---
title: "Car travel with a puppy, from the first ride home"
description: "Restraints that pass a crash test, motion sickness, and the two-hour rule."
url: https://evapup.com/journal/travel/car-travel-with-a-puppy
category: "Car & Travel"
author: "Olivia Marsh"
published: 2026-08-23
updated: 2026-09-13
---

# Car travel with a puppy, from the first ride home

Restraints that pass a crash test, motion sickness, and the two-hour rule.

The ride home is the first car trip and it sets the tone. A dog that rides restrained from day one never learns to roam the back seat.

## Restraint

A crash-tested harness clipped to the seat belt, or a crate strapped down in the cargo area. Anything that only clips to a collar is a hazard, not a restraint.

> **Heat.** A parked car heats faster than most people expect. If the dog cannot come in with you, the dog does not come on the errand.

## Motion sickness

Common in puppies and usually outgrown. Skip food for two hours before a drive, crack a window, and keep early trips short and boring.

### Stops

Every two hours for water and a leashed potty break. Never let a puppy out of the car off leash, even in a quiet lot.

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