As a breeder it is exciting getting these puppies ready to go to their new homes. As the excitement builds and the special day gets closer I also worry about how the pup will handle the transition to its new home, starting with the trip home since the trip can be stressful for all concerned, especially the puppy. So to help prepare the puppies for their adventure home I will be adding to their list of things to accomplish over the next few weeks.

Travel / Car rides

The puppies will go for regular car rides with their littermates. By doing this not only does it prepare them for their trip home, but they usually learn to love traveling. It has been found that puppies that have their first car ride before six weeks of age tend to have lower rates of car sickness in adulthood. It is important that the car rides end with a positive experience or adventure such as playtime, short walk, meet with friends, etc.

During car trips, puppies will have many new experiences. They will feel the movement of the vehicle itself, see buildings, trees and other vehicles moving past them, hear strange sounds both inside your vehicle and the outside noises of cars, trucks and motorcycles going by, feel the vibrations, bumps and turns the car makes and smell the many smells inherent in travel. Taking the puppies for car rides will result in these experiences becoming “normal” and will also help prevent pups from getting carsick as they get older.