Ocean Inquiry - Our first big trip with the shibas!

At the end of the month we are headed 9 1/2 hours north to the beautiful coast of MAINE!
Ah, I am so excited.

We are staying with a dear friend and a doggy that is even more dear to me, so I think it will be a wonderful week.

We've never had our shibas in the car for that long, and we plan to make little stops in 3 hour intervals just to let them relieve themselves and stretch out. An hour before we even head out, we're planning a 4am trip to the dog park to let them get good and worked up, hoping for a sleepy shiba ride afterward.

Is there anything else I can do to ensure a nice, calmish drive with them? Normally our trips in the car with them are destinations they get excited about early on, like state parks and what not, so the car is more a place of anticipation than napping :/
But when we drove to the forum meetup, they *mostly* sat and behaved, mostly.

Also, does anyone have suggestions for dog friendly pit stops along the way?

THANKS!
«1

Comments

  • edited November -1
    Are you going to visit Hachi??? Hooray!

    Sounds like an awesome trip ahead of you.
  • edited November -1
    Awww, Maine. Have fun!

    Lots of the rest stops along the way up there have "dog areas" that are actually really nice.
  • edited November -1
    A good romp an hour or so before you guys head out will probably help, so the dog park is an excellent idea.

    My two did surprisingly well when we drove to and from the forum meetup last month. On the way there (about 6.5 hours), we stopped about every hour and a half to two hours to get out and stretch and potty. On the way back (about 7.5 hours), we only stopped twice because they were drop dead tired. For the most part, they slept or just watched.

    They will surprise you with how well they do. :)

    And we expect LOADS of Maine spam!!!
  • edited November -1
    If neither of them are chew toy possessive with each other, something that they like to chew on can help. Tikaani isn't the best for long car rides and starts getting fidgety or whinny. But if we pack the car up with an assortment of chew toys and squeakies, he spends a good deal of the ride playing and chewing on those.
  • edited November -1
    UFP!!!

    Jesse
  • edited November -1
    ROTFLMAO @ Jesse!
  • edited November -1
    Oh my gosh Jesse.. subliminal messaging to the max.. I just ordered from bestbullysticks.. the UFP strikes again


    Thanks all!!!
  • edited November -1
    Most interstates will have rest stops that are run by the state. Some are very clean and the bathrooms are nice, and some are well, not as clean and nice. However most of them have a good amount of space where you can run or walk with a dog. That is where I would stop to get the dog out vs a gas station or something.
  • edited November -1
    Here's the link on Interstate rest areas:

    www.interstaterestareas.com
  • edited June 2009
    I don't know how up to date the list is that LJ sent. Be aware the some stops along 95 have been closed for budget reasons. .....don't know which ones off hand. Va and some in the south I know have. Not sure about PA and further north.

    Anyway, have a nice trip and make sure you don't leave your pups unattended for any length of time. A few dogs have been stolen from vehicles at rest stops this spring when owners went in to make pit stops.

    Snf
  • edited June 2009
    MAINE!! I am SO jealous! One day we will make it up there... Been to NH but not Maine and I heard it's BEAUTIFUL. Have Fun!!

    Yes, do not leave your dogs unattended in your car. My dog (not Mochi) was kidnapped like that once...
  • edited November -1
    Thanks for the link, LJ!

    I was just reading a post via dogster about a dog stolen at a rest stop... they left the doors unlocked though - eeks. I could never leave my dogs unattended anywhere but their own home, I'm utterly paranoid!
  • edited November -1
    When I traveled from GA to PA in May, nearly all of the rest areas were open on the route I took. You can go to the State Transportation websites and they'll give you a list of any that are closed.

    Luckily, since you & John are going together, it gives someone to watch the pups if you have to make a rest break yourself.
  • edited November -1
    Curious, anyone who has traveled East of New York State, have you noticed any rest stops off of any of the major roads? When we took a trip to Maine and our recent trip to Mass., we didn't see any rest stops off of the majors roads we took that were anything like there were on the major roads West of New York.
  • edited November -1
    What about the ocean? This will be the first time at the ocean for both dogs (I assume for Kitsu, I know for Tsuki)... should I allow them to drink the ocean water if they want? What about that salt??
  • edited November -1
    nope- Don't drink seawater- carry a jug and a bowl to offer fresh water frequently during beach visits so they aren't tempted- or eat too much sand. Thar'll be vomit later...

