Who else takes their dog on long car trips?

We've taken Toby on long car trips twice, from Houston to western PA and back. The second trip, we had Chamois so of course she came, too, that year. The trips were two days each way, about 12 hours of driving during the days with potty/stretch stops about every two hours, and overnights in pet-friendly hotels (Red Roof Inn is pretty convenient). Toby LOVES riding in the car, he'll watch out the window, sleep, watch out the window, sleep... Chamois stands and pants for hours before she finally settles down. She doesn't seem particularly stressed, and she's always happy to get back in, but literally hours of panting non-stop before she's finally tired enough to lie down and sleep while the car is in motion. Fortunately, neither is a barker or whiner on rides.

Of course, the car trips probably seemed like nothing after the plane trips that came with our Libya move. On the way there, we flew from Houston to Frankfurt and were delayed so missed our connection. So we had to re-route through Malta and then on to Tripoli, total elapsed time 25 hours (the animals all got a break at the Frankfurt airport kennels during the six-hour layover where they got food, water and potty breaks). On the return trip home a year later, we flew Tripoli to Amsterdam, where they were boarded overnight at the KLM facility, and then on the next day non-stop to Houston. They did great, and I really have to hand it to both airlines (Lufthansa and KLM) in the way they treated the animals - and us, giving us updates and reassurances that they were on board.

Puff does fine riding in the car on trips. I'm sure given a choice between food and riding in the car, food would lose.

In 2008, we had 2 long trips, the first from Topeka, KS to Vail, CO, to Bend, OR, and back -- about 3,000 miles total. Sometimes we camped out (tent), sometimes we stayed in pet friendly motel (Super 6) or stayed with pet friendly friends. We'd drive 2 hours and then stop for 10-15 minutes for Puff to P&P and fetch the training dummy I'd sling. Then off again for another 2 hours.

A second trip a month later was from Topeka, KS, to various spots all over Vermont and return -- again about 3,000 miles. We followed the same routine.

In 2009, we made the KS → VT → KS 3k mile trip again (as we will in 2010).

I recline the back of the front seat as far as it will go (that's about 30º from horizontal) and Puff at times parks her butt 2/3rds of the way up the seat back, splays her front feet on the seat, and watches out the front window. She alternates that with curling up in a tight "C" on the front seat or reclining on her side on the front seat back (reminding me of Cleopatra on her Nile barge), or hopping into the back seat and stretching out there.

Since Puff's only 62 lbs., she fits a lot more places than an 80+ lb. Lab would.

Our '06 Honda Civic Hybrid 4 dr (plates: "LAB CAB") has leather seats and I turn off the airbag for the front passenger seat when she's there.

Having her often in the front passenger seat so I can stroke her fur is soothing to me.

And stopping to let her out every 2 hours prevents me from pushing the driving too much.

She's a great help and great companion.

Bauer goes everywhere with me, and loves riding in the car. He knows that if he is the only passenger he is allowed to ride in the front, but knows that if there is another person he takes the back seat. His favorite thing is to pop his head up from the backseat, and out the driver's window while going through a drive-thru. The longest he as gone is about 10 hours when we visit my parents/siblings. We make lots of stops, and other than that he sleeps most of the way. When he sits in the car, he sits like a person (very sloppy sit with back legs spread wide). My son will lean against him to sleep, and when he does this Bauer will turn to rest his head on the back of the seat and sleep sitting up rather than laying down and disturbing him. If he doesn't lean on him, Bauer curls into a little ball.

Our dogs have traveled all over with us to dock diving events. From Florida to Missouri to Ohio to West Virginia to Maryland and all stops in between. They are great travelers both in the car and in the hotels.

We have a Chevy Avalanche. We put the cover over the bed, take out the back and put the back seat down. So they have they entire back of the truck from the back seat area (that is down) all the way back to the tailgate. Lots of room to stretch out and sleep.

In the hotel rooms, Sally sleeps with us (like at home) and we take the bed covers and put them on the floor for the boys. We've gone on so many trips with them, they know the routine well...how to behave in the room, walking through the hallways and lobby. We get lots of compliments on how well behaved they are. (proud mama moment!)

Here are some traveling pics.

Spud and Hoppy sleeping on the bed cover on the floor:



Sally crashed on the bed after a day of dock diving:



Spud and Sally asleep in the back of the truck:



Posing in the hotel room: