Here we come Tennessee!!! Stressed!

[Lucyana1129]

Looks like we are getting stationed in Tennessee. I'm so nervous and excited! It's going to be a big move. About a 24 hour drive. Actually a lot more counting the amount of stops we will be making for Bentley, Charlie, and Dixie. Dixie our boxer, will be a bit of a handful but Bentley and Charlie are amazing travelers. They sleep most of the way. Dixie is still quite young and has never made a trip like that. I'm nervous about trying to contain all that boxer energy for so long. It will be n September too. So at least it will not be hot. And thankfully, family will be watching our skin kids so they won't have to make that trip in a SUV. Anyone here from Tennessee? I know nothing of the area. Does it snow, is it really hot in the summer? Does you yorkie like it? Is it fairly dog friendly? We will be in Millington. Any advice for such a long trip with 3 dogs.....and a tabby cat (who will be really angry the whole way no doubt). How often should we stop? On our last trip Bentley refused to sit up front and insisted on sleeping on an ice chest in the very back. It was pretty hot and so he got sick. They will have the whole backseat this time as all our stuff will be in a moving truck. Should I get him his own seat? Any suggestions on calming a nervous rider (Dixie)? Im worried she will try to stand the entire way. I just want to try to make this trip as easy on them as possible. I know it's a ways away...or so I think ( they could tell us to leave now if they need us to) but I am just a very organized person and want everything to go as smoothly as possible. I figure to do that I better get started now. We are getting everyone their health certificates and all. I want to make sure everyone has an up to date tag on as well in case anything crazy and unthinkable happens. Sorry for the long post. I'm so nervous and getting really anxious. There's so much to do! I have to get this house ready, pack, get my skin kids ready to stay with their grandparents (which stresses me out too!....I will miss them terrible even if it's only for a week), and make sure the animals are ready. Then I have to get everyone settled in our new hometown. It's an operation to say the least. Haha! Any help from people that have made big trips with their yorkies and other pets would be greatly appreciated. Calming words of wisdom are also welcome. Haha! I think I may be over thinking this but I can't seem to calm down. My mind is racing so much I can't sleep tonight. Hope it's not this way until September.

[jadabug]

Welcome to TN!!! I live on the opposite end of the state from Millington. I don't think the Memphis area gets very much snow. It is usually hot and humid in the summer and we have fairly mild winters. There is lots to do in our state. We live near the Great Smoky Mtns and it is very touristy in our area. Not sure about dog friendly, because I live in a small town and there is nothing around here for the kiddos to do.
Good luck and I hope you like our state

[Casee]

I would have to say the same.... We live right at the smokey mountains too. Mild winters and hot/ humid summers. Your also probably glad you weren't here last night.... Bad storms!!

[yorkieusa]

I hope your trip is pleasant and uneventful. You may want to consider getting some Rescue Remedy for your nervous one. It is all natural and safe.

Original Bach Rescue Remedy now alcohol free for Pets

[jadabug]

Originally Posted by Casee

I would have to say the same.... We live right at the smokey mountains too. Mild winters and hot/ humid summers. Your also probably glad you weren't here last night.... Bad storms!!

Cool!! I live in Newport...are you close to me?

[Joyce Adams]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

I hope your trip is pleasant and uneventful. You may want to consider getting some Rescue Remedy for your nervous one. It is all natural and safe.

Original Bach Rescue Remedy now alcohol free for Pets

I was going to recommend something like this...Safe travels and with all of the planning it should go somewhat smoothly.

[Bitsy]

I think you should look into getting a snoozer car seat. They will be more comfortable and safer!! Good luck!

[BellarousasMom]

My husband and I like to visit TN. It's very beautiful. We visit mainly the Smokie Mt. area when we do. We absolutely love it. Hope you will be happy and safe travels for you and your family.

[GypsyVille]

My Husband and I love to visit the smokey Mountains every year and we have vacationed with the Rottweilers without any problems. Tennessee does get some snow but it is usually really mild in the winter.

Do get yourself familiar with the snakes in TN and watch out for them!! We had a close call at a rest stop once. I was taking my male out to go potty and luckily My Hubby saw a snake that I didn't. We were heading right toward the snake before the Hubby yelled at me. My Husband thinks it was a copper head.

[rockbaker]

Welcome to the south! North Carolina here....

good idea gypsyville had about learning different snakes here....don't know what you have in California....but we have a lot of hawks, snakes, and FIREANTS!

safe trip!

[navillusc]

First off, I feel your pain when it comes to change of duty stations...been there...done that...with kids and animals. Moving to Germany meant flying alone with a 5-month-old and a 4-year-old...9 hours on a plane...tons of luggage to hand carry, passports to produce while carrying all those bags and holding a baby and a 4-yr-old's hand at customs, then jet lag. But, we all survived it!

