By Jerry Bradam
Tuxedo Boston Terriers
Going on a trip
with your Boston(s) can be very enjoyable. All you need to do is just
some planning ahead. Traveling with your Boston is something like going
on a trip with a five year old child but with a few slight differences.
If you have just gotten your new puppy, now is the time to start working with the pup to gain its trust and confidence while in a vehicle. Since all puppies should be crate trained for travel as well as in the home, its prime time to do this type of training while the puppy is young. At first they may cry and want out but you need to be strong and let the puppy get use to being in the crate. Soon it will realize that the crate is it’s home, bed, and safe place.
Once the puppy is use to the crate you can start the travel training. Place the crate in a secure place in the car or van, making sure there is plenty of air movement, either A/C or heating depending on the season. A shaded spot would always be preferred.
With the puppy in his crate and with some of his toys and crate pad, take a short trip of 10 or 15 minutes. If you can go to a local park or some other place that you can take the puppy out on a leash, do so. This will instill in the puppy that travel can lead to fun activities. The puppy can often associate travel with trips to the vet and shots, so pleasant trips are very necessary to let them know it is not all about vets and shots.
After the puppy learns that “let’s go” means a fun trip, you will be ready for a longer trip to Granny’s house. Don’t sell your puppy short. They can tell when you are about to “go” somewhere. Talk to the puppy and tell him he gets to “go” too. This gets him excited about going and traveling.
Before you leave on your trip to Granny’s, make sure you have considered your Boston’s other needs. If it’s a long trip, you might want to feed the puppy a small meal. Hopefully his travel training will allow him to travel with food on his stomach without getting sick. A small meal will do fine for an average day’s driving but remember to give another small meal when you arrive at your destination.
The one thing that you need to provide you puppy during your trip is water. Make sure that the puppy has plenty of water during the trip. You will need to take either bottled water or a few jugs of your own water along. Often, strange water from another place will give the puppy diarrhea, so be prepared to give him water he is use to or use the bottled water.
With water in the crate with the puppy you can bet that the pup will need to stop a few times along the way to relieve himself. Most major roads have rest areas along the way that have places you can take you pets. Just be careful and don’t let your puppy get around other pet’s droppings. Be a good citizen and pick up after your Boston. A small plastic sandwich bag works like a glove for this. Pick it up and deposit it in a trash container.
Now that you’re back on the road you might realize that your Boston is actually sleeping. The movement of the vehicle will often make the puppy go to sleep. Once you arrive at your destination don’t forget to let the puppy out too. DO NOT leave the puppy in the vehicle for any reason no matter what the weather might be. He likes to stretch his legs too. Besides he might like to see Granny.
There are some other things that you might want to consider before leaving on the trip:
1. Have the Boston checked by your vet before leaving home. Have the vet apply or give you to apply a topical medicine that help prevent fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Stopping along the road for pit stops is a prime way to pick up these little “doggy-critters”.
2. Make sure you have plenty of fresh crate pads or other bedding for the Boston.
3. Have a simple First-Aid kit for your puppy as well as yourself.
4. In cold or hot weather make sure you have appropriate items to keep your puppy comfortable in case of an emergency (i.e. blankets for cold weather – or wet towels for summer).
5. Always have your Boston’s vaccination records along. Some states require proof of vaccination.
Traveling with multiple Bostons such as a show dogs is much the same except you need to consider the needs of all the Bostons. By the time you have multiple Bostons in your show string, you will probably already have accumulated all of the necessary first-aid, medicines, vet papers, etc. Just make sure that you have all crates secured in your van or RV and that each Boston is treated as an individual.
Some items are best suited for multiple Bostons on a trip. Instead of using leads to walk all of your Bostons during a pit stop, a set or two of X-pens make things go much faster. Don’t forget to use your “pooper-scooper” to clean up after the Bostons. Its even more important being a show home to be a good citizen while on the road. It reflects on all of us.
Hopefully your trips with your Boston will be pleasant. Make it fun for the whole family.
If you have just gotten your new puppy, now is the time to start working with the pup to gain its trust and confidence while in a vehicle. Since all puppies should be crate trained for travel as well as in the home, its prime time to do this type of training while the puppy is young. At first they may cry and want out but you need to be strong and let the puppy get use to being in the crate. Soon it will realize that the crate is it’s home, bed, and safe place.
Once the puppy is use to the crate you can start the travel training. Place the crate in a secure place in the car or van, making sure there is plenty of air movement, either A/C or heating depending on the season. A shaded spot would always be preferred.
With the puppy in his crate and with some of his toys and crate pad, take a short trip of 10 or 15 minutes. If you can go to a local park or some other place that you can take the puppy out on a leash, do so. This will instill in the puppy that travel can lead to fun activities. The puppy can often associate travel with trips to the vet and shots, so pleasant trips are very necessary to let them know it is not all about vets and shots.
After the puppy learns that “let’s go” means a fun trip, you will be ready for a longer trip to Granny’s house. Don’t sell your puppy short. They can tell when you are about to “go” somewhere. Talk to the puppy and tell him he gets to “go” too. This gets him excited about going and traveling.
Before you leave on your trip to Granny’s, make sure you have considered your Boston’s other needs. If it’s a long trip, you might want to feed the puppy a small meal. Hopefully his travel training will allow him to travel with food on his stomach without getting sick. A small meal will do fine for an average day’s driving but remember to give another small meal when you arrive at your destination.
The one thing that you need to provide you puppy during your trip is water. Make sure that the puppy has plenty of water during the trip. You will need to take either bottled water or a few jugs of your own water along. Often, strange water from another place will give the puppy diarrhea, so be prepared to give him water he is use to or use the bottled water.
With water in the crate with the puppy you can bet that the pup will need to stop a few times along the way to relieve himself. Most major roads have rest areas along the way that have places you can take you pets. Just be careful and don’t let your puppy get around other pet’s droppings. Be a good citizen and pick up after your Boston. A small plastic sandwich bag works like a glove for this. Pick it up and deposit it in a trash container.
Now that you’re back on the road you might realize that your Boston is actually sleeping. The movement of the vehicle will often make the puppy go to sleep. Once you arrive at your destination don’t forget to let the puppy out too. DO NOT leave the puppy in the vehicle for any reason no matter what the weather might be. He likes to stretch his legs too. Besides he might like to see Granny.
There are some other things that you might want to consider before leaving on the trip:
1. Have the Boston checked by your vet before leaving home. Have the vet apply or give you to apply a topical medicine that help prevent fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Stopping along the road for pit stops is a prime way to pick up these little “doggy-critters”.
2. Make sure you have plenty of fresh crate pads or other bedding for the Boston.
3. Have a simple First-Aid kit for your puppy as well as yourself.
4. In cold or hot weather make sure you have appropriate items to keep your puppy comfortable in case of an emergency (i.e. blankets for cold weather – or wet towels for summer).
5. Always have your Boston’s vaccination records along. Some states require proof of vaccination.
Traveling with multiple Bostons such as a show dogs is much the same except you need to consider the needs of all the Bostons. By the time you have multiple Bostons in your show string, you will probably already have accumulated all of the necessary first-aid, medicines, vet papers, etc. Just make sure that you have all crates secured in your van or RV and that each Boston is treated as an individual.
Some items are best suited for multiple Bostons on a trip. Instead of using leads to walk all of your Bostons during a pit stop, a set or two of X-pens make things go much faster. Don’t forget to use your “pooper-scooper” to clean up after the Bostons. Its even more important being a show home to be a good citizen while on the road. It reflects on all of us.
Hopefully your trips with your Boston will be pleasant. Make it fun for the whole family.
