My 4 1/2 month-old Malinois puppy is confident and obedient but he’s afraid of car rides, do you have any tips or advice?

We have a very confident and obedient 4 1/2 month-old Mal puppy that impresses us every day with his progress. Except his fear of car rides. He is willing to follow me anywhere until I open the car door. He slams on the brakes and tries to back up immediately. He has his own crate in the back of my car that he rides in but he will never approach it willingly. Lately, he has been riding up front in the passenger seat which he doesn't resist as much. When he is in the car he is silent and content, with no fits or panicking. I have tried luring him, running excitedly towards the car, and taking our time around the car (trying to normalize the car). He is fine in a crate outside of the car, and he has shown confidence in every other situation he has been in. This behavior has not gotten worse, but I would like to help him be less fearful of the car so it is not an ordeal to go somewhere. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cindy's Answer:

I think if this were my puppy all of his meals would be fed in the crate inside the car. I wouldn't make a big deal about it, just matter of factly put his food in the crate in the vehicle and I'd plunk him in there. If he's anything like every puppy I've ever raised before too long he'll be running to the car and waiting to be let into his crate in the vehicle.

I'd also let him spend time hanging out in the crate in the vehicle as much as possible when you aren't driving anywhere. My dogs are raised thinking the car is simply another place to spend time.