Minniesmom15
Forums Regular
We actually carted the wire crate around to different parts of the house. Ours came with a handle, so you could lift it and carry it around once it was set up, if you didn't want to mess with collapsing it. We had Lerwick sleep in the crate in our room at night, and in the morning we'd carry the crate out to the living room. Now Lerwick sleeps on the bed with us, so the crate stays in the living room all the time.
When Lerwick was a puppy, he HATED riding in the car. We were lucky... he didn't get carsick... but he was clearly afraid to ride in the car, and would really resist getting in the car. At that point, I would sit in the back seat with him, and he'd crawl up me and try to hide in my hair. He wouldn't settle down at all. We started putting him in his crate in the car (it only JUST fit in our '91 Sentra), and he was much better about going in the car then. It also kept him safer than simply being loose. Of course, it was a real pain to heft that crate into and out of the backseat all the time, so when one day we just put him in the back seat for a short drive to the walking trail by our house, and Lerwick was perfectly happy to get in the car, we rejoiced! We bought an Easy Rider harness and one of those zipline dog seatbelts (this one, actually), and that's what we use now for long or short car trips. We tried one of the ones that just clip to the car's fastened seatbelt, but that didn't work out so well for us. Lerwick managed to get himself all tangled up in it and pinned so that he couldn't budge, and got very upset. The overhead zipline works well for us, for now.
What we really want is to get a station wagon with a pet package and turn the cargo hold into a big crate for him.
I was discussing the crate situation with my mom and boyfriend this morning, and he said he wouldn't mind just carrying it back and forth. So that will definitely save some money.
I will check out that zip line, that sounds neat! I think the first few car rides we'll try just holding him, and see how he does, and if/when he seems okay with the car then we'll get something to keep him somewhat contained/in one place. I have a really small car so I hope we don't need to transport him in a crate!
Oh my gosh, it is so hard not knowing. I want to go crazy and buy all the puppy stuff we need but I know we should wait. If we end up not being able to get him I will be so sad!I'm excited for you! Not knowing for sure must be such a tease. With my sheltie, I've actually had an issue with him getting pee on his tummy. His wee-wee hair would kind of guide it to his underbelly but since I've trimmed it, it doesn't happen any more. I trimmed it maybe 4-5 months ago and he's 9 months now so it may have just been an awkward puppy phase. Fingers-crossed that everything works out
And that's good to know, hopefully if we have a pee problem trimming hair will be all that's needed. I've never had a long haired dog, or a male, so that's all new to me!
and she is doing great. 