Bringing my EM home

[Neidermeyer]

I know I'm looking a bit ahead, as we won't be picking up our EM until late February, but we will have a 3 hour car ride on the way back. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice for how to best handle the car ride? I imagine the poor thing will be very shook up at this point, so I don't want to make it too traumatic if I can help it. I hope/figure that she might sleep most of the way?

 

[Gunny]

We had about an hour drive home when we got ours and he pretty much slept the entire way. We got a great introduction to the room clearing gas these guys can produce about 2 minutes into the trip. We did bring a small bowl and some water that he lapped up before he went to sleep.

 

[mimismom730]

In my experience I would suggest holding the pup in your lap (if your no driving of course) or letting someone else hold her for that sense of security. You also have to keep in mind that me might get car sick and vomit so be prepared for that. I also think its best to not travel on a full tummy and yes she will most likely sleep most of the way and you might want to travel with pee/potty pads in case she has to go since at th/at age its not safe to stop in random places for a potty break.

 

[joshuagough]

Pet him/her to death and show him/her a pic of Glasgo dog trainer :lolbangtable:

All jokes aside good luck and ditto on the above!

 

[Smokeycat]

I had a 2 hr drive with Kryten. He slept all the way home.

 

[Jerilyn]

we will havw a 7 hrson sat to bring ours home i am very concerened as well

 

[Neidermeyer]

Definitely hoping for the sleeping mastiff on the way home. There should be two of us, but it's possible that there will be only one if my lady can't get off of work.

 

[stephanieb]

We had a 3 hour drive. Both times.... each puppy sat in my lap and we stopped at about the hour and a half mark for a bio break. I know it sounds mean, but ask the breeder to feed them the bare minimum in the morning (keeps their tummys a little more settled) and have water along with you for the trip home. The other thing that we did that worked really well when we went to see the pup the first time took something of ours so they would recognize our smell. And for the trip home they came with something that had been with mom and the litter to provide comfort. To this day (a year later) our little one still sleeps with Teddy every night. Supper sweet.

Hope this helps some. Oh and be prepared if you are the one holding.... to have tired arms and sore legs by the time you get home. :lolbangtable:

 

[Neidermeyer]

Haha, thanks for the heads up. I will definitely try to take someone with me just to be on the safe side. I was planning on shipping something to the breeder so that she would have something of ours to get used to the scent. I think I probably should...

 

[cablecar]

Our boy slept almost the entire way home. I put my hand in the carrier he was in and he was fine! The night was a different story! This was almost 8 years ago, but I remember him crying so much for a few nights....he missed his family. But after a few nights he was fine. We put a loud clock in bed with him because we were told that would sooth him because it would be like the sound of his mom's heart beat. Not sure it helped, but we did it anyways. Good luck and congratulations on your new family member.

 

[Neidermeyer]

Thanks for the response. I was really worried about the first couple nights, as I imagine I won't be getting much sleep. Thankfully it will be around my spring break/weekend, so I will have plenty of time to nap when she does. lol. Also, what is ok to place in the crate? I've read that they chew and eat a lot of things, so what kind of bedding do you use?

 

[ravendarat]

When I brought my EM home it was about a hour long drive if not a little more. I had two friends come with me but I insisted he stayed in his crate in the truck the whole way home. We all talked to him and what not and my friends pet him through the cage but I thought it was important that he understand that the crate was a good thing, whenever he went anywhere he got praised before going in and after coming out. Besides a little crying he was perfectly fine and to this day has no problems walking right into his crate whenever he is asked, and has been that way since close to the beginning.

Make sure that at home you have everything you need as taking the puppy out before he has all of his shots isnt advised, and thats gonna be HARD. You are gonna wanna take him everywhere and show him off but have patience.

 

[Mooshi's Mummy]

We had a 3 hour journey from Cardiff to Nottingham, Moo was great until about 20 minutes from home when she decided to heave her guts up. I sat in the back with her in my arms and we covered the back seat in plastic (garbage bags) and old towels and brought baby wipes with us no it was no problem at all. She didnt sleep at all but she sure did crash when she got home.

 

[VentiandMe]

what a cutie!! Congrats

 

[Dakota Kid]

I had a 6 hour dive so I definitely needed a second person (the hubby). She sat in the passengers lap for about 3 hours total and then she was in a crate for the other 3. We stopped about every 1.5-2 hours or whenever she woke up and let her out. We also had the breeder give us a towel that smelled like her mom. We filled the rest of the crate with a few towels. My co-worker let me borrow her crate that fit her sheltie and it fit perfectly in the back seat. She slept most of the way.

---------- Post added at 12:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:39 PM ----------

Mooshi is such a fluff ball! So cute!

 

[Dakota Kid]

Mooshi is such a fluff ball! So cute!

 

[DennasMom]

We only had a 45 minute drive with Denna. For 3 hours, I'd plan on at least one break in the middle for a stretch and potty. As mentioned on other threads - you might want to avoid other places where strange dogs have been (i.e. the dog-walking area at rest-stops) - just to avoid any unwanted germs before you get all your vaccinations in place.

We put Denna in a crate with a blanket from our house, and the blanket that had her mom and littermate's smells on it from the breeder. She whined a bit, but we did our best to ignore it or say "shhhhh" and "quiet" very, very calmly. After about 7 minutes she went to sleep and napped the whole way home. She was really good in her crate at night as long as she had her woobie (the breeder's blanket). We took her out pretty much every 2 hours for the first 5 or 6 nights home, then it was every 3 hours, then 4, then... 8!!! Only about 2 weeks or less of the mid-night potty breaks (unless she had an upset tummy from too many treats or a change in food...). We always took her outside if she whined in the crate at home - out for potty, then back in. Period. She learned really quick that the crate was for sleeping, and never really complained about it.

Hopefully you little one will be as good as ours! I'm still in amazement at how good and calm of a puppy she's been.

 

[stephanieb]

OK, hate to admit it, but we let both of ours sleep in the bed with us to start and had no issues with crying, whining or fussing the first few days. Stonewall decided we were too much work for him and got off the bed after about 3 weeks.

 

[Neidermeyer]

Thanks for all of the advice! I have family along the way, so that would be a good, safe place to have a rest stop for her instead of the Rest Stop.

I'll have to see about borrowing a small crate, as the one she has is not transportable. lol.

I'm still waiting for her to open her little eyes, as the breeder will send more pics. I feel pitiful because I know I am bugging the crap out of everyone about it, but it's just so exciting. lol

---------- Post added at 01:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:14 PM ----------

OK, hate to admit it, but we let both of ours sleep in the bed with us to start and had no issues with crying, whining or fussing the first few days. Stonewall decided we were too much work for him and got off the bed after about 3 weeks.

We only have a queen size bed, and I don't think there is any way she can sleep on it with us once she's grown. lol. If I had a King, I would be ok with it, but I'm not a small guy, and I'd rather not test the weight limits of the bed. haha

 

[Neidermeyer]

OK, hate to admit it, but we let both of ours sleep in the bed with us to start and had no issues with crying, whining or fussing the first few days. Stonewall decided we were too much work for him and got off the bed after about 3 weeks.

We only have a queen size bed, and I don't think there is any way she can sleep on it with us once she's grown. lol. If I had a King, I would be ok with it, but I'm not a small guy, and I'd rather not test the weight limits of the bed. haha