Thanks for the continued input.

Bonecruncher, thanks, but I doubt pancreatic involvement-- it doesn't quite fit the pattern we're observing.

F. did quite well on his trip outbound with the Dramamine, and we had a GREAT trip all the way around. The Dramamine took about an hour longer to kick in fully than I had been told, but he was quite peaceful throughout the drive without being knocked out. He mostly slept, but wakened easily and alertly any time there was cause or an opportunity to get out and stretch his legs. But no travel fretting. He did sleep a lot the next day and seemed also to be constipated, but this soon cleared with no ill effect.

While we were gone he didn't have much of an appetite, but we let him decide how much he needed to eat. He mostly drank water and played with his hosts a lot.

He adjusted very quickly to the new household rules and expectations of his hostess. The first few days he was reluctant to let me out of his sight, but he settled down each night quite happily in his dog bed and awoke eager to go downstairs without me as early as his hosts got up. He hung out and played with them, and he was happy to take a short walk with them each day and to patrol (and visit with me) in their enclosed patio.

He didn't treat his "new" quarters as "home" exactly-- didn't bark at passers-by as he would have here at home.

He happily rode along (sans Dramamine) on short trips around the neighborhood, even settling down calmly on the sleeping mat (in the van he'd arrived in), whenever we left him parked for a restaurant meal, etc. (And YES he was left ONLY in cool shade with open windows, and checked on often, for these short times.)

The trip back home was uneventful except that he was told he was going HOME (a word he knows), and every once in awhile he'd pop up and ask, "Are we THERE yet?!?!?!?"

He slept a lot the next day again, and then set to eating lots of Dinner Rounds quite happily. He brought back a few balls and a brush the hosts gave him, as well as a bag of VERY special treats, and through the smells of these he seems to have connected the whole experience up as having had an interesting time. Just having his familiar bed along seemed to be very, very reassuring.

Me, I travel with about a dozen various pillows. What's one more (dog bed), and a little doggy suitcase for treats, bowls, etc.-- no big deal, and he now has a whole new diminsion to his life. And I am very pleased to know he is as calm when traveling as he is at home-- there will be motels where he will be very welcome all along our usual routes.

Overall, a GREAT training experience. Just long enough, but not too long for him.

~S~