sam, i guess the vinegar and water spray would be a non-treat way to do this, but i really try to avoid punitive/negative punishment if i can. if there was a way for the vinegar spray to hit him without it coming from me, i think that might be better, but i can't think of a way to do that.

I would just turn the stereo up and drown out the whining <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Citronella collar. works like the bark collar, but sprays citronella spray. Or a catapult. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

hey jeff: <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Hey Alice,

If you are going to teach the quiet command (and it sounds like you have the right idea) make sure it is done outside of the car. I would not do any negative reinforcement in the vehicle for fear of association.

I like Tracy's idea's on marking quiet behavior. Would your dog occupy himself with a nice bone on road trips?

While working on the 'quiet'command outside of the car, on trips do try to limit his vision out the windows, even if it means constructing a curtain behind the front seat. 'Crated' dogs are a bit quieter.

Increase his frequency of trips out as a passenger, even if is around to the corner store. Once the dog knows every trip out is not going to be a doggie excursion, he will stop anticipating every car ride.

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some good ideas. tracy's suggestion makes me wonder if this could begin as clicker training?

Alice,
I consider myself a reformed "clicker trainer". I say "reformed" as clicker training can take on almost a religious ferocity which I don't like. It's a powerful tool, and I am a big fan of it.

With that said, I use a clicker maybe 5% if the time in my training. The theories behind clicker training are the same as behind any kind of training. The clicker is to R+ what a prong or e-collar is to P+...a tool that exacts a bit more precision.

A clicker is like a scalpel, while a verbal marker is like a butter knife. Truth is, in most dog training, and in this circumstance in particular, you don't *need* a scalpel. It is almost too precise of a tool to train something like "quiet".

I'm probably not expressing myself properly, but trying to describe why I would simply use "gooooooood" in this case. It is more calm, there is more duration to it (which you are going for with the "quiet" behavior), and it won't get the dog as worked up as a clicker might.

You use verbal markers in the exact same way you would use a clicker....all of the *theory* is the same....it's just a matter of selecting the proper tool for the job.

T

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While working on the 'quiet'command outside of the car, on trips do try to limit his vision out the windows, even if it means constructing a curtain behind the front seat. 'Crated' dogs are a bit quieter.

This is a good idea, too. One way this might work would be to get one of those barrier nets (here's a picture of one - http://www.furlongspetsupply.com/back_seat_dog_barrier.htm), and just simply drape a sheet over the top of it. I have one that I use just to keep the dog(s) from trying to climb up front when I'm driving.