Hi all, I'm putting this in the puppy forum because I think it's a pretty common puppy thing to have a puppy be carsick, and I wanted to share how I was helping Maisie get over this! First of all, she hasn't (knock on wood) gotten sick in the car in quite awhile, and has been going on the same length of trips, etc, that before she would puke on. I attribute that purely to age! We also keep the car windows rolled down for her. Once inside the car, sometimes she displays strong anxiety (whining, nervous to move about much, and lots of drooling). However, just with repeated car rides where she doesn't get sick, she's gotten more comfortable. We've had a couple trips with minimal drool, which is awesome, and she has started really enjoying having the window down - even sticking her head full on out the window on some trips! Awhile ago I was trying to "train" her to like the car by giving her new treats or kongs or things in the car… well, that wasn't a terrible strategy, I'm about to return to that, but I actually ended up going WAY BACK to the basics and we've made really good progress! She used to freeze when she saw I was unlocking the car, would not approach, would be too scared to take any treats I offered her (or would take them but be unable to eat them) - so a very high level of anxiety. So we started doing car rehearsals (kind of like crate training almost). I'd take her up to the car, unlock it. Treats, treats, treats. I'd open the door. Put treats on the ground by the door, and, IMPORTANTLY, I backed off so she knew I wasn't about to swoop in to put her in the car. Let her approach and eat the treats. Then I started placing treats on the step thing to get into the car. Easy to access with only mouth touching car. Then a kibble on the door. Then some better treats on the seat, where she just had to put her feet up to get. And then… SHE ACTUALLY GOT INTO THE CAR OF HER OWN POWER! I put a tripe stick on the seat far enough she couldn't get it (while still rewarding her with lesser treats for putting her front feet up). So exciting! She had a very hard time to figure out jumping up on the seat (she had mastered jumping OUT though, haha, awhile ago). She kept picking up one back foot at a time. Finally, yesterday, I was sitting on the far side, holding out TWO tripe sticks, and a "Kali Wags" piece (local treat she finds verrrrrrry tasty) and the addition of the second tripe stick really got her going. She leapt in. Took a tripe stick, left. Then she started realizing she could leap in. And then by the end of the session yesterday, she was leaping in just for a piece of kibble! (I would get to sit, wait, I'd throw a kibble onto the seat, she'd leap in to get it!). Our next steps are to continue what we're doing, but I may start working on shutting the door (have had it open the whole time) and perhaps eating a small raw-hide type treat or small kong that only takes 10-15 mins to eat, then leap out. I won't sit in the front yet, but then that'll be the next steps. getting her to go in, shutting the door, me in the driver's seat. Then turning the car on. Then going a little ways. Then going places. Honestly throughout sometimes she has to go places! So she's getting put in the car and taken there anyways, but they're all REALLY great places (best doggy friend, dog classes she enjoys, etc). I just wanted to post my experience with this as I really had to back up and take it super slow and I'm so proud of her for leaping into the car, previously THE DREADED CAR!!!! and I'm happy she seems to be getting more comfortable in there. We still have a ways to go but I feel confident I can get her to like the car now!
Brilliant work, applying all the right principles of training (e.g. reward the behaviour, start with the tiniest baby steps and gradually shape the behaviour towards the goal, let the dog go at its own pace). Fab result and thanks for telling us all how you achieved it
So glad you have had success with this - wishing you many fun (and happy puppy) adventures from trips out in the car for the future.
This is motivating! I've had similar issues with Myles... frothing at the mouth, excessive drooling. He did this without ever getting sick, until I had to drive him home from the vet after he had been sedated. He got sick everywhere in the car, so no telling how he will be the next time I try to get him in there. I got him a ramp and he very easily will go into the car. This was prior to awful vet trip and puking incident. Hopefully he will still go in on his own. But like you, I need to do very baby steps and short trips where he doesn't have a chance to get sick or anxious. Keep us posted, I love to see progress with this! It's a very hard problem to have and I can't tell you how many times I'm told "I've never heard of a lab that doesn't like the car". Well thanks, that's helpful.
You e done a splendid job,it's so worthwhile taking your time to get this right and then you've got years of stress free traveling x
Well done on making such good progress. Slowly, slowly does it. My only concern would be the head out of the window while travelling and the risk of dirt, dust etc getting into Maisie's eyes and causing a problem.
So today we went to visit her dog friend, and I was able to get her to hop in, take more treats while in there, and more while I was starting the car, and then when we went on the return journey, she hopped back in for a milk bone!!! I was quite impressed with her. Interesting thought about sticking her head out the window - she doesn't do it very often but we do always have the windows down as apparently that equalizes the air pressure and makes it less likely for them to get sick.
Great progress in the car. Friends of mine use something like this on their windows so that their dog can have fresh air but can not stick his head out of the window or try to jump out http://www.amazon.co.uk/PetGear-Hap...8-1-fkmr3&keywords=car+window+expanding+vents
