Like @snowbunny I was going to mention the treat or train but using that would be a last resort after all else has failed. Working on the emotional state is by far the best choice for all the reasons stated. 100% on agreement on not tethering a dog by a collar to a D ring in the car any sudden breaking could have serious consequences. If you want to tether your pup please buy a proper car safety harness
We discovered yesterday that our puppy’s screeching in the car has to do with the vision of the trees and other stuff going by really fast. The screeching was more a vertigo thing, that will change when he is tall enough to actually look out the window. (We use a dedicated dog restraint system connected to the seat belt, by the way). So we stopped using the itty bitty muzzle, and put him in an open box facing the front, with openings for the seat belt to go into the restraining harness. The screeching suddenly stopped.
Good point. I have just bought a new harness which will be easier to put on and I will use this in future.
(the screeching started again so the box didn’t work after all). Today we had a breakthrough on the car. I took the undershirt I wore all day yesterday, and put it under him in his car bed. I then left him in the car in his harness for about 3 minutes while I loaded other things. I watched him sniffing my shirt. When we pulled away---no noise. When we got up to speed, still no noise. We drove all over creation today and there was no noise except when he had to go potty. Apparently my body odor is pleasing and comforting to him; now if only it worked that way on my wife. I neede to remember that 40% of a dog’s brain is devoted to smell.
Just a follow-up: it has now been the third day with the shirt and my body odor on it. My puppy has not gone back to screeching, and now just sniffs the shirt and goes to sleep. When he wakes, I give him a tiny piece of chicken or hot dog, and tell him what a good dog he is. He’s become a champion car rider. THE NAME OF THE GAME IS SMELL.
I took him out today, but in my husband's arms. He is calmer but I think he does not like being unable to see out of the window. Obviously that will come as he grows. Also, he is not sleepy at the point where we take him out. This is his socialisation/exercise time. Will find suitably smelly garment and see how we get on.
That's fine as long as he is calm . I He will more than likely start dozing off when your journeys become longer
JulieT used one of the remote treat dispensers to help with rewarding quiet in the car when she was driving. There is a thread somewhere but too much like hard work to do a link on my phone
MY puppy also didn’t the the restraint. Generally he doesn’t prefer to be restrained, and the thingie that takes both his legs and has a protector on his chest and attaches to the seatbelt pretty much immobilizes him, just like the seatbelt immobilized humans in the same way. But now he is good as gold. Last week at this time he was still screeching. Today, he actually wanted to get into the car.
Mine is still whimpering a bit but he does that as he is walking along as well, so it may be just a bit of anxiety. That only lasts until he sees a dog or a person then he is happy.
An update: tried getting him used to the car and he would quite happily sit and eat treats etc, but although he was not quite as loud in his protests, as the car moved he was still standing up and trying to climb over the back seats. We ended up buying a soft-sided crate and although he protests at least he is lying down, and therefore much safer. I think he will be ok ultimately. I take him out once a day in the car and he has a nice little walk at the end of it. Getting him into the crate is not easy, though. Even though he was introduced to it in the house and allowed to explore it and discover treats inside he cares much less about them now that it is in the car. I will keep on keeping on...