Net...Congratulations! I have traveled through TN from DC to OK and back and from FL to OK and back on several occasions. What I have seen of TN has been very pretty, but my experiences with Memphis are, with one exception, getting lost 'cuz the road signs were not helpful in pointing the way...so much so that I avoid going through Memphis when traveling now! The first time, people downtown Memphis couldn't tell me how to get back on the highway I was pointing to overhead, so I saw quite of bit of that area. Our last trip through, we ended up going back over the river again and had to turn around to get headed back Florida-way...we were following printed directions and highway signs the whole way.

However, I hear it's a great BBQ area, and TN has the Grand Ol' Opry, and a bunch more stuff, and I'd love to have time to just get lost and wander around aimlessly there for a while.

I traveled from OK to DC/MD with my Yorkie-Poo, Stormy, from OK to MA, then from MA to OK, and finally from OK to TX. I traveled from NH to FL with a Shep/Lab. There were lots of shorter trips. On all trips both dogs did really well with normal gas, food, and potty stops.

One tip I would offer...get any shots, etc. at least a few days ahead...or wait until after you get to TN. I did not have that opportunity once, and my poor little love Stormy was not feeling well for 2,000 miles...I broke my trip in half to give him an overnight break. I felt so bad, but didn't know he would react badly to the shots.

I know it doesn't seem like there's time...so much to do, but you sound like me, and I believe you'll have all your lists made, and calendar set in no time and be completely ready...but maybe you won't be like me and organize yourself into funny stories for later on!

[southernbelle04]

I'm originally from Northwest Alabama, but visited Tennessee many times throughout the year as I grew up. We went to the Smokies on our honeymoon. Tennessee is a beautiful state. We always enjoy traveling there. Now that we are in PA, we go through TN on our way home to Alabama and it is always my favorite part of the trip. All of the times I have been there, the winter has been very mild. We went to Dollywood for Christmas one year and it was beautiful weather. And the colors in the trees in the fall...gorgeous! The summer time can be a little humid to me, but not too bad. Friendly people in TN too! Good luck on your trip! You'll love living in the South! I know I sure do! Now that we live in PA, I miss that good 'ol southern hospitality! Most people in PA are so rude and not friendly at all. They look at you mean if you attempt to hold a door for them or say hello. Soooo not like that in the south! Everyone is friendly and pretty much just enjoys having a good ol' time.

[Yorkiedaze]

We moved back to CA. from TN. but maybe your experiences will be better ones.

As for traveling with the fur kids, we always stop every two hours and walk them around a little, give them a drink and off we go again. If you have room for a small cooler, then take along some water, sandwiches and fruit. (this will keep you from having to leave the fur-kids in the car while you go inside somewhere to eat and saves a lot of time traveling. No sweets as it will make you very tired and sleepy. Don't feed the dogs anything in the car as they could get sick. A very light breakfast an hour before leaving and nothing till you stop for the night. I don't use dog seats for our girls. We have the small straps that hook to their harness and snaps into the seat belt clip. It gives them more room to stretch & move around some. Pet Auto Safety Restraint Strap - Black | 12-17"L
If you do have a nervous dog, then I'd suggest giving Rescue Remedy an hour before you leave, and take it with you for traveling. Make sure you take a couple gallons of water for the dogs and in case there is an emergency.
Look for a pet friendly hotel around 5 or 6 so you can put the dogs in the room and go have a nice hot meal, then relax, watch some TV and get to sleep early. The marriott Residence Inn does a great breakfast if you find one to stay in. This makes the traveling so much more pleasant on you and the dogs. By the time you get to the Naval base, your dogs will be broke into traveling and will enjoy going again.

[Yorkiedaze]

I forgot to mention about shots in TN. The area I was in required the dogs get Rabies shots every year. And be sure to use all the repellents you can on your guys to keep the bugs off them. The south is very well known for millions of insects. We even had wood bees that actually ate on our house. Anyway if your not into all the dangerous chemicals that are sold to combat fleas and tics, then here is a helpful site. Maybe you can mix up a flea and tick spray and use it on your babies during the trip.

Chinaroad Lowchens of Australia - Ticks, fleas, bees, flies, snakes and other gremlins! And how to deal with them!

I really do wish you all the luck and happiness in the world, but I also know your going to miss CA. and our perfect weather more than you know.

[LovinOurYorkies]

Yorkie daze gave (IMO) great advice. Millington is an hour north of us.

When we first moved here from Louisiana, it took me a while to get used to the difference in weather. We've been here since "96 and I don't think I'll ever get used to the strong storms and threat of tornadoes (at least with hurricanes you can see it coming). This has been a unique year weatherwise... but we usually have our first snow the first week of January, and our last snow is uasually the first week of March with a week or two of freezing temps in February. Summers are hot, especially with the airport in Memphis and all the blacktop they insist in using on roads and parking lots

I would add to take some deep breathes the calmer you are, the calmer they will be