We will have no life of any sort if we have a dog that we cannot take in the car. We do not live close to either family and have already got a UK holiday booked. At the moment Caspar whimpers if he is in someone's arms on the back seat - not always possible, but he emits a cacophonous symphony at full volume if I put him in the boot (trunk). He is tethered to a ring at the back so that he cannot jump out when I open up, but will not lie down, so tries to stand and climb over the back seat into the car. He is equally loud whether we are on our way to a place where he will have fun, or on the way back. I have only done this 3 times so far, and he is not associating it with good things. His sleeping crate is too big for my car, but we have been offered a loan of a smaller one. This may or may not make a difference. Does anyone have any experience of an issue like this? Our Other Lab loved going in the car, so I was quite unprepared for this.
Many pups don't like the car to begin with and it's something we have to work at to make it pleasant. So first steps are for pup to just be in the car and quiet and treated for quiet. Next step is to close the car door for a second or two and then open and reward pup for quiet. Then get into car your self for a minute or two reward pup for quiet. Next step is start the car engine and sit for a minute or two and reward pup for quiet. Then drive to the end of your drive/road and return and reward pup for quiet if all goes well gradually extend the distance you travel. All steps need plenty of reiteration over several weeks to build confidence but it is worth the time and effort. If pup cries at any step you need to go back a step as you've moved on too fast. To help build a positive association with the car feed dinner in the car, or a nice tasty kong. When pup is happy in the car make sure that trips end at different places - the park, the vet or just the supermarket without getting out of the car but straight home as it helps to stop your dog becoming conditioned that car trips are to only to a specific place Good luck
So far there is no quiet. I have given him a treat for being in there and sitting, but he soon starts. The problem is I can't really treat if I am in the driving seat. Some days I am alone with him and want to go to a particular place with him, to see people. We do not always go to the same place. Thankfully he is not car sick. I was more wondering whether people have found that the pup settles better being in a crate in the car. He is making himself uncomfortable by standing up when the car is in motion.
That's why you start but just feeding treats while he is in the car and you are standing/sitting with him. Being in a crate may help but if a pup cries in the car a crate doesn't always make a difference and as you have also discovered he cries when in someone's arms as well.
Yes, @Jojo83 means you do this at first without going anywhere. So you don't need to be in the driving seat. Feed him his meals in the car then take him straight out again. Stuff like that. Make the car a good place before you even think about driving anywhere.
This is so true. I spent a few weeks when my puppy was little getting her used to the car after a couple of unpleasant short journeys. I would put her crate in the car, feed her in the crate while I sat by the crate. Gradually moved onto sitting in the driving seat but not leaving the drive, then just moving off the drive and straight back on. Then down the road and back. Bit by bit we went a bit further. Always lured her into her crate with a few treats, before shutting the door. It seems to take an age at the time but looking back (like all things), it didn’t take long.
And worth a few weeks of effort and patience to have a pup that enjoys car travel and settles well. I know we forget that my girl is in the car as she just jumps in and settles. Regardless of the length of our journey we only have to stop for toilet breaks - for us, not her It's so good to hear the successful training stories
Molly was appalling in the car at first -she sounded as if I were murdering her! It completely took me by surprise as my previous dogs had been fine from the word go. I think the plan given by @Jojo83 is a very good one and probably what I would do if faced with the same situation again. However it’s not what I did at the time. We live barely 2 minutes drive from the sea and a recreation ground, so I ignored the howling, drove to one of these spots and let Molly out for a fun off-lead time. I did this three times a day and within a week she was no longer howling. Then I started slightly longer journeys and before she was 4 months old we did a four hour drive ( with breaks) to visit relatives, without problems. So your problem can be solved by associating the car with something nice - food or a happy outing.
I guess I'll have to give it a go. He was fine when we brought him home. I think he is mainly indignant that we are inside the car and he can't be with us. He doesn't cry loudly when being held, just little whimpers, but he does the same thing when we take him for little walks. As soon as he sees another person or a dog he is happy. I should add that the car journeys in question are short anyway. I think he is uncomfortable as he is standing, which is why I wondered about a crate, I want to borrow one to try first as I don't want the extra expense if it does not help. Thanks for your ideas.
