Lincoln had his first big boy ride in the car today: No crate. We bought him a car safety harness that clips into the seatbelt buckle. He just curled up in his blankie and slept the whole time. He's so good in the car. He also experienced his first car wash today. It didn't bother him at all. We went to Petco and he met lots of new people and also made friends with a lovely Greyhound.
@Jade Well done. Kyko has had a seatbelt attachment from the off as we have no space in my little car for a crate. Wish he would curl up & sleep though he will if I let him ride up front (after I've turned the passenger airbag off), but the little blighter barks down my ear the whole time when I put him in the back. He's not distressed in the car at all jumps in no bother & knows we go to places he loves when he's in there (like work with me), but he's a bad tempered, stubborn little thing. I'm thinking of getting some adaptil spray for the car to see if that will help calm him into having a sleep
Hi @leighxxxx Have you tried giving your dog a kong to chew on while in the bark seat? So occupied he is is less likely to bark, and if loaded with things he really desires there will be no barking. Give him the kong before he starts barking. If necessary let him carry it to the car.
Thanks Michael I haven't tried a kong in the car, but I did treat him for being quiet and sitting nicely, the only prolem with that was I would reach back, give him a treat & tell him good boy, & that would set him off barking again. It's the I'm annoyed with you bark he does too, the one usually reserved for when he gets told no, or isn't allowed our food
@leighxxxx I'd suggest you have your puppy in the front passenger seat at first, if you are travelling alone. Puppies need to feel secure and safe and always need to begin from a position of secure attachment. This is the same whether you are talking about crating a puppy; doing alone training and leaving a puppy alone; or securing the puppy at a distance from you on a tether; or crating the puppy in a car. Whenever there is any separation involved, the pup first needs to get used to the new situation with you and next to you, so it is associated with you - his attachment figure - and becomes safe as a result of that association. Just because he is happy to jump in the car and enjoys the places you go to, doesn't mean he is forming positive associations with the journey in the car itself. He is not being a 'little blighter' or 'bad tempered' or 'stubborn' - labelling him these things isn't going to help your relationship with him; how you feel about him; or how you respond to or train him. No dog makes noise for no reason... Identifying the reason behind the noise is key.
Two thoughts. 1. Perhaps lower the enthusiasm of your praise in order to keep his level of arousal low. 2. It is really difficult to teach quiet in the way you are doing it. He might think he is getting a treat for looking at a bus or someone walking along the footpath, or watching you steer the car. In order for positive reinforcement to work, the dog has to develop an idea of the pattern/routine that results in a good consequence. That would be difficult to do while driving. I would teach him speak and quiet in a low distraction and familiar environment. Then practise in the car while it is parked in your driveway. Only when set would I literally then take it on the road.
sorry but what I call him has no bearing on how I feel about him, or has any affect on my relationship with him. I spend every hour of the day trying to make him happy & secure & the way names I may call him jokingly have no relevance to my feelings for him. I have always appreciated the advice you give & have taken great heed of it, but I don't need to be made to feel as if I am doing wrong, all because of how I call my dog, when it's all meant in jest
Thank you so much. I guess we got lucky with Lincoln. He was perfect in the car from the first day. We live in Maine and he was transported to Maine by vehicle all the way from Mississippi by the shelter we adopted him from. He must be used to traveling.
@Michael A Brooks Re your advice of a kong in the car I can't believe I hadn't given that a thought, I mean I give him kongs for bedtime, when I leave him alone & when his teeth are bothering him I give him a frozen one, I guess sometimes you can't see the obvious until it's pointed out to you. So this morning on the way to work I gave Kyko a banana & peanut butter kong (his favourite) & I never heard a peep out of him, nor was he pulling against the restraint to get to the front. Once I had to pull over when he got over enthusiastic & threw it on the floor, then when we got to the street where work is he had had enough of the kong & barked once. That was the most peaceful & safe journey I have had when I'm in on my own with him so thank you
Hi @leighxxxx Ah peace. Glad it worked. Thanks for letting me know that it worked this morning. My Lab has a "catnap" (is one allowed to say that on this site?) in the back of the station wagon, but somehow knows when to sit up when I am pulling into our street. She must know the pattern of braking and turns.
