Traveling with dogs can be an amazing adventure, forging unforgettable memories on the open road. However, as any seasoned dog owner will tell you, being unprepared for canine capers can turn your dream trip into a disaster. And when puppies are involved, the stakes – and the potential for chaos – are multiplied. My family and I learned this lesson the hard way when we embarked on a journey with two adorable Shiloh Shepherd puppies and zero Travel Puppy Crates. Looking back, it’s a story filled with laughter (now), lessons, and a profound appreciation for the humble dog crate, especially when you’re on the move.
It all began with the exciting arrival of our first Shiloh Shepherd puppy. Enamored by the breed’s gentle nature, intelligence, and striking resemblance to German Shepherds but with improved health, we were thrilled to welcome a puppy into our family. Arrangements were made, and soon we were heading to Atlanta airport, eagerly anticipating meeting our new furry family member. Then came a call with an unexpected proposition: would we consider fostering our puppy’s littermate for a couple of weeks? Assured that both pups would arrive safely in their own dog crates and accompanied by a chaperone, we enthusiastically agreed. Double the puppy joy, right?
Dog Travel Tip #1: Always Measure Your Vehicle for a Travel Dog Crate
Shiloh Shepherd puppies are not your average tiny fluffballs. Even at four months old, these gentle giants are already substantial, tipping the scales at around 40 pounds. Adult Shilohs can reach a whopping 150 pounds – imagine a German Shepherd, then supersize it. On arrival day, armed with water bowls, leashes, and chew toys, we felt prepared. What we hadn’t fully grasped was the sheer volume of “puppy” we were about to encounter, or the corresponding size of airline-approved dog crates.
Image: Two large Shepherd puppies occupy the back seat of a car alongside a child in a booster seat, illustrating the cramped conditions and lack of dog travel crates during a family trip.
A quick glance at the back of our brand-new Land Rover Discovery – chosen specifically for its dog-friendly spaciousness – revealed a logistical problem. There was simply no way two airline-sized travel dog crates were fitting side-by-side. In a split-second decision, practicality overruled planning. We dismantled the bulky crates and, with a shrug, settled the two bewildered (but remarkably calm) shepherd puppies, Teddy Blue and Merlin, onto the back seat. Our small son, in his booster seat, became an unwitting canine bookend. The scene was comical: two enormous puppies flanking a delighted six-year-old, all crammed into the back of the car.
Before we could second-guess our impromptu arrangement, the kind chaperone pressed a box of ginger snaps into my hands. “For car sickness,” he advised, echoing the breeder’s earlier warning. My face probably betrayed my concern, but he quickly added, “Don’t worry, they were perfectly fine in their dog crates on the flight. They’ll be alright.” And for the initial three-hour drive home, mostly on flat interstate, they were. “Traveling with two Shiloh Shepherd puppies and a six-year-old? We’ve got this,” I confidently, perhaps naively, thought.
Then came the fateful weekend trip to our mountain cottage in western North Carolina. Instead of a straightforward drive to our Tennessee home, we decided a scenic mountain getaway was in order, inviting Merlin’s soon-to-be family to meet us there. Logistically, it seemed simple enough.
Dog Travel Tip #2: Thoughtful Trip Planning is Key for Puppy Travel
Hindsight is 20/20, and in retrospect, our series of decisions took a turn for the worse. Changing our destination was the first domino. Instead of easy interstates, we were facing winding, two-lane mountain roads with dramatic elevation changes. We knew the route was twisty, but armed with our trusty travel dog bowls and leashes, and plans for frequent stops, we felt prepared for puppy pit stops.
Then came decision number two: the “scenic route” through Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. Known for its breathtaking beauty, this road is also notorious for being incredibly winding, narrow, and lacking in convenient pull-over spots for puppy relief breaks. Despite the red flags, we plunged into the forest’s embrace.
Image: A dog with its head out of a car window, suggesting the motion sickness and discomfort puppies can experience during car travel, highlighting the need for a travel puppy crate.
It wasn’t long before the tell-tale signs of car sickness emerged. Copious drooling began – ginger snaps were now a distant, ineffective memory. Then came the inevitable. And it came with gusto. Repeatedly. In waves. Everywhere. Seats, floor, door panels, speakers – our brand-new car was rapidly becoming a biohazard zone.
And then there was our poor son. The once-charming puppies had lost their allure, replaced by furry, vomiting projectiles. The sheer volume a 40-pound Shiloh Shepherd puppy can produce is astounding, let alone two. We were trapped in a metal box, winding through a stunning forest, with two sick dogs and a now-hysterical child. Stopping wasn’t really an option on the narrow, winding road, and escape felt impossible.
Dog Travel Tip #3: Always Be Prepared for the Worst-Case Scenario When Traveling with Puppies
Where were those disassembled dog crates now? Uselessly stacked in the back, taking up space, mocking our lack of foresight. We hadn’t considered purchasing travel puppy crates in the days since the airport pickup, a critical oversight. That was our third, and perhaps most impactful, bad decision.
We eventually reached our mountain cottage, shaken but intact, after a harrowing drive that included a torrential downpour and thunderstorm, sending the already traumatized puppies into fits of shaking and cowering at a roadside inn. The cleanup was extensive, and the car, well, it never quite smelled the same.
Merlin’s family arrived the next day, overjoyed to meet their new puppy. Despite the “Joyce Kilmer Incident,” our farewell to Merlin was bittersweet. We knew he was destined for a wonderful life. As they prepared to leave, we helped them set up his dog crate in their car.
And, with a knowing smile, we handed them a box of ginger snaps. Hopefully, they’d have a smoother, and certainly less vomit-filled, journey home, thanks in no small part to the presence of a travel puppy crate. Learn from our hilarious (in retrospect) and chaotic experience: when traveling with puppies, especially on winding roads, a travel puppy crate isn’t just a good idea – it’s an absolute necessity for the comfort, safety, and sanity of everyone involved. Don’t leave home without one.
