The Car Ride Home with Your New Dog

by Bailey Coldwell

I have written before about greeting your new puppy and then what to do with your puppy when you first get home. Let’s also dive into the car ride home with your brand-new puppy. 

Items to pack for the puppy:

• Carrier travel crate. 

• Snuggle puppy/blanket to rub on the mother/litter mates.

• Kibble that the breeder has been feeding.

• One higher-value treat has the same protein as my dog’s kibble. For example, if the puppy has been eating a chicken-based kibble, I will bring some shredded chicken. 

• A few different toy options, such as a Nylabone, Kong to put chicken/kibble in, and a crinkle or squeaky toy. 

• Collapsible water bowl, plus water. 

• Collar and leash.

• Clean up kit with poop bag, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, and paper towels. 

• Another adult (if possible). I always prefer to bring another adult to help reward the puppy for good behavior while I drive, stay with the puppy if I need to stop and use the restroom, and to help assist in other ways. 

• Pee pads. If your puppy has been trained on them already, you can set them down for potty breaks. If your puppy has NOT been trained on them, you can put them down inside the crate to help absorb any accidents. If your puppy has been trained on potty pads, I don’t recommend putting them in the crate because we don’t want puppies learning to potty in the crate. 

Tips for before you pick up your puppy: 

Ask the breeder to withhold a meal and large amounts of water before the trip home. This can help prevent accidents, throwing up, and your puppy will more likely be hungry and willing to take some kibble from you. 

It helps if your puppy has had crate exposure previously. This is another topic to chat with your breeder about. 

If bringing another person, kindly talk to them about how to interact with the puppy. For example, let them know that they should ignore the puppy if they are barking in the crate.  

Bring food/drinks for yourself to avoid having to make many stops. Or, you can go through a drive-thru. 

Plan out potty spots if the drive home is over 2 hours. 

Ask the breeder what the puppy has been used to pottying on and if they have been using a specific potty cue. 

Tips once you get your puppy and begin your journey: 

I typically place the puppy in their travel crate on the floor or beside my helper in the back seat. Try to make sure the crate doesn’t tip over during sudden stops or turns. 

Anticipate barking and be ready to ignore it. Reward and acknowledge, if safe to do so,  then the puppy is quiet. 

If your puppy is doing well, you can take the puppy out of the crate, but this is not necessary. Keep in mind that your puppy doesn’t know you or your helper. The puppy could be nervous of being forced to be held by someone. Plus, being in the crate for some of the ride home can help get some good initial crate practice, encourage rest, and prevent unwanted accidents or chewing. 

If your puppy is out of the crate and starts to chew on parts of the car, bite fingers, or otherwise act up, put them back in the crate for a break. Don’t allow your puppy to get rewarded for unwanted behaviors. 

Potty breaks during the ride home: 

Your new 8-10 week-old puppy has not been fully vaccinated. Due to the risk of disease, you want to keep your pup’s paws off the ground where potentially stranger dogs have been, to the best of your ability. You can chat with your veterinarian about this as well. 

If you live within two hours of the breeder, try to get the puppy to potty before leaving and then head straight home. Otherwise, plan to stop every 2 hours or so. 

Look for places that are less likely to have much dog exposure. Stay away from truck rest stops, gas stations, or parks. 

If your puppy has been trained on pee pads, litter trays, or even turf, you can bring it with you and put it on concrete for your puppy to potty on. If your puppy hasn’t been trained to potty on these surfaces, you can try, but the puppy won’t likely make the connection that this is where they are supposed to potty. 

Keep your puppy on a leash and collar, even if they haven’t had much exposure to this beforehand (safety first). 

Try to find an area clear of dog feces and trash. 

Only give your puppy a few minutes to potty. It is a good habit to teach them that they should potty first thing when given the opportunity. If it has been 2-3 hours since your puppy has had a bowel movement, give them a few extra minutes. 

If your puppy potties on cue, reward them. 

Try to remain in one small area that seems clean. Don’t walk all over the place with your puppy.

After they potty give them a drink of water that you brought. Avoid letting them drink from puddles or public dog water bowls. 

Clean your pup’s genitals and paws with baby wipes afterwards.

For handlers who already have a dog at home, I do not recommend bringing your current dog with you to pick up the puppy. Vehicles are small. We don’t want either dog to feel as though they are trapped and can’t get away from a dog that could either be making them nervous or is simply pestering them. When picking up a new puppy, there will already be a lot going on and a lot to focus on with the puppy. Let’s first get the puppy used to you, and then do a proper greeting with your current dog once you get home. Find more about this introduction under our “Preparing For My Puppy” program. 

I hope that this helps to give you some pointers on how to set the ride home up for success. Don’t forget to “Enjoy the ride!”