Laurenbiz Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Hi everybody, I'm in a bit of a pickle with our Christmas traveling situation and Bernie! We are driving back home to Missouri for Christmas, and we're taking Bernie. He really enjoys riding, and he took that same trip with us last year for Christmas. All of our relatives back home like seeing him, too! Our plan is to drive back on Thursday afternoon/evening because I am taking a half day at work that day. I'll be working in the morning, and if we get on the road between noon or 1pm, we'll be back in KCMO probably between 8 - 9 pm. My concern is that Bernie's mealtime, 5:45 pm, will be during our travel time. We've never traveled with him before during the time he would have a meal. Typically, we make that 8-hour drive between 8am - 4pm or so, where we don't interfere with his meals. Because of my half day at work, we're stuck with his dinner time while driving. What suggestions do you have for dealing with his dinner that day? I'm thinking that he could his regular-sized breakfast earlier than usual, then a small 'lunch' an hour or so before we leave, then I could occasionally give him snacks during the trip. I'm also thinking about the possibility of taking an extra-long break in the drive and just feed him his full meal and we'd wait around for an hour or so before driving again for him to digest. I'd like to hear what you think would work well for this situation. Thanks! Quote Lauren the Human, along with Justin the Human, Kay the Cat and Bernie the Greyhound! (Registered Barney Koppe, 10/30/2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bean_Scotch Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I say he won't starve if you feed him at 9pm, so feed him when you get to your destination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time4ANap Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 He won't starve if you wait, but he might be a cranky traveler. We usually try to keep Rocket on his schedule when traveling. Since his routine is to go to sleep for an hour or two after a meal, it works well for us to keep the routine going when traveling. You could always give him some snacks to hold him over until you get there, but if he is really into his routine, you might have a more peaceful trip by stopping to feed him. No problems from an empty tummy that way either. Quote Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan. Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket, Allie Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicocat Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 You don't want to feed him just before you leave (or midday for that matter). You would be much better off (and so would he) if you feed him something in the morning then wait until after you arrive at your destination. Otherwise, you would very probably be doing a "clean up" along the way. Quote Ann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyTzu Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I say he won't starve if you feed him at 9pm, so feed him when you get to your destination. Yup, this is what I would do. Quote Wendy and The Whole Wherd. American by birth, Southern by choice. "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!" ****OxyFresh Vendor ID is 180672239.**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Your world won't end if you eat dinner a few hours late and neither will his. I'd give him his regular size breakfast and feed when you get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawthorn Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I'm thinking that he could his regular-sized breakfast earlier than usual, then a small 'lunch' an hour or so before we leave, then I could occasionally give him snacks during the trip. That's what I'd do, plus I'd give him a small meal when we got home. Quote When a relationship of love is disrupted, the relationship does not cease. The love continues; therefore, the relationship continues. The work of grief is to reconcile and redeem life to a different love relationship. ~ W Scott Lineberry Always Greyhounds Home Boarding and Greyhounds With Love House Sitting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mbfilby Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 We have traveled on lots of marathon road trips with the pups. Since you will be at a destination just a few hours after meal time, I would just feed when you arrived. Ours never eat well during the car trips anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 (edited) the girls always have no issues eating later if we are doing stuff in the evening. We've (dogs and I) have stumbled home from a friends house at midnight and they were fed dinner then! Eat and right to bed those nights If you feed him too much earlier in the day he could get an upset belly from traveling so long in the car. ETA and my pups don't get breakfast Edited December 19, 2011 by JAJ2010 Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I'd feed dinner when you get to your destination. We travel with Summer a lot and dinner is... whenever dinner is. I wouldn't worry about it being a couple of hours late. Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Sometimes even when we don't have a long trip we end up in the car during dinner time. Sometimes we're out on an all day event with or without the dog and we don't get home until after dinner time. "Dinner time" is a very loose term. On a normal day it means "around 6 PM", but it really just means whenever I give the dog food. He knows when it's supposed to be dinner time, but he certainly isn't out of sorts if dinner is a few hours late. Just give him a Kong part way through the trip to keep him entertained and take the edge off his hunger. Feed him when you get home. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottydog Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 We make the road trip from Calgary to Vancouver annually, which is a twelve hour grind, and we just stop and feed at dinner time, with no adverse affects. An empty stomach is more likely to lead to barfing in our experience, but every dog is different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 If the thought of making him wait for his dinner bothers you, you can do what we have done on occasion, we just stop at a rest area and give the pups their dinner and then load back up in the car and go. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vjgrey Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 (edited) If the thought of making him wait for his dinner bothers you, you can do what we have done on occasion, we just stop at a rest area and give the pups their dinner and then load back up in the car and go. We do cross-country trips once a year or so to visit family, and that's what we do. Find a nice rest area or park, feed the pups, let them do their business and we can all stretch our legs. Edited December 19, 2011 by vjgrey Quote Valerie w/ Cash (CashforClunkers) & Lucy (Racing School Dropout)Missing our gorgeous Miss Diamond (Shorty's Diamond), sweet boy Gabe (Zared) and Holly (ByGollyItsHolly), who never made it home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Your world won't end if you eat dinner a few hours late and neither will his. I'd give him his regular size breakfast and feed when you get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 You're over thinking this! Feed him whenever it's convenient. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurenbiz Posted December 21, 2011 Author Share Posted December 21, 2011 You're over thinking this! Feed him whenever it's convenient. You know, I do a very good job over-thinking lots of things. Thanks everyone! Your responses helped! Quote Lauren the Human, along with Justin the Human, Kay the Cat and Bernie the Greyhound! (Registered Barney Koppe, 10/30/2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onrushpam Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 We don't feed dogs when travelling... I know that sounds mean, but we've learned the HARD way! And, we've hauled 100s and 100s of dogs. We feed heavy the day before the trip, with the last meal at least 8 hours before departure. Once on the road, they don't eat again until we arrive at our destination, be it a motel for the night or when driving straight-through, it could be our final destination the next day. Motel meals are small (and the dogs often won't eat). And, our dogs are used to eating at odd hours. They really have no schedule (can't do it with our crazy lives). So, they eat when they eat. 99% of the time, they eat twice a day. But, sometimes they skip a meal. They deal with it and it teaches them not to get "antsy" about being fed at a particular time. Chill out and just do what you need to do for the trip. Feed when you can and when the dog will eat. Take some biscuits along... A couple of the big Costco ones can sub for a meal and often the dogs will eat them when they won't eat their regular food. Quote Pam GPA-Tallahassee/Southeastern Greyhound Adoption "Fate is unalterable only in the sense that given a cause, a certain result must follow, but no cause is inevitable in itself, and man can shape his world if he does not resign himself to ignorance." Pearl S. Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest buttonwillow Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Josie just got back from a trip with my husband, and she had a triple Whopper for dinner last night (just the meat and bun) She is a super great traveler. She doesn't usually care to eat in the car so I'll just feed her when we get to our destination. I have to admit she's had a hamburger or two with me as well. Once a sausage biscuit. Neither of us normally eat fast food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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