New puppy Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 Hi all. Quick question... How do people go when taking their pup away for a few nights? I am contemplating taking the pup to a beach shack but there are strict stipulations about where he can/can't go and also the area isn't completely fenced so I'm a bit worried about him getting out. Are there any tips/rules for keeping an 8 month slightly excitable puppy in control in a new environment?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 I always take a crate with me when travelling. I also pack extra yummy dinners as my girl wont eat when away from home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pandii Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Lead, tie down and a crate Dont forget to have fun and check out the local rules on dog ownership Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New puppy Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 Sounds easy enough! What I didn't mention is that there'll be about 10 people at the house and also potentially 2 other dogs - the dogs are not going to be allowed upstairs where the people will be sitting. Given my boy is extremely social, is there any way I can stop him from being upset/barking/crying the whole time? Of course there'll be people checking on the dogs and looking after them throughout the time there. But, him being upset is my major concern It will be our first holiday with the dog and I would like it to be a good experience so we can do it more in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 First time is always a learning experience while holiday with a pet for the first time. Expect the good and expect the bad. The next trip you will have more fun and relax more, because you know from the first time. Bring a crate, long leash and extra treats. I've taken my 2 on a lot of trips with me, and each of them are different but more we go, the better time we have Good luck and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Sounds easy enough! What I didn't mention is that there'll be about 10 people at the house and also potentially 2 other dogs - the dogs are not going to be allowed upstairs where the people will be sitting. Given my boy is extremely social, is there any way I can stop him from being upset/barking/crying the whole time? Of course there'll be people checking on the dogs and looking after them throughout the time there. But, him being upset is my major concern It will be our first holiday with the dog and I would like it to be a good experience so we can do it more in the future. Is he crate trained now? Is he used to being crated in a room away from you? If not, then I doubt either of you will enjoy it. The way to set him up for success is to make sure he's used to how you're going to contain him. If you're going to fundamentally change how he lives AND isolate him, I'd put him in kennels. I don't book holiday homes where dogs aren't allowed inside because that's not how my dogs live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 It doesn't sound as if this trip is an ideal first one for your pup. .... things will be hectic , and as PF says, if he is not crate trained (and yes, it is something which requires training) ..and if he is vocal/excitable you could have problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polgara's Shadow Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 (edited) We have taken our (now 14 month) SBT pup everywhere with us since he was past his injection period. I'm a big fan of giving pups as many experiences as possible. Vulcan was 5 months when we did our first two night trip away. If I were in your shoes I'd: Have pup sleeping in my room with me Have him inside with you the majority of the time (teach him to settle - bring plenty of chew toys) Supervise play with other dogs and when outside Take him with you when out visiting beaches, cafe's etc - even if he jut hangs in the car and you let him off on leash for pee and sniff breaks (this will only work if the weather is cool). Most importantly - try not to stress to much. Pups are pretty resiliant. Edited to add.. I'd probably break the rules and have my pup on leash next to me while sitting upstairs. Edited December 22, 2010 by Polgara's Shadow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Edited to add.. I'd probably break the rules and have my pup on leash next to me while sitting upstairs. Wonderful another owner who feels rules don't apply to them . This is why taking dogs away is getting harder because people break the rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Bring a crate, long leash and extra treats. Agree with this I agree with poodlefan though - if your dog is not used to being in a crate, this is not an ideal time to teach him by just putting him in there as he will be noisy if not used to it. I get mine used to being crated from a young age as it makes travelling with them (holidays, training, trials, seminars) so much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Crate if you can - and this is why I'm such a fan of crate training. We took our fella to a beach house when he was about 5-6 months and although he could see us (unlike your situation), he was very settled and loved it, especially beach time ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Yep crate training is great! If you dont actually have a crate or you're not a fan, the same result can pretty much be achieved by teaching a dog to go and stay on its bed. This is what we had to do after our dog outgrew her crate. Also teaching a dog to accept a tie-back or tether is useful if you don't think they are going to obey you and stay on their bed. We've set lots of rules and boundaries at our house, so she is used to restricted access and not being right next to people all the time. Our dog is not allowed in any rooms upstairs apart from my bedroom, not allowed in the study or in the formal lounge room or allowed in the dining room when we have guests. amazingly, although our house is open plan- she sticks to the boundaries and even knows when guests come, she must stay on her bed, unless invited over for pats. So I think dogs are quite adaptable. I guess i have a fairly "easy" dog though, who you only need to say "no" a few times and she gets the picture pretty quickly. The good thing about crates are that you don't have to stress about them getting out (generally- our last dog was able to get out of her crate very easily, we'd come back home after shopping or leaving her for a few hours to find the crate totally collapsed on the floor and her wandering around the house). Is your dog a wanderer? Does the holiday place have a secure yard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New puppy Posted December 22, 2010 Author Share Posted December 22, 2010 Hi all - thanks for taking the time to give advice, you can't imagine how much this decision has been on my mind! Pup isn't crate trained, it's just not something I wanted to do. I can definitely see the benefit if it would help him to feel at ease while he was on his own for a while but given there'll be two other dogs in the same room, I'm not sure crating him would help anyway? At home he's pretty good, I can have all the doors open but he wont go into the bedrooms unless I'm in there so don't have a roaming pup situation! The holiday house hasn't been organised by me, I completely take on board that it would be better if the home was entirely dog friendly but short notice has meant the best we can do is a part dog friendly home! The yard isn't 100% secure but others have suggested the long lead and we'll be outside for the best part of the evening anyway. Sleeping wise there is a bedroom downstairs in the doggie area so I have requested that room so at night time he'll be relaxed and able to sleep. The idea of being able to have him with us, taking him down the beach and generally exposing him to new things I hope outweighs the possibility that he may be a bit upset during the times when he can't be with me..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 Hope you have fun! Sounds like a lot of fun for you and pup! I'm sure he will be entertained by the other dogs and you might be surprised with how well behaved he is Im sure he'd rather be with you guys than in a boarding kennel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystiqview Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 (edited) Last year we went on a two week driving holiday with four dogs.. Two adults, One 12 week old and one 8 week old. All piled in the forby and dog trailer and went for two weeks touring mid NSW. The pups coped just fine. ETA: Just treat it as a "normal" part of their life. Do not make a big fuss of it, and Do not moddly coddle them, but be aware they may need more regular toilet breaks etc. Edited December 26, 2010 by Mystiqview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sallyandtex Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Hey maybe there is a "doggy day care" nearby so if you want to go out for extended periods you have peace of mind. Also,. if there is other couples/friends they could "babysit" and vice-versa, if you have to go shopping etc,. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New puppy Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 So, after all my anguish, the holiday has been and gone and all went quite well. The pup loved exploring the new surroundings, we had him off lead and he didn't wander too far. He wasn't overly fond of being tied up but when people were downstairs with him we let him off again and he was ok. We went on lots of walks which kept his mind and body active and he was allowed on the balcony at night so I didn't have to worry about him wandering or hurting himself in the dark. He intereacted well with the two older dogs and wasn't fussed that he was sleeping in a new environment. All in all I think for his first holiday he coped really well so I'm extremely pleased. Looking forward to our next holiday away already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvsdogs Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I'm glad to hear you all enjoyed your holiday. I've only taken my dog on one holiday where we rented a dog friendly house. I couldn't let her explore the yard much because it wasn't that secure. It was funny to watch her when later on the 1st day my son arrived with his dog & Tilba was so excited to see her & showed her around the house with great joy. That was over 2 years ago now & I look forward to doing it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now