Travel Confidence Starts in Puppyhood
As I write this blog, I’m sitting in a hotel room with my 6-month-old puppy by my side. Together, we are traveling across the country by car—more than 28 hours through snowstorms, tornado warnings, heavy rain, and thunderstorms—as we make our way to the 2026 Miniature American Shepherd Nationals in Missouri.
Because we are constantly on the go, raising a dog who could confidently travel and adapt to new environments has always been one of my goals. This is something we intentionally worked on from the very beginning through socialization, enrichment, training, and frequent outings.
That said, even with early preparation, I did not feel completely “ready” for this trip either. Delta still has regular access to a backyard overnight and is not currently sleeping in a crate full-time, so I knew this journey would require flexibility, thoughtful management, and realistic expectations.
This experience has been a wonderful reminder of how valuable intentional preparation can be when raising a puppy who is able to comfortably adapt to travel and adventure. I hope some of the lessons, practical tips, and real-life experiences from this trip help inspire families who dream of confidently traveling with their own puppy one day.
1. EVERY CAR RIDE IS TRAINING
Like a runner preparing for a marathon, small training sessions add up over time—and travel confidence works the same way for puppies.
One of the best ways to prepare a puppy for future adventures is to simply start bringing them along during everyday life. School drop-offs, coffee runs, short errands, or even a quick drive around the neighborhood all help build familiarity, confidence, and comfort in the car.
Aim for a few short car rides each week—ideally starting before 12 weeks of age during the critical socialization window, though it is never too late to begin.
Occasionally incorporating slightly longer rides can also help puppies gradually learn how to settle and relax for extended periods.
Pro Tip:
Keep a crate in your car or trunk and alternate between allowing your puppy to ride in the crate and spending some time closer to you (when safe and appropriate). This flexibility helps puppies become comfortable with different travel setups while building positive associations with the crate.
2. The Basics Matter — Pet-Friendly Hotels & Essential Supplies
Finding Pet-Friendly Hotels
Fortunately, pet-friendly hotels are usually easy to find with a quick online search. Most charge a pet fee (commonly around $25 or more) and may place a refundable incidental deposit on your card, so checking hotel pet policies ahead of time is always helpful.
What to Bring
A few simple supplies can make travel much smoother:
- Dog food and food bowl
- Measuring cup
- Collapsible water bowl (I love the clip-on versions for crates)
- Poop bags
- Slip lead leash (simple and easy for quick stops)
- Treats and chew items
- Paper towels
- Enzyme cleaner
(Trust me—keep reading for the towel story.)
Establish a Simple Routine
One rule that helped me tremendously during this trip: every gas stop (except when having extreme weather) became a puppy potty and walking break.
An early morning walk and a later evening walk were also essential in helping Delta settle calmly and avoid accidents at the hotel.
Progress Over Perfection
Of course, a fully potty-trained, crate-trained, quiet puppy will likely travel beautifully—but many families may travel long before all of those skills are fully mastered.
What surprised me most during this trip was how much preparation, routine, flexibility, and thoughtful management mattered far more than perfection.
3. Bring a Crate — Even if Your Puppy Doesn’t Sleep in One at Home
A crate is an absolute must for me when traveling with a puppy—even if I do not always bring it inside the hotel.
During travel, the crate becomes much more than a sleeping space. It provides flexibility, structure, and a familiar “home base” in constantly changing environments.
For us, the crate became:
- A quiet place for Delta to eat meals on the go
- A safe rotation option during long car rides
- A dry contained space during bad weather
- A secure setup during outdoor stops and breaks
I also like adding a comfortable mat or bedding inside the crate—preferably something easy to wash because accidents, mud, and wet paws are simply part of traveling with dogs.
Even puppies who are not fully crate trained at home often settle surprisingly well with the familiarity a crate provides during travel.
Pro Tip:
Feed meals and offer chews inside the crate during travel (and at home whenever possible). This helps puppies build positive associations with the crate as a calm resting space rather than confinement.
4. Expect the Unexpected — How an Old Towel and a Paper Cup Saved My Trip
The Weather I Never Expected
I will confess—I was not expecting extreme weather conditions while traveling in May.
Only a few hours after leaving Reno, I unexpectedly ran into a major snowstorm and had to completely alter my route to avoid getting trapped in worsening conditions in Wyoming. That detour added nearly two and a half extra hours to an already very long driving day.
The next day brought a completely different challenge: tornado warnings and emergency alerts advising travelers to seek immediate shelter when there were very few safe places to stop.
Very quickly, I learned I would need flexibility, realistic expectations, and smarter potty-stop planning.
The Towel That Saved My Car
One item I became incredibly thankful for was an old towel I had almost not packed.
Originally intended for show grooming and bathing, that towel became essential during the trip. Between snow, rain, muddy paws, and a very wet puppy, it made a huge difference in keeping both Delta and the car at least somewhat manageable.
And Then Came the Paper Cup
After a 14-hour driving day, Delta still had enough energy to want attention and play once we reached the hotel.
When it is 11 pm, you are exhausted, and your puppy suddenly starts attention barking while you are just trying to take a shower, sometimes a simple paper cup becomes emergency enrichment.
A paper cup stuffed with treats immediately bought me enough quiet entertainment to help her settle and stop barking.
The Real Lesson
Traveling with a puppy rarely goes perfectly according to plan. Often, the simple things you almost did not pack become the most valuable tools you have. Flexibility, creativity, realistic expectations, and a sense of humor go a very long way.
5. The Most Important Travel Tip of All: Know Your Puppy
Some puppies naturally handle travel better than others, and every family has a different comfort level as well. A puppy who struggles with motion sickness may find long trips much harder, while another may settle beautifully in the car but bark more at the hotel. Some puppies may do better eating smaller meals during travel days, while others may rest more comfortably sleeping inside a crate.
The key is learning to observe your individual puppy and being willing to adjust as you go.
If part of your day does not go well, try changing something rather than assuming the trip is failing. Sometimes very small adjustments make a huge difference.
For example, we had one poop accident in the hotel room—which, honestly, was completely my fault for not staying outside a little longer after Delta had already peed. Thankfully, it was easy to clean and simply became part of the learning experience.
Traveling with a puppy is rarely about perfection. It is about flexibility, problem-solving, realistic expectations, and learning how to work together as a team.
