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7 days...

cecily

Well-known member
EXACTLY this day week we will be picking up our little black and tan boy, Dougal :jmp2: :mexwav: :dgwlk: :dogwlk:

The excitement is really building although I had a dream last night that we got there and met him (and loved him) but the breeder had changed her mind about the price and wanted £2000, which we didn't have. It woke me up. I think I'm just a bit stressed about how far we have to travel back with him and the effect it might have on the dogs. I'm hoping you're right and like some of you said he'll sleep most of the way. :xfngr:
 
HOW EXCITING!!!!!! :jmp2: :jmp2: :jmp:

I've had scary dreams about my puppy aswell! Must be the nerves I guess.. don't worry everything will be fine! I'm sure he will have a good long sleep in the car :)
 
Cecily,

I'll bet that it's nerves. Take a few deep breaths ;) :) I can't wait to see pics of Dougal, I'll bet he's delicious :lotsaluv: .

Cecily, you and Dougal really desrve each other and I hope he's everything you've ever dreamed of :hug:

Wonder how Flea will react to another dog though - hope Tandie doesn't teach Dougal what fun it is to chase poor old Flea :lol:

Safe trip next week xxxxx
 
Transport will be be fine; most puppies just sleep the whole way. Puppies sleep a lot anyway! I'll give you a call about some tips too. Do you need a crate BTW to take Hammer across?
 
Tips would be great Karlin thanks! :flwr:
A crate would also be great for Hammer. We've only got one carry crate that will fit in the car. We don't usually use a crate. We got Tandie one of the RAC seatbelts instead.
 
You will need crates as you won't be able to sit with the dogs in the car and a seatbelt wouldn't be a safe restraint with no one there -- generally you need to keep the dogs crated in the car while you go up for the crossing. The dogs are not allowed out of the their crates or the car for safety reasons. Sometimes they have an area where they require you to stow the crates but usually you can leave them inb the car.

You'll need seperate crates for the dogs, and probably a couple of sheets, the darker the better, to cover them. Most dogs feel much calmer if they cannot see out especially if you need to leave them. Take a couple of safe chew toys as well.

I'll give a call during the week. Hammer is going directly to Yvonne so I may never even see him -- she will take him to a vet we both know for a checkup tomorrow. So I can bring him up in a crate Friday to you, or if Billy is coming down we can all arrange to meet somewhere or I can meet Billy, give him the crate, and he can go get Hammer. Just remember to bring the crate back with you and I'll get it from you on a future walk. :) I have four of the large transport crates so won't need it back in any hurry.
 
Yup, that's what I mean! We'll need the second crate. ;) And it will save us buying another one for the moment as we can bring Dougal back in it :lol:

We can meet you Friday and chat more about it then :flwr:
 
Oh I'm so excited for you Cecily...

Have been talking to a certain "little birdie" and she tells me that Dougal is really gorgeous...I can't wait to see some photos of him!!

Not long to go now...I bet you won't sleep much this week...too excited.
 
I know Nicki!
Little Dougal is already upsetting my sleep patterns!!
I'm not sure how I'll contain myself over next week.
Had good chat with Debbie last week and she was filling me in ... he sounds like a live wire :jmp2:
And if he's anything like his gorgeous relations he'll be a stunner :lol: ;)
 
matties mum said:
When we got Barney he sleep all the way home on my knee nearly 4 hours ----Aileen

I was worrying about when we pick up our puppy who will be 2.5 hrs away. My daughter said exactly that, "He'll be fine because he will be in my lap the whole time!" I asked her if she wanted a training pad on her lap - um ya that might come in handy she said. :yikes

Cecily, I find pets and children have that affect on Mom's sleeping patterns - its the maternal instinct in us! Enjoy your new puppy and post pictures as we are getting a tan/black too so it will be fun to see them.
 
Cecily, a crate would be good for Tandie, but if she's not accustomed to one and she's reliable in the car, she'll prob be ok there during the boat trip. When we took Holly across to Edinburgh we just left her in the car, since she's used to sleeping there. We had her favourite pillow and everything, so she snuggled up quite happily. Having said that, as we were going to stay in Holiday Inn Express, we did have a fold down soft crate with us, so we had the full range of options open.

I can't wait to see photos of Dougal! And to meet him when you, Kirsty and I have our Wholecolour Get-together ;)
 
I am sooo excited for you Cecily!! Can't wait to see pictures of your little Dougal!! :)
 
My daughter said exactly that, "He'll be fine because he will be in my lap the whole time!"

Please, I'd strongly advise a crate -- laps are very unsafe for the puppy, the driver, and any passengers. A minor impact or quick need to brake would almost definitely break a puppy's neck if thrown forward against the seat or dashboard. Also puppies have a way of squirming loose and easily will go under the accelerator or brake with potentially dangerous results. And in an impact a flying puppy would itself become a lethal missile at speed -- and could break the neck of anyone in the car.

From personal experience, I cannot stress the safety aspect enough -- I can tell you of many risky situations that have resulted from uncrated/unseatbelted dogs and two serious accidents in Ireland involving the human rescuer, caused by uncrated/unbelted rescue dogs getting underfoot of the driver and causing them to swerve into an embankment, in one case rolling the car. I know of several people who have been in collisons with crated/belted dogs that would almost certainly be dead if they'd decided 'just this one trip' to have them out on the seat or on a lap. And I had a dog come close to hanging itself when I was driving it up to a rescue in Wicklow and had it tethered by its collar and a long lead, rather than crated/belted -- tried to jump into the back seat from the hatchback and hung itself while I was on the freeway; I had to support it with one arm over my shoulder until I could pull over and this was not a safe way to drive (it was a BIG dog!). So I am a big proponent of keeping both doglets and humans alive and uninjured: crate or seatbelt the dog with a proper harness at all times; in an emegrency at least tether it carefully with a harness and lead to a solid object! (y)
 
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