car anxiety

[dxboon]

Yes, my 2 snap to attention when we pull into a McDonald's parking lot- they know a plain cheeseburger is coming their way and Mom, please notice we're waiting patiently and stop eating those fries!

Your guys are lucky -- cheeseburgers! Very fancy. :-) Just plain old hamburgers when we go through McD's for my crew! :-) The workers at my local McDonald's always seem to ask twice to make sure I really just want a hamburger patty with nothing else (because who would want something like that?!).

[POPTOP]

Archie can't wait to get in the car, in his crate. He's antsy at first, excited, but quickly settles down. When we get where we're going, it's the same, excitement. I agree with the short trips to fun places, plenty of praise and treats. He'll soon learn that a ride means a snack or a fun walk or meeting people. Just go at it slow.

[zd262]

Bubba feels pretty ambivalent about the car now, though he hated it when he was a puppy. I basically take him everywhere with me, to the grocery store to pick up one item, to the hardware store, whatever it might be. The weather here is so temperate it's hardly ever unsafe to leave him in the car. I like having my co-pilot with me and he likes hanging his head out the window

[MightyThor]

Thor knows the car as "something that means he will soon be having the time of his life" and it's VERY hard to keep him calm. He'll relax when there's a long stretch at a consistent speed but each traffic light and turn is interpreted as pulling into a trailhead or something. It's almost the opposite - we were so careful to associate the car with positive experiences that now he thinks it's the most exciting thing in the world. I've actually been taking him on boring drives around the block just to let him know that every car ride doesn't mean an off leash hike. I love having a dog who interprets everything in life as the best thing that has ever happened to him but geez I wish he'd relax in the car!

One thing that has helped is using a car harness. When he's in the harness/vest and clipped into the seatbelt he tends to be less restless.

[silverfz]

Take the dog on short happy trips. Mine goes to dog parks , Petco , day care so associates my SUV with some fun activity .
Once I pull the truck she knows it's camping time and she will sit the driver seat as soon we started packing. She will stay till we leave. We worked it up with time.she last year did a 13 hr day trip .
Small happy trips.

I wonder if you can Gigi in the front seat with , move it people look.i am ready to camp. Below in the pick. She will sit there till we are ready to toll which is which as been long as 1 hr.



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[Sue]

Voodoo, My Abby is the exact same way. She'll completely shut down if the car is moving. She has ongoing ear problems, so I'm convinced it's probably that causing her "fear" of a moving car. Has Chili been checked for ear problems lately? Maybe just a regular cleaning.
It was so bad with Abby, I couldn't go on vacation and make her suffer with a car ride, so I ended up buying a used motorhome for her. Now how's that for spoiled? LOL! It does seem to help, although she stays glued to the couch when we're moving, or staring out the window from the couch, but at least she lies down and settles somewhat. She still won't eat until we stop, but that's okay, I really don't want her wandering around while we're in motion, even with the relatively smooth ride.
As far as Chili, I'd definitely get the ears checked, and short fun trips might work for him. Definitely try the Thundershirt, but make sure you get him used to it beforehand. If he doesn't have any fears of loud noises, it might not work as well. There are also pheromone collars that may help to calm him down. DAP is one of them. You might ask your vet if he/she carries them. If not, most any dog supply store carries them. Even Walmart has them.

[Snowshoe]

Is it the same car you've always had? Jet didn't like my new car with power windows and seats. It was just when they were in use that she was upset but some dogs might stay upset? Gee, if he doesn't like the car moving you'd think the car wash wouldn't help but it sounds like he had fun. Or was the car on in the car wash?

[smartrock]

Is it the same car you've always had? Jet didn't like my new car with power windows and seats. It was just when they were in use that she was upset but some dogs might stay upset? Gee, if he doesn't like the car moving you'd think the car wash wouldn't help but it sounds like he had fun. Or was the car on in the car wash?

I think there's both a new car and a new crate to ride in but it sounds like it began before those came on the scene, if it was after the 2 week training camp and the truck being towed.

[voodoo]

Its in any car we have tried. the trainer I hired even tried airhorns that she said kinda helped...when I crate him in the gunner kennel and put him in bed of my truck he does a little better, but my wife doesnt like him back there. the new variocage kennel I bought I mainly use in new crossover and my truck backseat. He also calms down a bit if I give him rymidal(I think that was it) on longer rides. but thats usualluy due to him sleeping

[voodoo]

well I just scheduled an appt for chili's annual checkup with vet for tomorrow afternoon. aside from ears, anything else I should request? blood tests maybe? I just took him on short ride and he hates the variocage maybe...he bolted out of my lifted high truck probably a good 4 or 5 feet to the ground. then as soon as he hit the ground he smiles at me and is like lets play/normal. thundershirt might have made it worse.