A Mountian Outing with 2 Cairns

[Tuff&Tippy]

My DH and I decided to take the Cairn kids for an outing in the mountains Saturday; go fishing and play in the river. I thought we would have a wonderful time. I should of know from the get go when Tippy stepped in dog poop and got it all over my shirt the day was going to be doomed! After I went back inside to change my shirt and clean Tippy

[Teri9672]

OMG.....................

Since I now have 2 also, I feel your pain! This was our first July 4th trip with 2 dogs. I was an emotional wreck by the time we arrived at the lakehouse. It was a miserable 4.5 hr trip. Before we even left I had already broken a nail and bent it all the way back to the quick (and it bled). I did this trying to control the girls on the leash getting them into the truck.

I swore I'd never take them on another trip.............................

[toomanypaws]

I enjoyed reading about your adventure. I know what you mean about being the babysitter. I seem to get stuck w/ that job too. We took our 3 w/ us to N.C. last Christmas to a log cabin we rented. Our 8 hr drive ended up more like 10 hrs due to the snow falling and getting stuck. My middle cairn, Abbey refused to go outside so we had wee-wee pads for her. I had a baby pen I put up outside for my youngest, Hannah and my oldest, Kiara preferred to be walked. I never had all 3 out at the same time. My two youngest can walk on a connected leash and do fine, but Kiara is 6 to 8 lbs larger and needs her own leash. We crated ours during the travel and had to sedate Abbey being she gets motion sickness and throws up so easily. Kiara did run out the door one time and we thought she was lost in the mountains. Thanks goodness we, or I shoud say, my dh was able to get her.

Where in the mountains do you go? We're going back in Oct, just not sure Kiara is going this trip.

[Tuff&Tippy]

Where in the mountains do you go? We're going back in Oct, just not sure Kiara is going this trip.

We live in Tehachapi California at the southern end of the Sierras so we just went to another mountain area higher than us called Kennedy Meadows, about 8-9 thousand ft. then we came through Kernville down to the Kern River, then through Lake Isabella and back home. To get there we have to travel back down our hill to the flat lands and back up a different road. In all it was about a 300 mile round trip. It would have been easier if I could of left one of them in the truck and dealt with one at a time but it was way to hot. We didn't even eat dinner until we got back home, because I won't leave them in the car in the heat. We survived on beef Jerky and Pringles all day

Oh Yeah my DH caught 1 fish

I tried to make a clip out of a carabineer, that made the two dogs be side by side, and that was a fiasco, they pulled in opposite directions and ended up head to butt. They can't walk to well like that.

I know they will get better; I need to work on some leash training with them. Tippy is still young for serious lessons, she is still learning to even walk on one. They get to run around here in our yard. We don't go out that much away from home because we are trying so hard to get the yard done for them i.e. sprinklers and grass right now all we have is dirt and weeds. My DH has been planting the trees so they can grow up and provide shade for us. When we bought this place it was a house and 2 1/2 acres of dirt and weeds, landscaping is a long tedious project unless you have lots of $ to hire someone to do it for you, we don't so it's weekend work. It's been over a month since we have taken them out, so being as young as they are I

[TheScotts]

Ah, quite the Cairn adventure! Well, we went camping for a week with two puppies, and what saved my sanity was: separate crates in the vehicle; use of Acepromazine to prevent barfing; and two of those exercise pens, linked to make a little "yard" at our campsite so the pups can lounge, stroll, whatever and even play a bit while we did our camping acitivies. They even enjoyed having their crate in the "yard" so they could have a comfy and familiar place to chill out. Plus we put the other crate in the tent for bedtime.

I would take the ex-pen for a picnic or fishing trip for sure!

[mmg]

We took our human kids with us when we took both dogs on vacation last summer. We went to a campground in Washington near the border of Canada. On the way there my youngest was in the back with the dogs who were in seatbelt harnesses (don't get these). He protected them from the sun and they used him as a pillow. At the campground we used soft crates and walked the dogs with the harness clip that joins two leashes and everyone took a turn with the dogs. On the way home we split the dogs up, one riding with my husband and I, the other riding with my youngest son and eldest son in his car. It was amazing how differently they behaved in the car when split up. They just both calmly slept in the back all the way home. We never had to deal with carsickness, thank goodness!

We didn't do any activities without the dogs and they were very well behaved in the campground. They also slept with us in the tent at night so I think they thought we were just one happy dog pack.

