# Transporting Puppy



## Claire P (Mar 29, 2017)

Hi there,

We pick our Vizsla pup up in a couple of weeks (I'm beyond excited!). :smile I just wanted some advice on the best way to transport him in the car in his first few weeks. We will use his wire crate in my husbands car but as mine is smaller and the crate won't fit. I'm unsure whether to invest in a smaller plastic carrier crate or a puppy harness for the back seat. It will just be to take him to the vets and to my parents in the first few weeks.

Any advice would be appreciated.

x


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## MikoMN (Nov 29, 2016)

We held the dog for the trip home. We had spent time with him before, and decided he would be more comfortable with all the HUGE changes if we kept him snuggled. We now always (almost) use a crate.

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## suzannethemom (Oct 27, 2015)

I got a baby blanket and a stuffed Winnie the Pooh at a garage sale before we got our new puppy. I rubbed Winnie the Pooh all over the mother dog so it would have her scent on it. I held the puppy in the backseat (with the blanket and Winnie) on the drive home. She cried and whimpered a lot before she finally fell asleep.

We purchased a car harness that connects to the seat belt latch from Petco. It works great. In the beginning, someone had to sit with her in the backseat for the first few car rides. She rode in the backseat with the harness every morning when I drove the kids to school and it was nice to not worry about her jumping out of the car. Now she's a pro and loves car rides.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Eventually it would be a good idea to get a harness that clips in like a seat belt. Until he's big enough to wear one I'd probably just put something in the foot wells, cover the seats with towels, and occupy him with a chew toy. My girl was never very destructive so this would have worked fine for us. If he's a bit more mischievous then getting a small crate would be the way to go. For longer trips use your husband's car and crate just to be safe.


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## Betty (Apr 14, 2016)

I worry what would happen in an accident with the restraint belt only attached to a collar.


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## suzannethemom (Oct 27, 2015)

I would agree with Betty that the restraint belt is safer when attached to a harness (instead of a collar). Sometimes Chloe doesn't let us put the harness on, so we use a collar instead. It's something we need to work on.


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## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

We held our boy for the drive home.
3 Hour ride we only had to stop once
Make sure you wear out the puppy before heading home.
He slept the whole way


"_I got a baby blanket and a stuffed Winnie the Pooh at a garage sale before we got our new puppy. I rubbed Winnie the Pooh all over the mother dog so it would have her scent on it_"
That's a great idea too.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

The safest way is a small crate, but most end up in your lap. They are just to cute to resist. So take a extra person with you. 
I still remember Cash howled at every car that past us on the road.
The girls just wanted a lap to lay on, and someone to rub on them.


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## Claire P (Mar 29, 2017)

Thanks for all your comments and advice. Alfie loved his little travel crate and was no problem settling un the car - he's now almost 5 months and getting too big for the travel crate we bought him originally. Unfortunately the boot of my car is probably too small for a full size crate so I'm thinking of a harness which will attach to seabelts in the back seat. My main concern is that he will chew through the seatbelt though as he does love a good chew!


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## Claire P (Mar 29, 2017)

She looks so well behaved - I think Alfie would chew through the seatbelt and harness! He's settled well in his travel crate in the car but is nearly bursting out of it as he's getting one so big. I don't think a larger one will fit in my car so I'm not sure what the best thing is to do! I may just have to give it a go with the harness and hope for the best!


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