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Cross country trip

3K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  adc 
#1 ·
Cross country trip I have a 2019 Forrester touring I live in Southern California my granddaughters live in Denver Colorado I took my two dogs river Colorado to pick up my two granddaughters them to Hot Springs Arkansas as a vacation The car did really good it was hot and humid I had the AC running all the time never overheated got about 27 to 31 miles per gallon Car was very comfortable stayed a few days in Hot Springs Arkansas and then took them back up to Denver Colorado and then came home to Southern California .
 
#3 ·
I am a new 2020 Forester owner and am trying to put together a cross country trip. I also have a dog (service dog) who will be making the trip with me. Any things you found to be helpful to have with you and your pup besides the obvious bowls, etc.? Did you hotel it or tent?
Thank you in advance.
 
#5 ·
Hi @Dylan@Maine

A lot will depend on "where" you're going. But yes, remember to pack up all your dog's needs as well as your own. I've not taken my gus on any long-distance overnight trips but pack them up for long-distance day trips (a few hundred miles) all the time. Things I take with me:
  • Bowls (for water and food/treats)
  • Water - I bring bottles of home water with me for them to drink. Just because it may seem like water is water, it's not so bring what they're used to... While they may go around sniffing butts and eating dead bugs, their sense of smell and taste is much more finely tuned than ours and a simple chemical change in their water may have them not drinking and hydrating properly.
  • Medications - if needed.
  • Food/snacks/treats - same as water above.
  • Doggie Bags - for when they're digested the above...
  • Blanket(s) or pet bed. The blankets can also keep your seats protected from claws and scratches.
  • Harnesses, leashes. Bring extra is case something breaks.
  • Jacket/sweaters - in case it's cold and your dog is a breed that needs extra warmth.
  • In-car "restraints" for the furry kids... I have leashes that plug into the seat belts and give them a few feet of movement, but keep them "in place" during the drive. They have enough room to get up and look around and turn around and all - but no enough to get in my lap. The pink leashes in the pic hook in to the seat belt buckles.
  • Booster seat (if needed) - both my dogs are small/medium size mixes and I have a booster seat I bought at a pet store a while back. Both love to be in the cozy space created. If one takes the entire area, I have a small cushion stuffed between the doggie seat and the regular seat back rest to provide a "perch" for the other to snuggle down in to.
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  • Doggie Play Pen - I have this so that when I go someplace with the kids and can't / won't leave them in the car, they're in a secure place with me. These are pop-up soft-side kennels I got on Amazon and Woot and they fold up and travel well. This is the bigger one (Amazon). The other two (Woot) fold up smaller for packing.
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As you've got a service dog, you may be less limited on where you can stay and go. Be sure to bring along your service dog's paperwork just in case. Same goes for the your dog's license and last vaccinations - just in case.
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It's better to keep your dog in the back of the car... The airbags are not designed for babies and dogs so ... And I can't stress enough to keep your dog restrained in the car when travelling. You can just imagine what happens to your dog when if you were to be involved in a wreck.

Good luck, take pictures and let everybody know about how it all went.
 
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