Nicole Levesque drove altogether about 8,000 miles last year to attend to OneMind Dogs seminars. Since Nicole has a lot of experience on being on the road, we asked her to share her tips for driving long distances with dogs.

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"My brother calls me the Road Warrior. I guess that is what happens when you put more than 100,000 miles on a vehicle in a year!

When I moved to Colorado I did not realize how my agility experience would change. My primary venue has been USDAA and those events are few and far between. In the last year alone I have traveled to New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Wyoming and Utah just to compete. This spring I drove to Florida, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Connecticut to train with OneMind Dogs.

I realized pretty soon after moving here that my training opportunities would be much more limited. Most of my training became seminars and workshops and on line classes and websites. That was when I happened upon the OneMind Dogs dvd and the website. I loved the philosophy behind the training and how the communication with the dog was through the power of rewards! I desperately wanted to learn more! When I read of Jaakko and Janita’s trip to the east coast I signed up for every training opportunity I could get and audited what I could not obtain a working spot for and hit the road.

They were very challenging trips but I was no stranger to the drive. I had driven the road from Connecticut to Colorado (about 1900 miles each way) several times before. I have gotten pretty good at planning the trip and making it move smoothly.

Here are some of the ways I make the trips work for me:

• I have a general plan. Google Maps and Map Quest is great but not perfect. When you are in the middle of nowhere you may not always have satellite. This happened to me in Texas! It is a scary thing when your Garmin does not tell you which way to turn and you have not brought a map, especially at night!
• Pack some healthy foods. If you eat rest area junk food you will have less energy and feel awful when you get to your destination. Drink lots of water to compensate for the coffee you will drink to stay awake on the road. I usually pack a roasted chicken and have some tortilla wraps with spinach and cut veggies. It is cheaper and you will feel much better in the long run.
• Hit the Library. Books on cd pass the time! On my last trip east I had two books that were 28 hours each. Try and find a series that interests you. It will keep you going for miles.
• Bring an extra phone charger. You will want to make sure you can call for emergency back up or pass the time catching up with friends. I paid almost $50 for a charger when mine died on the road.
• Pre paid credit cards are a safe and quick way to pay for gas without fear of someone getting your credit card number while you are on the road. I also pre load a Starbucks and Panera card so I do not have to carry much cash.
• I always carry a LaQuinta book that shows the hotel locations here in the United States. That way I can have a few options to stop at night and can keep driving when I feel awake or stop when I have had enough. I usually have a good idea of where the closest pet friendly hotels are.
• I give myself extra time on each end of the trip just in case. I have been in some pretty rough weather across the country. Most competitors out this way have been stuck in ice, snow or dodged tornados. If the weather looks dicey it is helpful to have options to wait a day or half a day before heading out. If all goes well, you and your dogs have some time to get out and move about before working at a high level seminar or competition. On my trip home from my east coast trip I hit the wall about 4 hours from home and had to stop for a few hours. It is nice to have this as an option and not feel like you have to push through in order to get to work or an appointment. I now know of a great park to get out and swim the dogs for an hour or two midway on the trip. It is always a welcome break for all of us.
• ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PLAN!!!! I cannot tell you how many times I have used AAA in the past few years. It is a sound investment. My poor little Subaru died the day after I returned from my spring trip! AAA picked it up in my driveway! Whew!!! Make sure you have a complete checkup done on your car before you leave.
• When it comes to the dogs, most of us are pretty experienced in packing for them. I do always pack an extra collar or two and extra leashes. I have a fanny pack that I attach to the headrest in the back of the car for poop bags and clip an extra water bowl to it so I have that readily available. The more organized you are the less wasted time at rest stops fishing for things in a sea of packed items. I also keep an envelope with health records or any pertinent information about my dogs health in my glovebox. This is where emergency responders usually look for information when there is trouble. Be sure your first aid kit is well packed and up to date. There are lots of websites that list what items are good to have. There may just be something you have not thought of.
• If I will be at my final destination for a few days I usually pack a small over night bag to bring into the hotel for the trip to and from. That way I don’t have to bring my larger suitcase in at every stay. I have enough to do with 4 dogs to travel with and I try to keep as much in the car as I can. I also leave my dog food and bowls in the car and feed them there. Any items I would be lost without like my computer and camera I do bring in so they do not end up stolen.
• In the past, I have been able to convince two of my brothers to do trips with me. They were laughter filled days of driving and reminiscing. It was wonderful to have uninterrupted time to get to know each other again and the miles flew by before we had even realized it. It was also helpful for me to be able to work on the computer and not get so far behind in emails and class plans while traveling.

My OneMind Dogs training trip this past spring was an epic adventure and I had more aha moments than I can count. It changed everything I feel about the game of agility. The total for both trips was about 8,000 miles or approximately 12,874 km! It was worth every mile!"

 

Nicole Levesque