First things first......make sure you get your breeder to give you a receiving blanket or something with the mama's scent on it. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!Buy a carrier crate.....not the metal or cardboard ones........cost about 25-35 dollars..........your baby will use this for life, it is his den and "safe" place. Gracies is small, she is 7.4 pounds now at 9 months(must put her on a diet
) but I digress........Next buy a carrier mat(mine is fleece)under 10 at walmart, and place in carrier.
When you pick her up, hold and love her a while and then place her in the carrier with the receiving blanket . Seat belt the carrier. Sit by her and stick your fingers thru the front grating so she can smell you. Keep towels handy, bottled water and a bowl for pit stops....If she whines, stop the car for a pee, offer a little water, love her, then back in carrier..and belt. If you were to have an accident, she would be SAFE. You never know when an accident may happen........and that way she, and her carrier would not be thrown.
My ride to my breeder was 2 1/2 hours away.........by the way your breeder is in VA. so is mine.........same breeder I wonder??????? Gracie slept very well, only cried once, we stopped, she peed and walked around a bit.... so did my husband and I, we loved her up and moved on.
I realize your drive is much longer than mine.......but you will just have to make more stops, I feel its to risky to have her out of the carrier while driving, unless it is an emergency such as vomiting or such....but then I would pull over as soon as possible.
Your receiving blanket will be a great comfort to her in her "den' when she gets home. When ever she needs a "Mom fix" she will run to her crate and go to sleep.........before long your scent will be all she needs.........
hope this helps.............and let me know who your breeder is, wouldn't it be something if we had the same breeder?