Help a pet dog that doesn’t like riding in the automobile
Note: Dawn Ross of the Pet automobile safety blog shares her ideas on how to help a pet dog that doesn’t like riding in the car.
What is the normal image that pertains to mind when you think of a pet dog in the car?
It’s the pet dog with his head out the window and a big, puppy grin on his face, right?
But for whatever reasons (bad experience, unfamiliarity, fearful tendencies, for example) some dogs really do not like riding in the car.
If you have such a dog, here are some things that can help.
How to train your pet dog to like riding in the car
The primary thing you can do to help a pet dog that is terrified of automobile rides is to introduce him to the automobile slowly and positively.
People don’t get rid of their fears overnight, so don’t expect these training ideas to “cure” your pet dog of his concern quickly either. The following steps will take time (days, weeks or longer), and it is even possible that your pet dog will never come to like riding in the car.
But in the long run, pet dog training methods using desensitization, counter conditioning, and positive reinforcement can go a long way to help minimize your dog’s anxiety.
1. introduce your pet dog to the outside of the car.
Introduce your pet dog to the automobile from the outside, but don’t take him in the car. walk around it, let your pet dog sniff it, and reward him with treats or his favorite toy. If you use clicker training, click and reward. If you use your voice, praise in an upbeat tone. always keep your voice upbeat.
2. sit in the automobile without the automobile running.
Once your pet dog is safe with step 1, sit in the automobile with him but don’t turn the automobile on. get him to play if you can or just sit quietly and reward him with treats. Be careful about soothing (more on that below).
3. sit in the automobile with the automobile running.
Make sure your pet dog is comfortable with step 1 and 2, then sit in the automobile with the automobile running but don’t go anywhere (make sure your automobile is outside and not in the garage in buy to stop carbon monoxide poisoning). If it is just you training your dog, sit at the wheel and have your pet dog sit where you are going to expect him to sit when you drive. considering that you’re not driving, it is ok to distract your pet dog with treats or toys.
4. Take short drives.
Once it seems your pet dog has gotten used to being in your automobile when it’s running, take short drives around town. If possible, avoid too much turning as this can cause automobile sickness. go to the drive-through at your bank or favorite fast food place. check out a park or a pet store. Make sure your destination is not a place your pet dog hates, like the groomer or vet office. and make sure you never leave your pet dog alone in the automobile while you run errands.
5. Make your trips a bit longer.
At this point, you can start to make the road trips longer and longer. Remember, the a lot more frequently you do these steps, the better. For example, do step 1 three times a day each day for weeks, if needed, before moving onto the next step. once you get to step 4, try to do it once a day or a few times a week. The amount of time it takes for each step depends on your consistency and on your dog’s level of concern of automobile rides.
Other valuable ideas to get a pet dog used to the car
Dog training is a long-term option that can take even longer if you are not working at it regularly. Fortunately, there are a few supporting ideas to help. some of the following ideas may do the trick to help your pet dog be less stressful on automobile rides, but a lot of are simply supporting methods that work best in conjunction with pet dog training. They are:
1. A pet crate.
Some dogs feel a lot more comfortable in a den-like enclosure. If your pet dog is already crate trained, using the familiarity of her own “den” can add to her comfort. often dogs don’t like to ride in the automobile because they keep sliding off the seat when you take a turn or stop. A pet travel crate can also help with this. Incidentally, so can a pet dog automobile seat belt. learn a lot more about these products here and here.
2. Familiar items.
Your pet dog will probably be much a lot more comfortable in the automobile if there is something he is familiar with such as his own pet bed or a few toys.
3. Pet anxiety remedies.
There are a number of medications, pet dog appeasing pheromones (DAP), natural herbal remedies and anxiety wraps that claim to help dogs be calmer. Your vet may be able to supply a calming medication with L-Theanine, Benzodiazepines or other types of pet anxiety drugs.
For natural, herbal vital oils and aromatherapy, look for ingredients like chamomile, rockrose, lavender, valerian root or bergamot. two terrific examples of natural pet anxiety remedies include Rescue remedy and one specifically for dogs with anxiety about automobile rides – travel Calm. anxiety wraps include the Thundershirt, Rein Coat and others.
4. Windows down.
A fresh breeze in the automobile can help to minimize the anxiety of some dogs when they ride in the car, so roll down a window. Also, some dogs don’t like riding in the automobile because they get automobile sick. Making sure they can see out the window can help to minimize automobile sickness. If you have a small dog, consider a pet dog automobile booster seat.
5. Soothing music.
Music can do wonders for people, and believe it or not it can do wonders for a pet dog too. Piano music has been shown to be soothing to dogs. In fact, through a Dog’s Ear has a number of CDs to help dogs with anxieties and other issues.
6. someone in the back seat.
Having someone your pet dog knows in the back seat can be very valuable to a pet dog that doesn’t like riding in the car. They can help calm the pet dog with a massage, t-touch techniques, or just to simply distract the pet dog with toys. Be careful about soothing the pet dog too much. It is suspected that soothing a pet dog confirms that the automobile is something to be terrified of. The person in the back of the automobile must make sure that their own emotions are calm and that they behave as naturally as possible so as not to give the wrong message.
Every pet dog is different, so some dogs may respond to training faster than others. and some dogs do very well with pet anxiety remedies while on others they don’t work at all. find what works best for your dog, and then maybe someday your pet dog will come to love riding in the car.
What has helped your pet dog learn to like (or put up with) the car?
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