[ChiChiLove]

Hello! I have been reading on this forum for a looong time but I've never posted anything. ?

Well, now I need some advice, and this forum seems like the best place to ask. I currently live in South Florida and I will be moving to Tennessee in about a month. However, I have a big hurdle... I have 5 cats and 12 dogs who need to get up there with me! Two of my dogs are 60 pounds but the rest are 10 pounds or less (five of which are under 3 pounds).

It is a fourteen hour drive to get there and I'm dreading every minute of it. Does anyone have any good advice for moving with pets? Especially with such a long road trip? I'm pretty sure I'll need to rent a cargo van type vehicle and crate them for the drive. But how often should I stop? Some of my pups are pad trained, so I would have to lay out their pads somewhere... Maybe inside the van?

Any information or advice will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[amaryllis]

I'd start counter conditioning them to the trip today. My dog was fostered for 10 days. His foster knew that he'd then be facing a 12 hour car trip to get to me, so every day for 10 days, she loaded him into her car, drove to McDonalds, bought him a hamburger patty and gave it to him in the car.

Three years later, he'll try to get into any car with a door open we pass, lol.

 

[ChiChiLove]

I'd start counter conditioning them to the trip today. My dog was fostered for 10 days. His foster knew that he'd then be facing a 12 hour car trip to get to me, so every day for 10 days, she loaded him into her car, drove to McDonalds, bought him a hamburger patty and gave it to him in the car.

Three years later, he'll try to get into any car with a door open we pass, lol.

Luckily, my pups all love the car... Well, except for one who has a lot of anxiety issues. But no one has been on a long road trip except for my service dog who drove back from Tennessee with me last summer.
I plan to crate them with their buddies so that it is less stressful. Plus I'll have comfy beds in their crates. I could probably pre fill their kongs and whatnot, but I'd be worried about them possibly getting car sick.
There are just so many "what ifs" and details to think about!