Cooper was not a very happy rider when we first got her, although she had just endured a 280 mile drive from Ontario OR to Portland. She started out riding in my wife's lap, but it only took a few trips and she was ok with riding, and she never got carsick. Tilly did get carsick a couple of times, but she never really minded riding regardless. With both dogs we started out with short trips and made sure they were to pleasant places. We have neighbors with Sammies that ride with us a lot. Both of them rode in the "wayback" and generally stood up, and explained loudly that I wasn't going the right way, or fast enough. I think they loved to ride, just were impatient to get somewhere. Our dog sometimes ride in the "wayback" of our Outback, with a dog guard behind the back seat, but often they ride in the back seat. I know it is not as safe, but they usually lie down and go to sleep after a little while.
Hi I would suggest going out daily and making it fun. Start with tiny steps like in the car and lots of praise and then build it up to moving car backwards/forwards and eventually for a minute out and back hope this helps.
Hi, my trainer lent me a crate when Cassie was a puppy and it was very helpful. I have a hatchback and it did mean the back seats had to be down for the crate to go in.She seemed to like it and another advantage was that I could safely leave her in the car without fear of her chewing seatbelts etc , I'd had that happen before with another puppy Once that risk passed she just has the boot area with a guard. When she was very little she cried in the car a few times, but I used to take to where my daughter has her horses and she ran around on her little legs having a lovely time, she was so tired coming home that she would fall asleep instantly, and has never really complained in the car since. So I think building up positive associations is the way forward.
I have a tiny car (i10) so Molly has always travelled on the back seat, wearing a harness attached to the seat belt.
Three of mine hated the car at first. I found a small cat-style crate helped, and I took them for very short journeys twice a day (starting at one minute). As they grew a little older and the car meant exciting adventures they soon grew out of it .
I must try and get the crate borrowed so that I can give it a try. I think it will help because he then won't be able to stand up. I just took him to the vet to weigh him, lots of fuss made of him and treat given. All other journeys have been to fun places and very short. I will also try just putting him in the car and going nowhere. I'll update when and if I have made any progress.
Totally agree with Jojo83's advice. Maisy was fine when we collected her, just interested in everything and she settled in my arms. But after that we put her in the back seat on her own on a blanket, but she would not settle and would dig up the blanket, whine, try and get in the front. (We started by using a harness on her that clipped into the seat belt, not a crate, but beware of these as she caught her leg in it and ended up tangled on her own in the back very distressed.) I often had to sit in the back with her to keep her settled whilst hubby drove and was thinking, like you, that we would never sort it out. However, I wanted to drive her about on my own so I got her in my car and we just sat and talked and looked out the window. Then next time just started the engine etc. just as Jojo83 has said. She now jumps in the back on command, also - very important - will not jump out of the car unless told to. She loves looking out the window and just watching even though she has a toy in the back with her, barking at cyclists that get too close!! Don't worry, it will all work out for you but it may take some time, persevere and you will be driving about all over the place before you know it.
Another thought regarding the standing - is he wearing a harness? When I put Maisy in with her normal walking harness she spent the whole journey standing, it was as if it was restricting her, I always make her sit before we start up but it was as if she couldn't. (It is a JuliusK9 one, quite bulky).
Whether he is in a harness or just a collar makes no difference. His objective is to get over the seat back to me once the engine has started. He is not loose; there is a metal D-ring to which I can attach the lead, so he cannot get out when I open the hatch. He will sit while I am arranging this but then try to get out. I have to put treats at the back of the boot so that I can shut it, but they do not occupy him for long.
Another thought is a remote trainer like the Treat and Train (there are cheaper alternatives, but I've not tried them so can't comment on how good they are). You can reward him as you drive then for any calm behaviours. But it really does sound this stems from anxiety at not yet being accustomed to the car, and suddenly separated from you in this strange place, so I would still recommend working on his emotional state in the car as a very first step. This might take a couple of sessions, might take a week or maybe more. But if you don't spend the time doing it now, you're potentially setting yourself up for a lifetime dealing with a dog who doesn't like the car, and that's stressful for you both.
Also, a thought suddenly sprung to mind from your last post - please don't tether your dog by the collar. If you brake suddenly, it could easily break his neck, or at the very least cause huge damage to his delicate throat.
