Two dogs and a road trip

June 7, 2006 2:38 PM

Two dogs and a road trip

My wife and I have two large hound dogs, a Subaru Forester, and a time frame from Aug 1 thru Oct 31 to tour the perimeter of the US and wind our way in and out of Canada as appropriate. This will be our first trip longer than a week with the pups (they are brothers, two years old and quite well trained). We plan on camping interspersed with staying at family & friends' places. Can anyone suggest tips/resources on road-tripping with dogs (or just road- tripping in general); and will there be a problem taking the pups across and back over the Canadian border?

posted by iurodivii to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

will there be a problem taking the pups across and back over the Canadian border?

Have current rabies vaccination papers for them, but they almost certainly won't ask for them.

It's not a big deal, but I'd avoid bringing a large amount of dog food across the border. The ongoing saga about mad-cow and so on periodically turns into a ban on meat products, incl. dog food. So don't bring an extra 30 pound bag of Canidae, because it would be annoying if that got confimiscated. Just bring enough for the trip. Of course, with two catahoulas, enough for the trip might *be* a full bag!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:12 PM on June 7, 2006

Not quite the same situation as yours, but there's some good advice in this recent thread too.
posted by hangashore at 3:14 PM on June 7, 2006

Make sure you have frequent stops to let them stretch, roam, and go to the bathroom as needed. At the stops, keep them active and moving (the intention here is to make them somewhat tired). Feed them just before you are going to leave. Then put them in the car. The combination of excercise and a heavy meal should make them tired enough to settle down in the car and hopefully sleep.
posted by galimatias at 3:14 PM on June 7, 2006

Make sure your dawgs are chipped before you leave, it'll make reunions a lot easier if you become separated. It's also a good idea to keep your dogs tethered all the time so they don't bolt off into the wilderness after a rabbit or other prey if a door is opened or panic and run if you get into an accident.
posted by buggzzee23 at 4:11 PM on June 7, 2006

We just took a long trip with our dog; she loves the car. she has a leg in a splint and for the first time we used a dog sling for the back seat (of a subaru legacy) and it was a lifesaver.

Bring the pet records, (and your own!) and the border should be no problem (not sure where you're crossing, but we took our dogs into canada every single summer for 16 years).

Agree with the don't forget the water, and stop every 4-5ish hours.
posted by dpx.mfx at 4:26 PM on June 7, 2006

Have them get alot of exercise before the trip, so they will be a little more mellow. I advise you to cover the dogs space in the car with towels, because if they throw up, it will be wayyy easier to clean up and get rid of the smell.
Have fun!
posted by lain at 11:21 PM on June 7, 2006

Yay! Catahoulas! (I have a Catahoula/Rottie mix).

Anyway not sure if you let the dogs into the back seat, but ours loves this 'seat saver.' It is comfy and if you stop short the dogs don't do flying. Duluth has a lot of neat dog supplies, actually.

Also, if you get tired of camping and you're not near a friend's house & just want a hot shower, Quality Inns accept dogs.

Have fun!
posted by miss tea at 4:43 AM on June 8, 2006