We will be traveling later this month - normally a 6 hour trip. A new grandchild is due and Mom needs C-section. We get to visit and take care of the other 2 rugrats  

So, this is our first extended trip with Mr. Dog. He loves to go in the car - we have a car harness (for which he stands absolutely still when putting it on him - about the only time he stands still!) and a hammock for the back seat. Tried using a travel crate in the back, but the visibility is crap - car is Subaru WRX. The only car with 4 doors (we do have some mustangs but hubby doesn't want toenails scratching the leather and they are only 2 door cars  ). We have been making short trips with Ami, with destinations where he can have fun - dog park or walks that are new and different. (We won't count the trip where I put the car in the ditch 'cause the snow was so deep you couldn't tell ditch from road and had to wait for tow truck). His longest trip so far has been maybe an hour.

I need to know things like - how often for piddle stops, how frequently should I offer water...hints in case he gets bored and restless...anything I may not think of...

I'm starting his revolution today, he has a preventic collar on order to arrive midweek. Also picking up some rose geranium oil - don't know yet which I'll use but my son's house has really high tick pressure and the weather is warming up there...

How old is Mr. Dog?

I drove Juneau at (16 weeks) for two days - roughly 18 hrs.  We stopped about every 2-4 hrs, depending how much she slept and how much water she drank.

If your husky is at least a year old, you probably only have to stop once in the middle of your 6 hr trip.  Let him have as much water as he drinks.  You usually cut food in half to lessen the chance of carsickness, or you can feed him before you leave and feed him when you get there.

You can give him benadryl to keep him calm and possibly sleep most of the way.

I'd buy some bully sticks and other toys/bones to chew on so he's occupied.  He'll probably whine if he gets bored (and he will lol).

Ami is approx. 18 months old (shelter dog, age estimated by vet that neutered him.) So every 2-4 hours shouldn't be a problem - we old people, need to stop and move around every 2 hours anyway for clot prevention (Note to all you women on hormonal BC - you need to be careful of long travel and clots, too.)

I hope he doesn't whine. If dog does, hubby will, too - he'll think something is wrong and I'm supposed to be able to fix it.

I normally feed him twice a day - 3X when it's below 15° (outdoor dog). Usually his biggest ration is in AM but I'll change that for travel day. (He's really reliable about morning - out of crate, pee, eat, poop, all in 30 minutes.) Also, there is dog park just off the highway 1.5 hours into our trip - maybe we'll stop there for coffee and a romp.

Not sure about treats in the car - unless it's his kibble, Mr. Dog gets very soft stool (peanut butter, he loves...then squirts! Marrow bones same thing. Rawhide - forget about it - worst diarrhea I've ever seen!!! Even worse than when my teenage son gave my toddler too much raisin bran  ) Maybe I can find one of his bones that has no marrow left, he doesn't really like to chew things that aren't animal origin. Or, I could see what our local Mennonite butcher has available - last time I checked, I got him humongous pig femur - fresh with little tidbits all over but too messy for the car. The other bones had been cut up in pieces I thought were too small for Ami to hold in his paws and still get his mouth around.

Benedryl, hmmm- we used to joke about that for quieting toddlers (never did but it was tempting...)

When we drove from seattle, WA to San Diego, CA we used Pro-sense Anti- Stress Calming Tabs. They are made of Chamomile powder, ginger, and valerian root powder. They worked great and resulted in a sleepy, calm pooch for much of the trip. We did 2 tablets in the am and he stayed calm most of the day. We stopped every 2 to 3 hours at rest stops to let him stretch his legs and go potty.

I don't think the brand really matters just look for Dog calming tablets.

I would say just get him good and worn out before you go. We have a subaru impreza wagon, and lay down the back seat, and put his dog bed behind the drivers seat. He just lays down and watches the world go by. On Friday we had about a 5 hour drive and he did great. I stopped 3 times, twice for me, once for him lol. Here's a pic of him on Friday. I didn't use anything to calm him, but just made sure he was really worn out.

Mishka passes out about 10 minutes into a car trip.  Doesn't matter how long or short. We've had one instance where he was really antsy but he ended up calming down.

I do usually bring some bully sticks and toys but he sleeps pretty much the entire time. We've had plenty of practice though for our husky meets.  I drive at least 1-2 hours for each meet one way. So he's got the car thing down pact.

simplify wrote:

Mishka passes out about 10 minutes into a car trip.  Doesn't matter how long or short. We've had one instance where he was really antsy but he ended up calming down.

