Hi We have a 15 weeks old lab who suffers with anxiety when travelling in the car. Unfortunately she was sick in the car when we collected her from the breeder and initially didn't even want to get in the car once we got her home. A few weeks on and we've now managed to get her to jump (with a step) in and out of the back of the car after spending time sitting with her and giving her praise and a little treat. However, as soon as she goes on a car trip (no matter how short) she drools terribly, and wee in the back of the car. We're trying very short trips with lots of praise when we get back but she still gets so anxious. Unfortunately, we've had to take her on extended car trips to the vets as she had giardia (which we now know she had when we picked her up from the breeder) and is now on a second course of treatment as the first meds didn't clear it. On these longer trips to the vets she has also been sick in the car. Is there anything else we should to be doing to help her get over this anxiety? Any help/suggestions gratefully received, thank you.
My Gwenni was sick in the car on our first journey home and I think that possibly set a pattern of behaviour and she would drool to the point of getting quite wet with a 500 meter ride. Luckily we don’t have to drive for her walks on the beach and dunes at home. At 13 months she is a little better, I sit in the back with her when I can and she gives me a cuddle and goes to sleep. She doesn’t drool anymore and hasn’t been sick on short journeys of up to an hour. I think it takes time for some pups to grow out of feeling car sick, I empathise with her as I still feel sick in the car at 46 ! She loves her walkies when we go in the car but I still don’t think she loves the car. If she continues to be sick in longer journeys I may ask the vet for Cerenia but she seems to be improving at last . maybe your pup will be better over time too hopefully
Thank you for your replies. I think we'll keep on with very short trips with lots of praise and hopefully she'll get less anxious and time goes on. Thanks again.
Our Harley drooled buckets and on longer windy road he would get sick. However, he did outgrow by the time he was two. When we knew we were going on a long trip we just didn't feed him right before leaving, we made sure it was at least a few hours before so he didn't throw up. But he did outgrow it and LOVED the car from then on.
I have a surprising number of car sick dogs come to me. Needless to say, by the time they have been here a few days they are jumping in the car raring to go and no longer sick.
Just lots of short trips to exciting places. Usually once or twice a day. The sickness seems to come with anxiety, so once they are excited about where they are going, the anxiety isn't there and the sickness stops.
Our four-month old puppy did not like riding in the car after we adopted her at 9 weeks. We have a dog covering on the rear seat, where she rides, and she kept trying to climb into the front. Gradually her behavior has improved, aided by frequent short trips to fun places and dog treats. I throw a milk bone in the back seat when it’s time to go, and she climbs right in.
