Eric is fine once in the car but doesnt like to get in. He has never taken himself in, always been carried. But now he is getting far too heavy!! How do i encourage him to get in on his own? also thinking of getting a crate fo the boot... how on earth will I ever get him in it? Its too high for him to get in on his own :/
I've always discouraged Juno from jumping in or out of the car. When she was little I lifted her in and out and she used to go in her crate and settle but now she uses a ramp in and out of the car.
I have the same problem! I don't really want Ella jumping in an out just yet as we have an SUV and she's only seven months so I'm worried about the effect on her joints. However, a 20kg dog and me being 30 weeks pregnant is quite a tricky combination! I'm thinking a box or step stool to make it two little steps up rather than one big jump. Oh, and lots and lots of treats ☺☺
Easy peasey.....train "paws up" then you put your arm under his tummy and 'tip' him in...works like a dream. Plus, avoids the risks of jumping through a narrow opening, and will even work into later years when your dog needs a back end lift. Very useful way to get a dog in the car.
I drive a jeep, the load floor is high. I taught a boost in by putting a treat on the back bumper, he puts his front feet up, I boost the rest. I lift him out. Even the winter he got up to 82 pounds I could still lift him out. It's easier starting with the weight already up and going down than starting down and going up; I can't.
thank you all We've been training 'up' for a couple of weeks but i never thought of doing it for the car! durhh!! So basically I just teach the 'up' so his front paws are in the car then tip him in as you said.... really does sound easy peasey ... can't wait to try it.... with lots of treats
Yup - easiest thing in the world to train. Lure it with a treat - what Labrador won't jump up for a treat? Once the paws are on the bumper reliably, remove the treat from your hand (but keeping the hand signal is useful because you can use it as a sort of 'bar' to stop them just jumping in one shot - which is my dog's preference ). Don't forgot to reward the 'paws up' time to time though because if you only reward 'getting in' they are more likely to jump in.
Really useful advice! I'm starting to struggle with lifting Ripple in the car, especially as I've had a prolapsed disc in the past. I love this forum!
Brilliant Sooooo once he's in how do I stop him jumping out? sorry for the questions but I really can't think how to do it without him leaping!
It depends how 'positive' you want to be....the easiest way uses negative punishment - this takes away something the dog values highly. I used to be fine using this, and still am in lots of situations. I'm ok with this to use train 'don't get out until I tell you'. There are more positive ways, but they are a LOT slower. And to be honest, I have lots of things to do so..... If your dog is in a crate, simply ask your dog to sit, then very slowly open the crate. If your dog moves at all, close the crate (this removes freedom, the thing the dog values highly). Dog stays sitting, door opens. Dog moves, door closes. Most dogs get this incredibly quickly, as the motivation to gain freedom to jump out of the car is huge. Once the door is open and your dog stays sitting, use a hand gesture and 'out' to give the permission to leave the crate. After that....you have to get the dog to sit neatly outside the car, without dashing off to investigate all the sniffs, until you've got your stuff, locked the car and said 'go free'. Then, walk at heel for 5 minute before you say 'go free'.....
We had this with Bob until recently. I started by lifting his front feet up into the boot. And then lifting him in that way. Eventually he worked it out. Is always lifted him in and I think he probably didn't realise what he had to do.
Juno walks up her ramp, into the car and sits on her mattress at which point she gets a treat. When coming out of the car she has to sit while the door is opened, have her lead clipped on and the ramp put in place for her to walk down. She then gets a treat for sitting by the ramp. She can still manage a controlled exit from the car when we arrive at the meeting place for our doggie walks although the sit may not last as the dogs come to find each other.
If your dog needs a ramp, that's great. But for dogs who don't, it's such a faff setting up a ramp. I just want my dog to put up his paws - lift him in - and that's it. Getting out, he steps out of his crate, takes one step along the bumper to his left, I put one arm under his chest, the other under his tummy, and lift him down. And he is a strapping 30kg dog, and I have joint problems! Unless I really needed it, I just couldn't be bothered to faff with a ramp.
I used a ramp with my previous lab when he got older, he weighed 40kg. But I agree it's a faff - I won't use it if I don't have to.
I have a ramp which I used when Tatze was a pup and I'd done my back in. It's Trixie ramp and excellent.
Premature jumping out was a problem, but only a few times. Oban is pretty solid on STAY, he simply had to learn it applied in the car as well. He broke a few times and I caught him and made him go back in. The shock of being put back in after NO WALK seemed to be enough. I am careful to watch him if there are lots of distractions around. As well I expect him to SIT and STAY after I lift him out. I just hate seeing my dog tear off when I'm still shutting doors and wrapping the leash around myself. That took more work and lots of proofing and I still watch if other dogs are playing close by but he's pretty good now. I did try a ramp at one time but it was fiddly and slow to set up, flimsy too. If Oban weighed more I'd have to use a ramp, just lucky I can lift him if I have to. A big key in lifting is Oban doesn't mind. He's actually easier to lift than my last Lab who only weighed 56 pounds but was wiggly and didn't like it.
I totally agree that using a ramp is a bit of a faff but had started using it before Juno had any limping problems or was diagnosed with ED. My decision was based upon preventing her from jumping either in or out of a car, my arthritis problems in knees and hands and not wanting to lift a 25kg+ dog although Juno's weight is kept under 25kg
I realise that puppies should not jump until their bones and joints have matured, ie 12 months old, and if a dog has had a injury, or its in later years. But they should be taught to jump into and out of a car or Suv, I cannot get my head around lifting 25kg + dog in and out of a car. All our dogs have been taught to jump, not only in and out of the Suv but fences and gates, a requirement of a working dog.
Sorry but I can not get my had around why a dog has to be taught to jump in and out of a car. It's personal choice if you wish to lift your dog in or out or use a ramp but either situation I suspect is better on a dog's joints then the impact of landing on a hard surface from a vehicle. Although we may have Labradors we don't all have them as a working dog but purely as the gorgeous companion and family dog that they are.
