New puppy: Potty & crate use on long drive home without all shots?

Question

We will be picking up our 9 week old Goldendoodle from the breeder on November 19th. Once we pick up the dog we have a 4.5 hour drive home. The breeder was very concerned with us not stopping ANYWHERE because the pup will still not have all of his shots. What do you recommend we do with him on the way home when he needs to go to the bathroom? Do you recommend a travel crate for the ride? Pet's info: Dog | Goldendoodle | Male | unneutered | 1 month and 20 days old

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Congratulations on your new puppy! I've been in this situation as well, driving several hours home from a breeder's house with a new pup who needs to pee :) Your puppy will almost certainly need to go to the bathroom at some point during the trip - so yes, you'll need to stop somewhere. As long as he has started his vaccine series, his risk of contracting parvo or other diseases is really quite low as the vaccines are very effective... so you should use common sense and not put him in high-risk situations, but there's no reason that he can't walk in the grass for a few minutes to potty. I do normally recommend avoiding rest areas and other places that large numbers of people walk their dogs - instead, stop at a fast food restaurant or a gas station a mile or two from the highway, since this should be a much lower-traffic area in terms of strange dogs. And yes, I would recommend a crate for the car ride, for safety. Put a soft blanket and a toy or two from the breeder's, if she has one that she can send so that he has something that smells familiar.

New puppy: Potty & crate use on long drive home without all shots?

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