# Best Way to Bring a Puppy Home



## SandraDee (Oct 19, 2010)

We are picking up our new puppy on Thursday afternoon, and are trying to decide what the best way is to transport the puppy home in the car. Should we bring a crate? Should we put the puppy on our laps? We just aren't sure. 

We have about an hour car ride between the breeders place and our house, could be more like an hour and half though with traffic

Any suggestions?


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## Chestersmum (Jun 21, 2010)

Personally I would bring a crate and put the puppy in it for the journey home. The puppy is going to be scared whatever you do so it's best just to leave them to it so then can calm down and relax themselves. If they are scared and you have them on your lap stroking/talking to them you are just reinforcing that they should feel scared.

I suspect he/she will bark and cry for about 10-15 mins solidly and you'll wonder why an earth you decided to put them in the crate but they will probably then fall asleep for the rest of the journey home and you've already taught lesson no 1 that they are sometimes left alone without you for company 

When we bought our pup home we wanted to phone lots of people (to say how cute he was!) but the barking was so loud it was impossible!! He soon settled though and slept right the way home (about 1.5 hours).

Good luck!


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## Robh (Jul 28, 2010)

I totally agree with Chestersmum. Start as you mean to go on. Even though we had a create in the boot of car for our journey home with Isla my other half, who is a softy, said she was happy having her on her knee. As the driver the nose was nearly deafening and she would not sit still so she was soon relegated to the create in the boot where went to sleep.

I also suggest that should short reserve your first weekend for you and the puppy in order to establish your routines, especially toilet training, and allow he/she to get used to the their new surroundings without distractions of other new faces.

TOP TIP: get some ear plugs and don’t be afraid to use them!


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## Mercutio (Jan 18, 2010)

We wanted to use a crate but couldn't find one big enough for an adult vizsla that would fit in the car so went to the breeders with a harness intending just to plug him into the seatbelt. Anyway she thought that wouldn't work and that One of us should nurse him for the three hour drive home. So we started out with me and the pup in the back seat... He howled for the first ten minutes out to the main road and like Chestersmum said, I started to wonder what the heck we were letting otuselves in for... Anyway about 30 minutes down the road was our first toilet stop and after that he slept the rest of the way home like a gorgeous little angel :

So I think if you are intending to crate train and you have one that fits your car, great! One of you might want to sit where he can see you though. It's traumatic enough leaving home without the pup feeling totally deserted. Otherwise just make sure that you will all be safe if you have to brake suddenly.

After that first day merc started traveling on his own in the back seat in a car harness and we've never had any problems ( with car travel anyway).


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## Chestersmum (Jun 21, 2010)

Good point re starting off the same way as you wish to carry on means you'll have no trouble on car journeys.

We had a smaller crate at first which fitted nicely into the boot and meant toilet training was easier. Now Chester is bigger he still goes in the boot but has a doggy guard. He loves it in there!


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## Robh (Jul 28, 2010)

Here’s a picture of Isla having just come 2nd to a Chihuahua in best puppy under 6 months at Harewood show. A Chihuahua, can you believe it – no wonder she looks a bit depressed!!


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## Chilli monster (Sep 16, 2010)

what a lovely girl!!!! it is judge personal choice so nothing to be depressed!


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## Robh (Jul 28, 2010)

And for the record that it was a pure coincidence and accidental that I reverses over the Chihuahua in the car park ;-) If it was a proper size dog I would have seen it!! ;-)


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

I just brought my Viszla home two weekends ago. It was a 3 hr 30 min drive, but we had little problems. He was in the front passenger seat being held/entertained by one of my friends the whole time. However, he WAS wild. It will take someone dedicated to contain him.

We did put him in the cage for about 5 minutes after a while. The barking/howling was deafening! We had only intended to leave him there for a little while, so we took him out anyways and he fell asleep for the last 80 min of the ride.

You can transport him out of the crate, but expect to have to contain him. Either way, earplugs might be a good idea.


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## doglover (Aug 4, 2009)

Clyde had actual tears running down his face while we were leaving. It broke mt heart! Then 5 miles later he had diarrhea everywhere! It was not a good experiance. I wished I had crated him!


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## Crazy Kian (Aug 10, 2009)

this is Kian the day we brought him home.

Pleeeease, let me out....











Fine, I will chew my way out then ;D


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He has been crated since day one. 
The breeder laughed when he saw the cardboard divider and all the newspaper on the bottom. He warned us it would make a nice chew toy, he was right.
The cardboard divider and newspaper lasted the ride and then went into the garbage.

I personally think putting him in the crate helped get him used to it. The drive was about 3 hours in total, no accidents but lots of LOUD YELLING AND SCREAMING by us and the pup. I couldn't hear my girlfriend over his screaming so I had to yell too


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## fiona long (Feb 15, 2010)

i guess everyone different but i sat the dog in my lap the way home with a wee blanket that her mum had been sleeping with. she was great the whole way home and we then introduced her to the crate as soon as we got into house, has worked ok for us and bailey fine with car and crate


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