    The wrack line can be trouble as its full of old bits of broken sea life, and all of it great for a roll. My sis took her dogs to the Cape for a month house sitting this beautiful home of a couple of retired doctors. The first day her lab drank too much water and swallowed too much sand off her tennis ball playing fetch on the beach and threw up all over the rug. In Maine, though, the beaches tend to be rocky, so sand may be less of an issue. Her beagle mix is an eater though, and she didn't realize why he was struggling to poop- until a crab claw came out- so know your dogs and keep an eye out for smelly munchables!

    You will have fun on the rocks and get great photos. There's lots of outdoor eating so your pups can join you on the deck lots of places. Water is cold in Maine...
  • edited November -1
    Akira loves drinking sea water and eatin kelp, we bring fresh water and a bowl all the time but he still prefers sea water :( If he drinks too much of it he vomits because salt makes dog vomit.

    But I think they'll be fine :)
  • edited November -1
    I hate the ocean and Miso takes after me, we will put our toes in it but that is it!

    Have fun!
  • edited November -1
    Mine never drink the salty water at the beach, but Beebe loves to eat barnacles and other flotsom/jetsom so will regurg it later. Ike just likes rolling in dead stuff, but they left the sea water alone.
  • edited November -1
    Akira - your beach pics are what got me thinking!!

    I guess I'll see how they react to the whole rocky beach/ocean water thing and go from there. I plan on bringing fresh water with me either way, and I hope they find some good stuff to roll in :) Though, I think as Hachi is a pro at that already, she'll show them the good stuff.
  • edited November -1
    Katsu tries to drink the ocean water. We stop her because a) we don't want her to get sick. b) her breath gets stinky enough as it is, the last time we were at a beach and she drank saltwater her breath smelled like rotten crab anus. I think any body drinking sea water is bad news. Unless you do it "Voyage of the Mimi" style, and use solar power to evaporate the water away from the salt.

    Kristin how can you hate the ocean?
  • edited November -1
    Rotten crab anus??? LMAO
  • edited November -1
    If other people can become schlong doctors, then I can be a crab anus doctor too. I took an online course. I can diagnose rotten crab anus or RCA, and perform inter species marriages. There should be a discussion of Nihonken Forum acronyms. Like UFP or RCA. Also apoligies for the mini thread jacking.
  • edited June 2009
    Hijacking? Rotten crab anus - this is comic brilliance!

    Jen, I hope you have a great trip with the pups. Just a thought - I know that finding a nice public beach in CT is near to impossible - they're all private and it's very strictly enforced. I don't know how most of Maine is. I have a few relatives from Old Orchard Beach and those beaches are public but that's a sort of regional vacation spot sort of like the Jersey Shore. Also, you might want to check and make sure that the beach your planning on visiting allows dogs. You probably already have, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

    Of course, pictures are obligatory.
  • edited November -1
    "If other people can become schlong doctors, then I can be a crab anus doctor too."

    That was my minor. :-)
  • edited June 2009
    Ahh, yes. A BS in Crab Anusology?
  • edited November -1
    I have THALASSOPHOBIA or fear of the ocean in a minor state. I hate salt water, I hate how it feels, I hate how it tastes, I hate how it smells, but mostly I am scared of the vastness of the ocean. I don't know, Im strange I guess.
  • edited November -1
    "I have THALASSOPHOBIA or fear of the ocean in a minor state."

    But you've willingly GONE to Rhode Island...
    :)
  • edited November -1
    LOL, I don't mind looking at the ocean, or being in the Ocean state, or being ON the ocean in a boat. I just don't want it touching me:P
  • edited November -1
    That's pretty intresting. I never knew there was a word for that. I guess I can relate to that because I'm minorly agoraphobic. I'm not comfortable in huge empty spaces. I'm also afraid of heights or acrophobic. It's more that when I'm high up I have this strong urge to go to the edge and jump off.
    Also I think Kristin meant she was afraid of the ocean in a minor state, meaning since NY is in the major leagues as far as states go MA is mexican winter league at best.
This discussion has been closed.