Tips for Success while Driving with a New Puppy

The ride to their new homes will likely be the longest stressful period that the puppies have experienced so far. You and I have known about this day for a long time, but there is no way to communicate this to them until it happens. Some do better with this change than others. Be patient and loving and let your puppy know that they are secure and safe. Make this trip as calm and relaxing as possible.

If your drive home is more than 2 hours, plan to bring a water bottle and small bowl so that your puppy does not get dehydrated. It’s a good idea to bring a beach towel or something to set your puppy on especially if they get nervous and car sick. Wet wipes are always a good “just in case” item to have as well. If your drive is longer, you may need to stop and let your puppy relieve himself. We recommend very clean areas especially churches. Please don’t stop at busy gas stations, hotels or places where there is heavy traffic. Another option to stopping is to bring enough disposable pee pads to spread out in your car. This is the safest as you will know exactly what surfaces your puppy has been exposed to. It is absolutely best to have at least two of you in the car on the ride home. One person to focus on driving and the other focused on the puppy. We recommend holding the puppy in your lap while in the car so he/ she feels most secure. Some people like to have a crate set up as well so that the puppy has another option during the drive. You will likely want to use the bully stick in your puppy’s bag to give him/ her something to chew on while traveling. If you purchased a snuggle puppy, it would be good to have this available as well. We will have a small cloth sprayed with Pet Remedy Calming Spray to help them stay calm.

Keep your car AC on as cold as possible as this helps keep your puppy most comfortable and usually helps with car sickness. A smooth ride is also helpful. If your puppy falls asleep, keep driving. The only time you need to stop is if your puppy is getting really squirmy and fussy. In that case he/ she may need to go potty. Your puppy will only have eaten breakfast on pick up day. Be sure your puppy goes potty in our yard before you leave. This will help get you a further in your travels home.

It is ok to feed your puppy from your hand on the way home so that they don’t get too “empty”. The first day should be a day of mostly hand feeding your puppy so that he/ she will learn your scent and associate it with food (which is the highest valued item for a dog). Do not worry if your puppy does not eat well the first week. Let them pace themselves. Some eat great, some just barely eat. They know what they need and will likely eat lighter just due to the change. The appetite will usually pick up after the first week.

Directions to Legendary Labradoodles

During the week before you pick up your puppy, you will have an opportunity to sign up for a pick up time on your scheduled pick up day. We will ask the families with the longest drive to select their times first. Most of the time, we schedule puppy pick ups between 10:30 and 1pm and allow each family approx. 30 minutes. Due to the pandemic, we are limiting how many people are here at the same time. Please plan to wear a mask if you come inside the house.

If you would like a map texted to your cell phone, please send a text to me at 972-998-9488 and request this. Our address is tricky to find for some GPS devices, so please don't hesitate to contact us ahead of time to help eliminate any stress on pick up day. Click picture of directions for larger printable version.