# Midwest to West Coast Moving Advice



## leflerej (Jun 24, 2013)

Hey everyone, this is actually my first post on here but I do read pretty frequently! 

I am currently based in Ann Arbor, MI and just accepted a job in Seattle, WA. So at the end of this month me my girlfriend our cat and our vizsla Otto will be making the drive out. I think its about 2500 miles and will probably take at least 3 days with stops.

Anyone have advice on traveling with their Vs for long periods of time or moving? Otto is a little bit over 8 months and is very well behaved. He is going through somewhat of a teenager phase I believe but 95% of the time he is a great dog, and my first! 

Thanks!


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

Hello and welcome make the trip and trek in parts a family vacation

pack great foods and treat choices clean clear fresh water and pee breaks and da poo poo ;D

and some great short or longer walks

Your Mate will settle in great this age there very open and loving a new adventures and sites 

Just have some fun

take lots of lasting pictures

these are fun times or can be with a Red 

She will urge you when its time for a break


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

I am not sure if you have the time, however if you do I suggest you take the California Coast and Oregon Coast hwy 101. Beautiful beaches where your dog can run around, and the redwood forests are amazing. We live in Seattle and frequently go down the Coast. Also like Rudy stated have fun!!!!!!


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## leflerej (Jun 24, 2013)

Not sure I will have time to make it down the coast this time, but I have plans to in the future! 

That picture is hilarious, Otto usually lays down about 10 minutes into any car ride. I just wasn't sure if that would change after 5+ hours haha


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## marathonman (Jan 15, 2013)

I'm sure you've realized, a tired Vizsla is a good Vizsla. I would suggest looking up various places along your route to stop and get him some good exercise and play. This would especially be helpful first thing in the morning, Look for national forests, maybe state parks (not in California though, SP are very unfriendly to dogs), and if you're comfortable, dog parks.

Also, one thing we've noticed is that feeding and then getting in the car for a long drive is not good for digestion. One time we fed our boy dinner, walked around for 10 minutes, and then drove 6 hours. Immediately upon getting home (at 2 a.m.) and letting him in the house, all the dinner came right back up in about 5 piles throughout the carpet in our house. That was fun.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

I took Savannah on a 2 day drive when she was about a year old. Mostly it was fun, but I made a few mistakes that perhaps you can avoid.

First - I was running late getting on the road and, of course, my enthusiasm/stress communicated itself to her. We had to stop every hour for the first 4-5. After that, she road like a champ. If I had just taken a breath and made the morning a variation of our normal routine she would have been fine from the start.

Second - I stopped at a motel the first night sometime after midnight. It had those concrete stairs with the open backs. She had never seen them and wanted nothing to do with them. I ended up carrying her up the stairs after midnight and then back down at o-dark-thirty getting back on the road.

Third - When I got to my hotel, it had an elevator. She had never seen one and wasn't impressed when it started moving. She was even less impressed when it stopped. We went through a LOT of treats convincing her that the thing wasn't a problem.

With that said, she eventually mastered the elevator and had no problem with the extended drive time on the way back. We worked on open-backed stairs once we were home and she has no problem with them now.

I would do a few things if I were you. Plan to carry water and a bowl in addition to food so you can pull the car over anywhere. Check for places to stay that allow pets (and the rules - crates may be required) ahead of time in case you lose cell signal at an inopportune time. Keep your attitude as low key as possible throughout the trip. Put together a kit for unexpected opportunities: tennis balls you won't mind losing for quick exercise breaks; wee-wee pads, paper towels, and plastic bags! for accident/sick clean up; a blanket for him to hide under if he gets stressed; basic first aid stuff; vet/vaccination info in case you really get into a bind. Finally, check the states you are driving through for any requirements. For example, California requires a vet certificate for your dog before you visit.

Have a great trip! I loved Ann Arbor when I was there, but the Pacific Northwest is awesome, too!


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Good luck with your move! Ann Arbor and Seattle are both great places. 

I've moved a few times with cats and dogs, most recently this past June from TX to SC. It sounds like your dog travels fine for short distances. I've found that translates well into longer trips. I didn't have my V at the time, but we put a comfy bed in the back seat of the car with some luggage in the foot well to prop it up with a no spill water bowl next to it. My chow just slept the entire trip. Easy peasy.

The cats were in the other car with my parents. I spent two hours of the entire trip in that car and barely lived to tell the tale! Breaking up a cat fight at high speeds is not fun!  For them we got some disposable litter boxes placed in the trunk on a nonslip pad, another no spill bowl. They are terrible travelers, so rather than forcing them to stay in their carriers the entire trip, we opted to give them a light sedative, prescribed from the vet. Also got them harnesses and leashes to let them walk around a bit at rest stops.


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## leflerej (Jun 24, 2013)

These are all great tips so thanks everyone! We are way more worried about how our cat is going to do compared to our V. They are both very easy going but you never know whats going to happen after spending 3 days in a car... 

I'll just have to make sure that we are prepared for anything. We are going to travel with as light as possible in hopes that it will be more comfortable for everyone.


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