I do usually bring some bully sticks and toys but he sleeps pretty much the entire time. We've had plenty of practice though for our husky meets.  I drive at least 1-2 hours for each meet one way. So he's got the car thing down pact.

Sounds good - hopefully, hopefully,Jen's suggestion to exhaust him before leaving, half ration of food and things to chew on, the trip will be uneventful

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I traveled with my girl when she was 5 months old to the mountains - approx 7 hr round trip. I used Roadie harness to keep her still and the hammock as well (to protect leather seats from scratching) and she fell asleep pretty quickly. It was 3.5 hrs each way. Stopped once each way but she didn't want to go to the toilet so just got her to stretch her legs a bit.
If your boy loves travelling then you will be absolutely fine. Perhaps get him his favorite chew toy to keep him busy until he falls asleep? Good luck on your trip and congrats on your grandchild.

Amy I have traveled with all of my dogs and only one didn't travel well. Festus and Alley would stay in the truck with me for over a week and Maya typically spends the day with me, this can be up to 14 hours. I really think a limit of food (I like to take breakfast ration along with and feed little bits during the day) and frequent rest stops (nature makes sure I do this also, your not alone) with good "exploring" walks should do the trick. Lots of stuff to smell at the rest area's, I call it reading pee-mail. I find Maya doesn't need to relieve herself very often but some time to stretch out and move is more important. You can bring water or just get it along the way, I only bring an outward hound cloth water bowl and fill and dump it where I stop. It's much easier to travel with dogs today than it was twenty years ago. Enjoy the trip and have fun with the grand kids, it's our revenge for what there parents put us through  

Every dog I've ever had has traveled well. As long as they have a spot they are usually ok. Ginger is great for motion sickness. I have a friend who teaches unusual attitude recovery in 737s. He keeps it on hand for students. The only thing I've heard about giving it to dogs is that too much will make them sick. A few drops of root extract a couple of hours before leaving, and every few hours after that. And he will get bored. And probably whine. Think three year old. It'll be fun! Just make sure he's leashed before opening the car door. You know how they are...

Hughie: "I call it pee-mail" Love it! As for grandkids and revenge - well, this son was a picture perfect, poster boy of wonderful - right up until he surprised me with a video (no, not a surprise wedding, thank god) of him jumping out of an airplane strapped to an instructor! Now the second son...he didn't sleep through the night until he was 3 years old  

MattV: "As long as they had a spot   My husky 40 years ago - we had a opal gt 2 seater sports car - she traveled everywhere with us in the little tiny luggage space behind the seats! She was smaller than Ami, though. Don't like unusual attitudes in planes. Uh Huh. No Way. I use ginger also for nausea but for motion sickness in plane - used Sea Bands during my flight training. "Just make sure he's leashed" Yup, my biggest fear. Husband is already harping on it - he'll be tethered to child seat anchor onto car harness. Also thinking maybe I should get 2nd collar for second tether just in case as well as another ID tag with my son's telephone number (hmmm maybe address - is telephone number is 914 area code but he leaves in MA?) Also, put on the child locks and the power window lock. I am terrified of losing him so he'll have locking carabiners on his trolley at my son's, also on his crate - curious rugrats can wreak havoc  (When my son was 2, he got up before me and opened door to basement where kitten was - needless to say, with the previous husky, kitten was no more before anyone could react  

Hopefully, Mr. Dog will sleep most of the trip - our habit is out of crate, breakfast, water, rest a bit to digest than long walk. Sleep (dog, not me) until mid-late afternoon when I do outside chores which he accompanies me and playtime/training then more playtime, walk in early evening than late night monitor the perimeter of property, hopefully pee on the deer trails, a little bit of playtime/training, midnight kong snack and bed time. I plan to walk him before we leave, then again twice into trip - once at a dog park along our route. Will be interesting - we've never eaten in front of him (husband says if he can't eat, we won't eat. I'm not eating if he can't! Hope the beast likes ice cream cause that is a frequent destination after hiking!) (Hmm - so Hughie - maybe your suggestion of feeding his food in little bits through the day would be good for Ami...

I am worried about heat - yesterday, temp was 23° and sunny and no wind - after 3.4 mile walk, he was panting and tired - all last week walks have been in single digit temps with wind - and he is just a trompin' along, lovin' it. So he his really not acclimated to temps much above 15°. Though, that may change this week, it is now 33° out he is fully stretched out on his "throne"

Everyone is so helpful - thank you