had a journey of 20 minutes, so I didn't really worry about it and just had her on my lap.

I can't wait for tomorrow, I swear I'm more excited than when I was pregnant.  lol

Usually have a soft toy or blanket to go with the pup on the journey as well.  I usually buy these when selling the pups and rub them on the mother and other pups before they go to their new homes.

Forgot to ask, what breed?

> Usually have a soft toy or blanket to go with the pup on the journey as well.  I usually buy these when selling the pups and rub them on the mother and other pups before they go to their new homes.

I already have a blanket ready for this.

> Forgot to ask, what breed?

A Briard, a little black boy.

I disagree with the cardboard box as I find puppies tend to whine and try and get out if they can see an opening.  I would recommend a crate preferably a soft crate with a pee pad in the bottom and soft blanket/cushion.  I have fetched 2 puppies from a breeder I like and they are 4 hours away from me.  The first time we did the cardboard box and it was a nightmare he would not give up for ages.  Second time we took a soft crate and after about ten mins of moaning this one settled done and stayed a sleep for most of the way home.  We tried it another time delivering a puppy and would never use anything other than a crate from then on.
Also ask the breeder to wear the little guy out before you are due to arrive, definately helps.

Congrats on the new puppy

Emma

> Second time we took a soft crate and after about ten mins of moaning this one settled done and stayed a sleep for most of the way home.

Without a crate, both of my pups didn't whine or moan once and had a relaxed ride to their new home. They also sleep next to me at night in a sectioned off, open topped area rather than a crate and neither of them cried at all their first night or any other night. I'm not against the use of crates for very short periods of time, I just like to introduce them without causing any unnecessary stress.

Each to their own.  What works for one may not be right for another.  With owning small breeds I find nearly all are used to a crate or some form of caging anyway so not a big shock to them.

Emma

Just a quick update.

I had him in a carboard box beside me for most of the journey and he was really good. He slept most of the way.

Not sure now what i was worried about.

Good to hear and congrats on the new arrival

Emma