opinions needed please
 

I need some opinions. We travel at least once a year if not two or three times a year to go over to West Virginia (5 hour trip) where both my uncles live and we pretty much have to be prepared to go over at anytime we are needed because of the health of one of my uncles. Well Callie at home sleeps in a soft sided dog house and we have our little nightly ritual every night and she goes into her house with no problem and stays in there and sleeps all night. Well when we travel at night she gets extremely hyper sometimes humping, running around jumping up and down off the bed, getting so hyper she starts panting and neither of us get a lot of sleep because it can sometimes take her 2 hours to calm down. The last few times I kinda make her lay next to me in the bed and have to hold her and rub her there until she finally falls asleep. I have tried a travel fold up comfy dog bed, a nap pad, setting up tons of blankets on the extra bed nothing seems to work. The last time we went we stayed in my aunt and uncles basement it was my mom, dad, Sammy, Callie and me and even though Sammy curled up and went straight to sleep Callie didnt calm down. I think shes acting up because its not sticking to the nightly ritual which is always done at home and also clues her in to it being bed time. I can stick to pretty much the ritual when we are away except for the going to bed in her house. Although her house zips down and folds up I am scared something might happen to it and it has nothing to put it in to make easy to carry so I was looking at the fold up soft crates online and am thinking about getting one of those. Do you think that the problem is not sticking to her normal night time ritual? Do you think that a soft crate could work as like a substitute? Does anyone have any other suggestions? We will be traveling over in May and in every other way Callie is an awesome traveler.

Remy stays in a soft sided crate when we are not home and he loves it. It has like a really soft furry bottom on the inside, it's warm. It collapses really small also. Maybe you could try and get her use to the crate at her regular home, so she can become familiar with it. I really hope it works out and she can calm down and get some sleep! Good luck.
Btw, I love your signature :)

What if you bought another bed like she has at home and keep it at your uncles house?

What kind of dog house does she have? I would love to see a picture of it. Morgan used to have a dog house bed, but she kinda ripped it up while "making her bed" :rolleyes:

I had been eyeing this dog house at petco for awhile but they were priced to high and eventually it went on sale and I bought it and havent seen any sense.I didnt like that pad that was in the house because it was kinda thin so I bought a thicker one and it fits right in there. Shes a "teapot" and she still has lots of room and thats one of the things I loved and her. I have thought about leaving like a set of dishes and a bed and stuff at my uncle's house but sometimes when we go over its for big family things and his kids who fly in stay at there house and we stay at a hotel. Other times when its for like Thanksgiving or a just because visit we stay at his house. I didnt like that pad that was in the house because it was kinda thin so I bought a thicker one and it fits right in there.

I used to have this issue with Jackson. Well I guess kind of still do, it depends... he's actually really good when I take him with me to dogsit other dogs (over "strangers" homes) and will sleep thru the night in the bed with me. But forever, when visiting my dads house (where we've gone at LEAST once a week, usually more) since he was 9 weeks old, he went thru this "will not sleep" phase. There's two dogs and two cats over there, so I just assumed he thought he was missing something. We still to this day sleep downstairs (the master bedroom is downstairs, and so is my brothers room - mine 'used' to be upstairs). So because of Jackson, I sleep in my brothers bottom bunk, because he's such a PITA and won't sleep upstairs, LOL!! So that was my way of 'solving' it... but first and foremost, exercise, exercise, exercise. When I know I am sleeping at someone elses home with him, I totally wear him out first, that way he sleeps way better.

I am seriously jealous of your adorable dog house. I want one... (for my dog that is)

I love your dogs house too! No wonder she likes it! I would think a soft sided crate would be the perfect alternative. Since you can close it so she cannot get out.. it would be perfect. I bet she would really like it. I woul;d get it now and set it up leaving it open and let her get used to it. Try letting her sleep in it a couple of times a week at home..

That dog house is adorable! I'll have to keep an eye out for it too.

I'd still get one to keep at your uncles if you can find one cheap enough, if not, get a soft sided crate to keep there. Even if you don't stay there every time it will still be great to have when you do.

I like the idea of having something that you can travel with, something she is accustomed to at home. You could have a soft crate that you use for travel, but bring a bed/liner that she uses at home. My boys are happy wherever they go as long as they have their little donut beds from home. They also have soft tents (crate like) by Sport Pet from Target.

Thank you I saw it on a shirt and thought I had to use that on yt for my signature.

I found a soft sided crate on ebay I think is great but my grandmother thinks its going to be to small because its a few inches smaller then her house but she has lot of extra room in her house. What do yall think of this one? Dog Pet Kennel House Carrier Soft Crate w/Carry Case PP - eBay (item 310272251393 end time Feb-16-11 19:42:24 PST)

I think it would be awfully small too.. you might try this one Large Soft-Sided Crate/Carrier/Kennel/Home For Cat Dog - eBay (item 250724043542 end time Feb-06-11 15:12:48 PST) it is a large size and would give her lots of extra play room.. (it also comes in a medium size that is still bigger than the one you looked at. and it is sturdy with lock in place bars that give iit lots of support. and it folds flat and already has built it carry handles. I love the looks of the pink plaid one.. but it really is small.

Is this the one you are looking for?
INDOOR PET PLAY HOUSE CHATEAU FOR DOGS AND CATS - eBay (item 320651782182 end time Mar-04-11 12:07:27 PST)

You think its to small even if she just going in there to sleep at night? Durning the day she will be with me at my uncles house.