How do you travel with a puppy in a car – without losing your mind?
At a wee ten weeks of age, Duff saw the beautiful shores of Prince Edward Island, Eastern Canada.
We would love to share Duff’s first big puppy travel adventure with you, along with some tips on traveling with a puppy in a car, socialization opportunities, and free checklist downloads.
Road Trip Puppy travel
Duff traveled remarkably well.
He was so tired from all the new sights and sounds that he spent most of the time like this—belly up and nose out.
We did come prepared, though, with lots of toys, chews, and ideas to keep him occupied and attempted to keep him more or less out of trouble… an impossible task with this scoundrel!
Here is a free pack list download of useful items and things we wished we had brought.
Puppy Travel Crate
We used the wire crate we had purchased. While it was roomy, it was not the safest car crate, and… it was SQUEAKY. It was very, very annoying for everyone, including Duff.
We have since upgraded to a travel crate from Ruffland, which is way better.
- Smaller (we have a medium-sized one)
- Safer
- Easily rinsed (i.e., if your wet pup shakes in a wire crate – you know the mess – this one keeps the dirt in)
- Non-Squeaky (quiet ride!)
- Available options: fan, water attachment, etc
- You can have one of a few sizes shipped for free to Cabela’s (even in Canada)
We discovered Cabelea’s has them in stock, or you can order with free shipping to the store – SCORE! The ideal two-door option, X-large sizes, and multiple color options need to be ordered directly from Ruffland, but we were happy with this basic upgrade (and it was on sale)!
We are so glad we upgraded. We may still bring the wire crate for longer stays (more stretch-out sleeping room), and since it is collapsible and flattens for packing, it’s easier to transport. We have the KONG ultra-strong two-door crate with divider from PetSmart.com, also on PetSmart.ca
All the training at home going Jobby (our Scottish word for potty) on different surfaces paid off!
He had no issues on pee breaks – except exploring and sniffing about so much that it took a while for him to go!
First Sniff of the Sea
Duff was enamored with his first whiff of the sea – he stood at the edge surveying this new vista.
The wind was whipping his face, and he quickly started exploring.
And, of course, digging like a true Scotty! He sure got covered in red dirt fast.
First Day on the Beach!
The night before, we told Duff all about the sea.
And told him to TRY and behave himself.
He pretended to agree.
This was the highlight of the trip. Duff’s little head nearly exploded with his excitement!
It was truly worth all the work just seeing his utter puppy delight racing back and forth on the sands.
The shallow pools and exposed sandbars were perfect! He could run around but couldn’t go too far, and the sand was relatively free of critters and who-knows-what to attempt eating (he still managed to find some gross things, though).
We were delighted with his pure joy.
Scotties Can’t Swim?
Oh yes, they can! But they must be watched closely—Scotties are like cinderblocks with legs: a heavy body and little legs are not a good mix in deep water (For a chuckle, see our comic version of the iconic Scottie robust build here),
Getting him used to the kiddie pool when he first came home was worth the effort! Duff quickly got into the water – in a particular Duffy way.
He would test the water depth. He only went where he could touch the sandy bottom at first.
Then he would go a little deeper, but as soon as he started sinking too much, he course-corrected. It was fun to watch. We encouraged and stayed close, but he soon learned to swim with the current!
Smart boi.
We have since bought him a life jacket.
Pooped Out
The best part – for us needing a little quiet – was that the sea tired Duff out!
He would get a little freshwater rinse, then do a “Duff Towel Dance” to dry off (so adorably funny!)
After a freshwater rinse, he was comatose.
Home, Around & About
We took him around the island on adventures, and he played around the cottage and spent time just chillin’.
Duff meeting the strong Atlantic winds was hilarious!
At the cottage, we brought his portable fencing from home.
We set up play areas and a poop pen. It was totally worth hauling it!
We didn’t have to leash him constantly; he could play freely on the deck, which prevented indoor messes.
It kept him safe and helped us to relax.
We found some new games to play with, and this one is one of his favorites (his play bark and growl crack us up!)
Socialization with Puppy Travel
PEI and vacation time were a perfect set-up for socialization. Duff experienced so many new sights and sounds at a young age, and we worked on his body handling and collar sensitivity (more on that in a later post).
It was really beneficial to start on new experiences before we took him on a road trip. We will have a later post on puppy socialization with Duff.
Goodbye PEI – For Now
Good memories are the best part of life.
Until next time!
The Big Sis