Have a friend that is flying to Scotland to pick up new pup, airlines don't fly back into Bristol with pets.  Any idea the safest way for them to travel home?

Had thought about hiring a car and driving back, that way they would be able to stop when needed, but a long drive for one person.

Thanks, all suggestions welcome

On a coach? with a pup I would go by car and stop half way in a travelodge they do allow dogs, Take a friend and share driving?

Can anyone in the breed travelling down to a show meet her part way?
Puppy will need lots of drinks on a long drive like that too

Agree with whistler. You should be able to get a hire car for a reasonable price with a nationwide company like Enterprise. Maybe the money saved could be used paying for a hotel although pup may find it confusing.
If possible my first choice would be to take a good friend (it is a long drive :-) ) and make regular stops to let pup toilet & change drivers. With a secure crate the pup should settle fine.

We have 2 dogs from the same breeder who lives a 20hr round trip from here! We're in NE Scotland, the breeder is almost on the south coast of England. The thought of the M25 scared me so OH and daughter did the trip and my daughter doesn't drive. When they went for our first pup they travelled overnight, had a lazy day when they got to their destinations, visited the breeder, saw the pups, did the paperwork etc and then went to a hotel for a good sleep. Picked up our pup in the morning as early as they could and headed home with plenty of stops on the way.

Second time the breeder met them slightly up country but I think it was still around an 8hr drive down and overnight stay for OH. Would do it all again too.

ETA A friend had to hire a car a while back and they weren't allowed to have dogs in the hire car so it might be worth checking all the small print before hiring.

I can't go with them as I don't drive, my daughters partner offered, but being 21 most car companies won't allow him to drive and if they do they bump the price up.  They are now considering flying from Bristol to Edinburgh, then from Edinburgh back to Heathrow and getting a lift home from there.  Which is only 2.1/2 hour drive, which I feel is probably the best option for them.

I've got a few dogs in Scotland and 2 people have always either driven both ways or flown down and hired a car to go back.

I've driven Berkshire to Glasgow and back on my own to mate a bitch before now..............

We went to pick our puppy up from Liverpool. Went down the day before stayed overnight. Just Edinburgh to Liverpool though
Jean

A car journey would probably be the least stressful for all concerned and we've driven from Bristol to Edinburgh in a day quite easily, even with stops for kids and dogs.

More fun with two in the car and certainly easier to manage a pup, rather than flights or trains.  I'm sure a hire car would be ok even with a no dog policy.  It's not as if the pup will be roaming around the car, it won't shed much hair, and you'd line the area with something suitable to protect from accidents anyway.

Flights are ok for air speed but with check in and transfers it would probably be quicker to drive!

If it were me, I'd drive both ways with a hotel nr the breeder overnight - likely to be much cheaper even with fuel costs.  I'd find a friend to come with me if I was on my own.  If they want to fly one way then a hire car seems the simplest method to get back.

I wouldn't consider anything other than driving straight back in one go for the sake of the pup. If flying the pup would have to be cargo presumably and crated for a while before the flight even takes off. I live near Edinburgh and have collected pups from Devon, Cambridge etc and driven back in one go every time with just very brief convenience stops for me. I don't let the pup out until we're home, I would rather a pup had an accident in the car, easily cleaned and safer than risking a pup getting lost - especially if a baby puppy not used to a collar and lead.

Our GD puppy flew from Heathrow to Edinburgh, and we picked her up there, she was bred in Bristol, and my OH flew down to see the pups 2 weeks beforehand.

We have done it this way in relays with the people picking up up from the stud dog owner who lives North. 

I have also had a couple fly down and hire a Car to drive home, this cost them less than driving both ways.

If the owner is going the whole trip they really need a second driver.

Ok, my OH is going with them, he's managed to book the weekend off, so they are flying from Bristol to Edinburgh Airport, where they will pick up a hire car, pick up pup, then drive home, stopping at services and taking it in turns to drive.

So all sorted, thank you for all your input.   Hopefully the weather will be better in a couple of weeks time.

Good luck - Remember lots of little drinks (I have a thing about water on long journeys :)

Well it's next weekend that my OH is travelling with friend to pick up their pup, so fingers crossed all goes well.  They are flying up, picking up hire car, then driving back. So please keep your fingers crossed that there isn't too much snow around up there.

Will let you know on Sunday how things went.