Stumped with 7 month old and Car

[TooLabs]

Can't figure out why my Murphey is absolutely unwilling to go anywhere near or in my car. I have been practicing with treats and positive praise and commands and he won't even come up to the car door. Older dog Baylee- hops right in and is wiggling and excited to go anywhere and even with her in the car or demonstrating he backs up and won't come. I have only managed to get him in the car and had to lift/push him and gave him treats and once he was in he was fine.. didn't wine and sat on backseat looking out window for the duration of the ride. He is now too large to even consider lifting so not sure what his "fear" of car is. He has not been "hurt" or had "bad" things happen. Any advice? Baylee gobbles up his treats and he was not able to go for ice cream over the weekend=---only Baylee and I went for icecream--poor Murphey stayed home because he was too scared to get in car-- he did get cup of ice cream brought home!

[smartrock]

Lark doesn't like to get in the car particularly, either. I still sometimes have to lift her front legs up and then her back legs. Sometimes I open all the car doors, put her on a leash, and if I go in one side and out the other, and call her after me, and use treats, she'll go in and out. I've just done it as a game as part of practicing obedience training and don't necessarily go anywhere, just in and out of the doors- Isn't this fun? I leave Chase inside when we're playing the game. She rides beautifully in the car, she's just hesitant to get it. She doesn't fight me and try to avoid getting in, she just doesn't voluntarily jump in. I don't take her places in the car all that often so she kind of forgets from one instance to the next but if we've played the car door game recently, she does pretty well. Try to make sure every trip isn't to get shots or get his ears cleaned. He didn't understand that some trips can be ice cream, I guess! That reminds me, we need to start practicing on the ramp so she'll walk up into the back of my SUV- she's too much for me to try to lift unless it's an emergency and my adrenalin has given me superhuman strength.

[KenZ71]

Once you do get him in the be sure to take him for fantastic treats. Ice cream, bacon from Dunkin, a biscuit from the bank drive through, etc.

Maybe simply leaving treats in the car will get thinking cars are good?

[ckfalz]

Is it jumping up into the car? Can you make it smaller step ups with rewards? Maybe coax to the step first, then on the step, then eventually in the car?

Ava jumps in the car fine but I can see she's never comfortable during the ride. She never has been since she was a pup. But she's still willing to get in, I think she understands she's going somewhere and that somewhere is fun.

[ZRabbits]

Poor Murphy! So sorry to hear about his concerns about the car. Lilly already loves going in the car. When we go out for our morning and evening walks now, she always stops and looks back at me.

But with Jake, who was thrown from a car at 3 months, it was a nightmare for him. Basically did what smartrock and ckfalz suggested. Made a game out of it. Didn't have another dog, but our Son (who was almost 5) loved jumping in and out of the car. Plus I had a small step, as Jake was always a bit tentative jumping in. I'd leave it open and both of them would climb around. Jake's fear never left, but we were able to help him cope with the ride. Sounds like all you need to do is just get that first step started.

Hate for Murphy to miss out. Though he got his ice cream at home, he didn't get to enjoy the journey getting that ice cream. Fingers crossed that you find a way. Come on Murphy, you can do it!

KAZ