# Advice on travel crate please



## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

Hi

I'm pleased to say that the crate training is going really well with Baxter. We brought him home last weds at 8 weeks and put him in crate in kitchen from the first night. We had two nights of crying most of the night but the last 3 nights he has gone to sleep quickly, last night must have been about 5 minutes and slept until 7am this morning. 

Now my problem I have now is not knowing how to introduce the travel crate we have bought for our car. We want to take him out to my Dads house Sat night and from next Thurs we are attending puppy training classes so I need him to go in crate in the car. This will be his second bed as we visit family quite a lot and also go camping a lot in our tent so want him to enjoy being in there. 

I have brought it in the house this morning and while I was on the computer he went in there to sleep. Pleased with that but now worrying in case it confuses him about his bed in the house. Short I not do this? Should I instead put him in the car in it and go for some short drives and see how I get on? 

Any help is appreciated ;-)

Thanks and sorry for long post!


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## Angie NG (Jun 6, 2012)

We had to travel quite a journey and we were really worried about crating Bella. We did take her for a few short trips to get her use to it, not sure if it helped as she threw up. She actually did brilliantly on the long journey and slept all the way. I'm sure it will turn out better than you think


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

We had a travel crate with Mac when was 9 weeks. We introduced it in the house just like you did and he seemed fine with it. 

However after two trips in the car he tore a hole in it!!!

I would introduce the crate to him both in the house and in the car. First a couple mins drive each time until he is used to it. U find he is great with it first time.


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## jcbuch (Oct 15, 2009)

I think very quickly your pup will take to either crate as his. I would be more concerned with making sure he is a good traveler and doesn't get motion sickness. I travel frequently with my dogs to trials some 4-7 hours a away and i have not had any issues with dogs in crates or even in my crew cab truck back seat. Our current derby dog Vala has been flown on a plane to pick her up in Illionis to NJ. She flew in a small crate/puppy bag in the cabin under the seat in front of us. and she was going to field trials 4 hours away when she was about 4 months old with no problems. But as i said my dogs travel in a car daily to train in the morning before work and go to about 12-14 trials a year.

start off taking short trips and remember if your pup is still so young a lot of that crying is seperation from his mom and siblings still. However if he is doing well crated in your home and sleeping at night in his crate he should be fine. good luck

Joe


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## johnnywiggla (Sep 30, 2012)

Introduce him to the crate in the house, play games, feed him etc in there and after a while, he will get used to it. One thing that I found VERY useful was D.A.P. spray, calms my little one right down in the car


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## colinstab (Sep 10, 2012)

I was thinking about crating her from the start. As in taking ther home in the crate from when picking her up from the breeder.

Is that a big no no? obviously stopping every hour to let her out to go toilet. The thinking behind it was that she would just associate the car with the crate and make life easier later.


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## deeco3307 (Jun 13, 2010)

If you make the car ride a positive experience you should have very little trouble crating. Our pup was crated in the car from the beginning and he LOVES to go on "car rides." The minute he hears the word he is sitting at the door. I would make sure he can see out a window and occasionally give him a treat during the ride when he's being quiet. We have an SUV, and he's so used to sitting in the back, we don't even need to crate him at this point. He's 2 1/2 years old though.


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## doublemocha (Aug 28, 2012)

Colin - Interesting. We pick up our puppy soon. I was going to let him be held just for the journey home (about 75 minutes). I figured that leaving his mum and litter mates and being taken by a bunch of new people is probably enough to take in at that stage. I was going to put the travel crate in the house and introduce gradually, like the house crate, as others have said. 

It would be interesting to hear more experienced peoples views on this.

I have some dap spray too and gave our breeder a soft toy and a small cloth yesterday, as we don't see him again now until we collect him.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Absolutely DM - take a towel for the pup to sit on and snuggle into on your lap. This is a great time to bond with your pup and get off to a great start. 

Again, introducing the crate slowly when you get home is really important. I had never used a crate with previous puppies but got one for Boris. There is definitely a right and a wrong way to go about introducing the puppy to a crate. Never pick the puppy up and put him in it - entice him in with treats, feed him in the crate. 

There is lots of really great information on this forum on the subject. Use the search box on the right hand side, colin.


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## colinstab (Sep 10, 2012)

Now that you say that it does seem a bit heartless to leave it in the back when they've just been seperated. I was also thinking from a safety perspective if i had to brake hard. Didnt want the poor thing to go flying.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

We had a 3 hour journey from the breeder to home. It took Elza at least an hour to calm down. She was in my hand, we had a soft travel crate but our breeder suggested to hold her instead. She was sick a couple of times but eventually slept for about an hour and a half during the drive. 
Here's my post how we solved Elza's issues in the car. 

http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,4574.msg32867.html#msg32867


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## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

Hello again

Thanks for all the replies. I have now tried Baxter in the crate in the car. Not good, he barks and whines but we have only been out twice and journey only 5 mins so maybe he would settle after a while. 

I am going to order so if the dap spray to try. Would this help with calming when Baxter has a mad hour as he is biting and jumping and grabbing clothes at certain times of day or this just a case of playing and exercising during these times. I can't wait until we can take him out for walks!!


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## oliveJosh12 (Sep 10, 2012)

HI Baxtersmum,

Olive also has mad moments where she bites anything and then barks if she cant have it (madam!)
I have found that as soon as she starts towards me or my hands I just say no and put a toy in her mouth or a bully stick. She has improved so much.
(all good advice from here!)


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## BaxtersMum (Oct 6, 2012)

Thank you Olivejosh12 

I have been doing this, also if it gets bad I'm standing up with my back to him and ignoring him but then if he bites at my clothes or backside (which he does quite often!) then I walk away and close the door on him. I have been told by the trainer I am using that if he is uncontrolled to put him calmly in his crate for time out but I haven't had to do that yet. She said he will soon realise that this type of play just gets him time alone and we all know Vizslas hate that don't we!


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