Long train journey with new puppy

stripeyfox

It's certainly not ideal. As someone who is a "dog person" and has sold a few litters of puppies, I always try and vet the buyers as best I can and the journey "home" is always a consideration. I've never had anyone take the trip back on public transport before and to be honest I wouldn't be comfortable about it at all if they were.

Wouldn't a friend driving you be better? Or a taxi with regular stops?

If this really is the only option then you'll probably be fine - but I don't think it is ideal at all

buzzyzoe

stripeyfox wrote: »

It's certainly not ideal. As someone who is a "dog person" and has sold a few litters of puppies, I always try and vet the buyers as best I can and the journey "home" is always a consideration. I've never had anyone take the trip back on public transport before and to be honest I wouldn't be comfortable about it at all if they were.

Wouldn't a friend driving you be better? Or a taxi with regular stops?

If this really is the only option then you'll probably be fine - but I don't think it is ideal at all

I don't have any friends that drive, and I dread to think what the cost of a 5-6 hour taxi would be, not to mention where I would even find a taxi driver that would do that journey with a puppy.

onwards&upwards

buzzyzoe wrote: »

Have you seen the size of a puppy? They’re not exactly massive. I will have scented bags to put any waste in if needed.

I really can’t see how it’s bonkers, I know people who have done much longer train journeys than this, and I still don’t know what you think the alternative is. So far the only actual suggestion you’ve given is to make the journey longer which to me seems pretty counter intuitive. I’m guessing you’re not a dog person :rotfl:

Lol, I have three dogs! When I travel with them we make regular toilet stops.

Making the journey longer by adding stops means you can let the puppy go outside at each station, massively minimising the risk of an accident on the train.

If you’re going to cover the whole floor of a train toilet with pads to make sure no wee gets on the floor, that’s quite a bulk of pads to dispose of, way more than a baby’s nappy.

Sounds like you’ll do whatever you want anyway though do I don’t know why i’m even bothering.

Soundgirlrocks

OP I did this with my pup as I was worried about driving with a new puppy for several hours not knowing if he would be travel sick / get distressed I wanted to be able to give him my full attention.

I used puppy pads in his carrier, and thankfully didn't have to deal with any poo although I think your toilet idea is fine you wouldn't be let the puppy go directly on the floor so I don't think its an issue (personally I'd pick up and flush any poo then you only have a soiled puppy pad to deal with which can be folded and put in a scented nappy bag)

I regularly travel on trains with a dog, although you are meant to keep dogs crated I've never been asked to and once people discover there is a puppy expect lots of people passing by wanting to say hello. For that reason alone I would have the create to give the pup space as it will all be quite overwhelming, once he is older it won't be an issue. My dog and I are often on and off the tube /London overland/buses and I don't take a create with me, he sits on the floor/on me.

Incidentally I met a chap on the tube a few weeks ago traveling with an south african bullmastiff and a regular bullmastiff - the dogs were getting so much attention (they were huge and so beautifully behaved) he worked for the tube.

buzzyzoe

onwards&upwards wrote: »

Lol, I have three dogs! When I travel with them we make regular toilet stops.

Making the journey longer by adding stops means you can let the puppy go outside at each station, massively minimising the risk of an accident on the train.

If you’re going to cover the whole floor of a train toilet with pads to make sure no wee gets on the floor, that’s quite a bulk of pads to dispose of, way more than a baby’s nappy.

Sounds like you’ll do whatever you want anyway though do I don’t know why i’m even bothering.

Even if I stop on the way, which I have already said I’m happy to do, that does NOT eliminate the problem of what happens if the puppy has to go while we’re on the train. No amount of stops will completely mitigate against this happening so I don’t know what your suggestion is for this?

So what if it’s quite a bulk of pads to dispose of? Is this a new complaint now that I will be filling the bins up?

You haven’t listened to a single thing I’ve said either so I also don’t know why I’m bothering.

buzzyzoe

Soundgirlrocks wrote: »

OP I did this with my pup as I was worried about driving with a new puppy for several hours not knowing if he would be travel sick / get distressed I wanted to be able to give him my full attention.

I used puppy pads in his carrier, and thankfully didn't have to deal with any poo although I think your toilet idea is fine you wouldn't be let the puppy go directly on the floor so I don't think its an issue (personally I'd pick up and flush any poo then you only have a soiled puppy pad to deal with which can be folded and put in a scented nappy bag)

I regularly travel on trains with a dog, although you are meant to keep dogs crated I've never been asked to and once people discover there is a puppy expect lots of people passing by wanting to say hello. For that reason alone I would have the create to give the pup space as it will all be quite overwhelming, once he is older it won't be an issue. My dog and I are often on and off the tube /London overland/buses and I don't take a create with me, he sits on the floor/on me.

Incidentally I met a chap on the tube a few weeks ago traveling with an south african bullmastiff and a regular bullmastiff - the dogs were getting so much attention (they were huge and so beautifully behaved) he worked for the tube.

Thanks so much for this - really helpful and the kind of response I was hoping would be posted I definitely think the crate will help him to feel safe on the journey

gettingtheresometime

Soundgirlrocks wrote: »

I regularly travel on trains with a dog, although you are meant to keep dogs crated I've never been asked to and once people discover there is a puppy expect lots of people passing by wanting to say hello. For that reason alone I would have the create to give the pup space as it will all be quite overwhelming, once he is older it won't be an issue. My dog and I are often on and off the tube /London overland/buses and I don't take a create with me, he sits on the floor/on me.

I took our dog on the train regularly as well but the difference was a) he was an older dog and hence toilet trained b) the journey was only 15 minutes long.


I always stood with him in the door well so he was away from other passengers and if the train was crowded I waited for the next one. He never sat on a seat.


But yes he did seem to brightened up the other passengers' day - perhaps because he looked even more fed up than them!

buzzyzoe

gettingtheresometime wrote: »

I took our dog on the train regularly as well but the difference was a) he was an older dog and hence toilet trained b) the journey was only 15 minutes long.


I always stood with him in the door well so he was away from other passengers and if the train was crowded I waited for the next one. He never sat on a seat.


But yes he did seem to brightened up the other passengers' day - perhaps because he looked even more fed up than them!

I love nothing more than seeing a dog on a train! It always massively brightens up my day

sheramber

At 13 weeks your puppy may not have had all his injections so won't be able to go on the ground, even a train toilet where numerous people have walked. How are you going to hold him while you spread pads and then pick them up to bag them?.

You haven't said what breed he is. A13 week old yorkie is a different size to a 13 week old St Bernard.

My 12 week old dallie travelled in a crate on the back seat of the cards on the floor and when you lift them up to bag them.. He had diarrhea which was all over him and the papers lining the crate. I had to stop and clean him and change the papers lining the crate.

Being in a strange pace with unusual sounds and movement they don't understand can upset them.

Good Luck with your journey.

gettingtheresometime

sheramber wrote: »

Good Luck with your journey.

And let's hope there's no delays like yesterday