[hallswel]

I love the stories they are great. I love taking mind places, Rebel adjusts vey well but he is older....Hamm our Pug will not pee or pop until he can't stand it anymore. I believe he just likes the back yard.

As far as walking leash training was probably the hardest thing to teach Rebel but he does ok now. Hamm is not so good but I know with a little work he would be ok. I changed to a four foot leash when we walk because I have better control.

[Eliz222]

Oh my, I'm just tired reading all of your stories!!!!!!!!! The only place we take the two of them are for walks and sometimes when we visit friends for the weekend. They are usually very good about trips and sleep in the back seat...but this is only after about 15 min of BOTH of them trying to sit on my lap! We walk them using the leash connector....now sure what you call it, but it connects their leashes together so they have to walk at the same pace. I didn't use it much when Finch was a puppy since she wanted to walk in all directions and I didn't think it was fair to have Scout pulled everwhere..but now they use it all the time and they don't seem to mind and I love it!

[Tuff&Tippy]

use of Acepromazine to prevent barfing

What is Acepromazine? Can you get it at the drug store, or do you have to go to the vet for it. Is childrens dramaine OK? I would like to get some of this, I am hoping she grows out of this stage but I don't want to take any more chances.

I have to agree on the short leash!!! I only had one short leash with me and two of those retractible ones, I thought I would like those. They are horrible (JUNK), and I'm afraid they will break because my pups are so strong for little dogs. It's time for new harnesses and leashes anyway, they are just growing so fast, it was a very tight fit on this last adventure.

Oh I know we will go on more adventures with them, tha pen TheScotts mentioned

I would take the ex-pen for a picnic or fishing trip for sure!

sounds great for camping, but for fishing, the way my DH fishes I would be packing it back and forth in and out of the truck constantly, he can't stay in one place for more than acouple min. I think HE can fish alone, and ME and the pups will find a nice spot and just stay in one area and play, or next time hide the fishing poles.

[ParNone]

LOL! great story!

I've gotta say my 2 Cairns were great traveling companions and great outdoors. The only issue I had was that while Murph was good to go for a 5 mile hike, Maddie'd be pooped before we hit the mile mark and I'd have to carry her. I got wise though and brought a lil' back pack that I'd tote her around in. Then when we stopped I'd let her out to explore. I could let her walk around just dragging the leash behind her, while I walked Murph around on leash to various spots to leave his mark. Camping with just the two of them was never stressful at all.

My 3 year old Collie is getting to be a pretty good hiking partner too (the 1 and half year old Collie has a ways to go... Too much barking and circling and weaving). But truthfully, the best walking buddy I've ever had is Murph. He's just almost perfect to take camping. We're so compatible, walking at the same pace and he was never scared about anywhere we needed to go. He was always up for anything and everything. Never barked at the wild life or people either. Miss having him out there with me. It's just a lil' too much for him now at 15.

Les...

[TheScotts]

In response to what is Acepromazine? Its a tranquilizer pill, prescribed by a vet; it was recommended by my vet. I'm using it for long trips only until little Elsa outgrows her carsickness. I don't know if it is safe to give dramamine to dogs! Anyway, ACE just makes Elsa a tiny bit drunk and she travels comfortably and calmly. She can walk around and potty and all that. It seems to last for about 8 hours.

We are practicing with very short (undrugged) trips to fun places to walk, so hopefully she will get over her fear and dread of travel. I hate to medicate her.

[savannahsmom35]

Savannah gets carsick and the vet recommended that we give her half of a childs dose of Dramimine. I haven't tried this yet but plan to on our next long trip!

[bubba]

Ours love to go camping!! We just got back from being up at our lake place (which is a private campground) last night. It's funny...they seem to be able to know where we are going when we are still at home packing up and are so excited to get going. Once we are there, we have set up two of the exercise pens that they go into for potty breaks. The rest of the time, they are either w/us walking, on the deck being harrassed by the squirrels and chipmunks, or in the trailer.

This past trip, I took up two yard statues my daughter gave me for my birthday. I could not figure out where to put them, and finally decided the looked cute under the steps where you can see them walking up to the deck (they are kind of troll like). Well, the second day we were there, Cooper finally noticed them. It was sooooo funny! He stopped dead in his tracks, snarled at them and continued on his happy way. Same the next time....and the next time....it was like he forgot they were there!!! Once he let out his little growl, he was happy and continued to the deck, but he had to let them know that he knew they were there!!!

I just wish I could get Cooper to go deeper than his stomach in the lake...I even waded out into it this time, but he still would have nothing to do with it!

pat.