@Michael A Brooks You're welcome I've come to work armed with a banana & a tub of peanut butter for going home too . I swear I'm going to need a suitcase the amount of things I bring for him, worse than having a baby
With all due respect, that's simply not true and it's been well-proven that negative labels affect relationships: https://positively.com/contributors/is-the-dog-stubborn-or-the-human/ https://www.clickertraining.com/node/2333 https://smartdoguniversity.com/how-to-deal-with-a-stubborn-dog-full-article/ How we label a dog, affects and influences the way we think of the dog. And the way we think of the dog is directly related to our actions. When people label a dog as stubborn, bad, crazy, naughty, etc - it justifies punishment but it also doesn't further understanding in terms of what is really going on. Far better to dig a bit deeper and understand what is going on behaviourally: If someone says a dog is stubborn, I see a dog which doesn't understand a cue yet. If someone says a dog is 'bad', I see a dog which hasn't been prevented adequately from destroying the house and reinforced for chewing the right things. And so on. Negative labels do nothing but further negative feelings and ultimately lead to punishers: The dog is 'bad', so we shout at him. Instead, understanding what is behind the dog's behaviour and seeing the behaviour as just that - behaviour - is essential if we are to change anything for the better. You might think it's just pedantic, but it's really not. I get emails all the time from owners with 'naughty, stubborn' dogs - I have yet to actually meet such a dog...
You can say all due respect but it doesn’t change the fact you are showing zero respect. Do I think your pedantic.? No I actually think you’re being downright rude and presumptuous. You do not know me, you do not know my dog, nor do you have any idea of our relationship. Please by all means point out where I have said I have ever shouted at my dog! In fact I didn’t even say I had a problem with him in the car & I didn’t even ask for advice on the matter. That’s not to say I didn’t appreciate Michaels suggestion. I never said I didn’t know why he’s barking in the car & you seem to be making out as if I have just shoved a tiny puppy in the back & expected him to know what I wanted from him. So let’s just leave it there as you can’t comment on a relationship that you know nothing about
Leigh, I'm sorry you've decided to take this personally. I don't need to know you, or your dog, to be able to comment on training or behaviour - if we did need to know each other and the dogs, to be able to do that, no one would be able to participate in this forum - since almost no one knows each other... You said: I pointed out that labelling your puppy with negative values in this way - rather than understanding what is happening in terms of learning theory - is counter-productive. I have backed up what I have said with many articles, explaining further why and how this occurs. I'm sorry if this causes you offence. I stand by what I have said. Well, I'm not really sure what you're talking about now. At no point have I accused you of shouting at your dog... Anything written on this forum, is opening itself up to be engaged with and discussed. That is how a forum functions. You don't get to pick and choose which sentences people respond to, or how others will react. The problem with making that argument on a forum, is that what you said is clearly written above for all to read: That definitely sounds like a 'problem' with him in the car, to me: As a trainer and behaviourist, I would for sure define it as a 'problem'. You might not explicitly have said 'Please can someone help me with this?', but you are stating a problem you are experiencing with your puppy, in a forum called 'Getting Help With Your Labrador' - so you can hardly be outraged when someone offers you help...
You insinuate as I have written 'little blighter' then this could at some point lead to me developing negative feelings & lead to punishing & shouting at him. I have written this on a forum, & as much as I think my dog is a genius I know he can't read, so is clueless to this. I have never said I call him names to him or anything else. I also didn't say I don't know why he's barking in the car & that I'm not working on it. I know he wants in the front with me, but as this is dangerous due to him knocking the car out of gear trying to climb onto my lap we can't continue this behaviour. As I have already stated I think it should be left there as it is highly unfair to highjack Jade's post where she was quite rightly celebrating her success, with negative posts. I wish everyone well in their journey with their puppies & dogs for many years to come & wish you nothing but success, but feel this is not the place for me to find support.
Hi Leigh just wanted to reach out and say please stay, don't let one person put you off this site, I've read many of your posts previously and enjoyed them and know that there are many people on here like you who just love their dogs and a good natter with other lab lovers
