About 3 weeks ago, my 4 year old vizsla decided that she didn't want to go in the car!! She has always got into the boot of my freelander with no problem. She started shaking and pulling away. I finally got her in and she was fine whilst traveling. Returning from our walk, she jumped in no problem. This happened every day, so I started walking locally and just getting her into the boot with treats etc but not going anywhere. I did that for over a week and have been away for 5 days so she had almost 2 weeks with no car. I thought she might be ok when I tried again this week but she is just as bad, if not worse. Any ideas?????
The Most Dog Friendly Community Online
Join Dog Forum to Discuss Breeds, Training, Food and More
Dog and the car!
- Thread starter HarleyDog
- Start date
- Messages
- 1,224
- Reaction score
- 320
- Points
- 83
First thing to rule out is pain. Is she finding it uncomfortable to jump, or be lifted, in the car?
Other than that, it sounds as if something has happened, that has scared her, around entering the car. Has she had a trapped foot or tail? Has she become noise sensitive to the closing of the boot? There is quite a change in pressure when a car door closes. This is the thing my dog hates. We have to have another door open to minimise the pressure change. He still cringes but he will enter the car now!
One dog we had hated the exhaust pipe to be running. We always had to switch off.
Vizslas are a sensitive breed so it may be something trivial that is worrying her. You may never know what it was that caused her to lose her trust in the car.
I would do as you have been doing and give her high value treats as she approaches the car. Make no attempt to get her in, just approach, reward and retreat. Once she is approaching the car happily you can open the boot. Repeat all the approach training again, with the boot open, until she is happy.
Next try to get her to take a treat from the edge of the bumper/boot. Repeat this lots of times until she Is happy.
Gradually move the treat a little further in so that she has to stretch in a little. Repeat lots of times.
Get in the boot yourself and lure her to come in a bit further to get the treat.
You get the picture
Don't move on a stage until she is happy in the previous stage. Only train when you have lots of patience so that the mood stays light and happy.
If all else fails, enlist the help of a trainer, from the APDT, to show you how to clicker train (unless you already know how) as this may lift her mood enough to crack her phobia.
Other than that, it sounds as if something has happened, that has scared her, around entering the car. Has she had a trapped foot or tail? Has she become noise sensitive to the closing of the boot? There is quite a change in pressure when a car door closes. This is the thing my dog hates. We have to have another door open to minimise the pressure change. He still cringes but he will enter the car now!
One dog we had hated the exhaust pipe to be running. We always had to switch off.
Vizslas are a sensitive breed so it may be something trivial that is worrying her. You may never know what it was that caused her to lose her trust in the car.
I would do as you have been doing and give her high value treats as she approaches the car. Make no attempt to get her in, just approach, reward and retreat. Once she is approaching the car happily you can open the boot. Repeat all the approach training again, with the boot open, until she is happy.
Next try to get her to take a treat from the edge of the bumper/boot. Repeat this lots of times until she Is happy.
Gradually move the treat a little further in so that she has to stretch in a little. Repeat lots of times.
Get in the boot yourself and lure her to come in a bit further to get the treat.
You get the picture
Don't move on a stage until she is happy in the previous stage. Only train when you have lots of patience so that the mood stays light and happy.If all else fails, enlist the help of a trainer, from the APDT, to show you how to clicker train (unless you already know how) as this may lift her mood enough to crack her phobia.
Welcome to Dog Forum!
Join our vibrant online community dedicated to all things canine. Whether you're a seasoned owner or new to the world of dogs, our forum is your go-to hub for sharing stories, seeking advice, and connecting with fellow dog lovers. From training tips to health concerns, we cover it all. Register now and unleash the full potential of your dog-loving experience!
Login or Register