Hello everyone,

Plain and simple, the puppy hates car rides. When he knows he's getting into the car, he freezes up and tries to head in the other direction.

I don't *think* that I did anything to make him dislike car rides, other than a few times I rushed him in the morning and he ended up tossing kibble inside his crate.

The puppy rides in the car twice every single day. I have not yet tried using ginger and have been hesitant to feed him any sort of food for fear that it will make his car-sickness worse.

On the Leerburg videos, Ed talks about putting the dog in the crate inside the car for prolonged periods (when the car is parked). He feeds the dog inside the car and sometimes lets them stay in the car overnight. Then when they go for rides they are very short, around the block with the windows open.

I will admit that I have not tried this. I bring the dog to work each day and there is really no way around this.

I'm wondering if anyone has any other methods for helping the puppy to enjoy the car rides a little more...or hate them a little less.

Thanks.

Ken

I wouldn't feed him before your commute. Why not just give maybe a tiny milkbone for breakfast, do your commute and feed him at work.

If the carride does make him feel sick and his stomach is full and he makes a mess with vomit that is even MORE stressful during the ride.

My GSD's never got sick in the car, but both of them when they were young, would just as soon stayed home. Compared to my Lab who couldn't wait to leap in the car. Think GSD's can really bond to the home. So I never made a big deal when it was time for a car ride, just calmly would go get the pup and either take their collars to walk them to the car or pick them up. Very matter of factly, no coddling or sympathizing, just 'it's time to go so lets get in the car.'

The reason the crates can work so well is that it is a very safe place for a pup. So if the pup is stressing about the ride, a small confined space will make the ride easier for it.

And I would also recommend more short FUN trips. To a close park area, game of chase/tag/ball and then back home. Things like that. Short duration and 100% fun.

Jenn,

I have indeed given up on feeding him before the commute. I've found it works quite good for training too.

I'll get into work, check my morning messages and maybe conduct some business while I leave him in the crate in the car. I prepare his BAIT for him and then we go do a little work outside.

He normally does his pee/poop routine at home before we leave...

Anyhow, I think your idea about the short trips is a great one! I never thought about it because I live so close to so many places that we normally just walk to them. The beach, 2 different playgrounds, a ballpark etc. Great idea.

Thanks

I'm in the same boat. I have one dog that will run circles around the car and dance a little jig to get in his crate. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> My other dog hides behind bushes, squahes himself down to the ground and really, really, really hates the car. :rolleyes: Vomiting with him was more frequent when he was younger. Strange, with no change in routine sometimes I could put him in the car and drive 300 miles and he would be fine. Other times he has thrown up before I even get to the end of our driveway. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> I have noticed though that he seems to be outgrowing all of his fear and carsickness as he is approaching 1 year in age. What worked for me is no food or water prior to getting in the car. I've also learned to carry rolls of papertowels and plastic bags, and wetwipes to wipe out his crate. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I have a gsd/dobe/collie X that, when I adopted her at 6 months, would throw up within seconds of being in the car, moving or not. What finally fixed it was associating the car with absolutely anything fun in her life. I did not play with her at home; if she wanted to play, we got in the car, drove down to the park and played. Within a couple of weeks I had a dog that barks and jumps in circles at the mere mention of a car ride.

OTOH, My dobies were sired by a dog who flew to the USA with his owner at 8 weeks (in cabin, in her lap). He barfed all the way to the midwest.

He eventually got better, but never really enjoyed the car (always travelled crated in a panel van). His owner thought for a long time it was because of the long flight and car ride as a little pup.

I owned 2 of his daughters and one son. They are all between 12 and 8 years now. They were all horribly car sick puppies. They all ended up traveling a lot. One bitch now tolerates the car, one dislikes it but is rarely sick and the dog is still horribly sick sometimes.

There's definitely the potential for this to be genetic. They all had sensitive introductions to the car.