Gun Dog Road Trip

I’ve always traveled a lot to hunt. Sometimes I go to a favorite area, like Eastern New Brunswick, Canada, near the Bay of Fundy and her 40-foot tides. I close out the season in quail country not far from the South Carolina coast and her much smaller 6-foot tides. The odometer registers 1500 miles from pillar to post one way, and by the time I add in the months of regular travel I usually tap out around 7,500 miles. Over the years, I’ve learned how to keep my dogs happy, so now I just need to focus on my lower back.

Traveling to hunt, trial, or test is a normal part of our deal, and many folks travel far more than me. Al Arthur, the owner of Sandhill Retrievers in Lincolnton, Georgia, typically logs over 15,000 miles per year. “My dogs travel from Georgia to Vermont and Michigan each year, and every week we go to a competition somewhere in the United States,” the Eukanuba pro trainer said. “I was well over that amount in the two years where my Labs won the National Field Trial Championship in 2015 and 2020. Me and my 24 dogs were always on the go.”

How to Feed and Water Dogs while Traveling

Arthur needs to arrive on location with dogs ready to roll, so his travel plans focus on water, food, and frequent breaks. “I always make sure I have plenty of water for the dogs,” he said. “It helps settle their stomachs and keep them hydrated. One tip is to gradually mix in water from where you’re traveling with the water your dogs are used to. Changing their water all at one time could potentially upset their stomachs.”

For food, Arthur feeds twice a day but reduces the amount of kibble during the morning to lessen digestion issues caused by the stress of traveling. He also places soft, therapeutic mats in each dog’s kennel to cushion their joints during travel.

Once on the road, Arthur stops at locations where he can exercise and water or air his dogs. “I air the dogs every four hours as I travel. If I have dogs that don’t travel well, I will stop every couple of hours,” he said. “I keep a map and mark quality spots where I can let the dogs out so I’m never wasting time looking for a place to stop.” Arthur favors isolated areas such as fairgrounds and prefers to air dogs during the day.

“I look at it like this,” he said. “I like to be comfortable when I travel, so I want my dogs to enjoy the trip, too. If they get stressed and get an upset stomach, then they won’t run their best. Keeping them comfortable and relaxed is key.”

Beware of Temperature While on the Road

But wait, says Dr. Johnny Myers of the Animal Kare Center in Paducah, Kentucky, there’s more. Temperatures are also a big part of keeping dogs safe while traveling. “More than 70 percent of a dog’s body heat is dissipated through his body surface,” he said. “As his body temperature increases, blood vessels in his skin dilate to increase blood flow, and that enables heat to be lost from the body. Knowing what’s going on inside the dog box is critical, and that’s why I always add a wireless, digital thermometer that I can routinely check while driving. Hot dogs need to be kept cool.”

Direct sunlight beating down on a truck cap or kennel roof is a leading cause of dogs suffering from a heat related illness. “When your truck is moving, the air flow can be enough to keep the dog comfortable,” Myers said. “When you stop, that heat increases dramatically. There seems to be battery-powered everything these days, and a battery-powered fan for inside your cap works well when combined with fans mounted to the kennel doors. It’s not a good idea to double up dogs for longer trips, so go with a larger-sized kennel that allows dogs to stretch out. They’ll stay more comfortable and cooler as the heat is allowed to dissipate.”

Transporting Dogs in the Winter

In the winter, handlers should check their kennel temperatures to make sure their dogs aren’t hypothermic. “A dog’s normal body temperature falls between 101-102.5 degrees Fahrenheit,” he said. “Hypothermia occurs when his core body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold air circulating through a truck cap’s windows or through gaps in the tailgate can chill a dog. Laying on the floor of a dog box that sits on the cold, metal bed reduces their core body temperatures, too. A simple thing like stacking the box on a raised platform helps keep interiors warm. Lining the kennel bottoms with a rubber mat and straw works well, too.”

To retain that heat, think about adding a kennel cover when it’s cold. Mud River makes insulated covers that fit over a variety of sizes of dog boxes. While the covers work to retain heat, they also keep wind off the dogs. Reducing air flow on a resting dog is important, but don’t close all vents at the same time. If you’re hauling a trailer, be sure that the exhaust isn’t being redirected into the back of your truck. When traveling a long distance in cold temperatures Myers adds a wireless CO2 detector to his wireless thermometer. “It’s a precautionary measure,” he said. “We can never be too careful when traveling with dogs, especially on a hot, early season day or after a cold, late season hunt.”

If you live in the tundra, then think about an insulated box. Several achieve proper internal kennel temperatures by spraying a quarter inch of high-density foam insulation in between the aluminum box and the inside plastic liner. Adjust the vents to find the ideal ventilation and don’t close all vents all the way.

When it comes to traveling with dogs, if you fail to plan then plan to fail. Build extra time into your trip and stop as often as you can. Your dogs will reward you with jam-on points and solid retrieves. Your back will stop screaming at you, too.

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