Puppy hates the car

[Helen Wells]

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New puppy seems to have a fear of the car. She cries and was even sick once.
I live alone so have to travel with her by myself mostly.
I'm trying to get her used to it by feeding her treats in the car when stationary and then will gradually do short trips.
I wondered if anyone had any advice on best way to restrain anxious puppies in the car? She's in a travel case on the back seat at the moment but I don't know if this is making it worse or not...

 

[Jan Woodhall]

New puppy seems to have a fear of the car. She cries and was even sick once.
I live alone so have to travel with her by myself mostly.
I'm trying to get her used to it by feeding her treats in the car when stationary and then will gradually do short trips.
I wondered if anyone had any advice on best way to restrain anxious puppies in the car? She's in a travel case on the back seat at the moment but I don't know if this is making it worse or not...

Can not advise on this one but will watch closely the advise as I too have difficulties with my pup! Best of luck!

 

[Helen Wells]

Can not advise on this one but will watch closely the advise as I too have difficulties with my pup! Best of luck!

Thank you! You too. How old is yours?

 

[JudyN]

If motion sickness is a problem, she might be better if she can see out the window. But your approach of having quality time in the stationary car is the right one - the first 'trips' can literally be just starting the engine, progressing to moving a couple of feet, to going out the drive and straight back in again...

 

[JoanneF]

Sometimes it's the fear of the car but sometimes it's the anticipation of the nausea. A ginger biscuit 15 minutes before leaving can help settle nausea.

 

[Jan Woodhall]

Thank you! You too. How old is yours?

5 months now. He had a very long journey 10.5 hours and had been great for the first 8 hours, then I guess he went into panic mode, would not eat or drink and I had to drip some water into him! It was dreadfully hot too and I had windows open and AC on as best as I could. However, on the bright side, today I bought another car he was able to walk up the ramp and down again, and on the second attempt he lay down in the boot and I sat with him for a couple of minutes this gives me hope that he will recover and travel again!

 

[RGC]

Our rescue whippet was an absolute nightmare in the car. She would drool and eventually throw up. This must have been down to anxiety although we couldn’t pinpoint it exactly at the time. Her previous home was with two ‘show’ whippets and I think she must have been bundled into the car to accompany the family to shows. I did what everyone has said hitherto - piece of ginger biscuit, just sitting in the car with her. I did get some stuff from Dorwest but eventually Mabel started to associate car journeys with happy things - walks and meeting other dogs and the anxiety has gone. Yesterday she had a journey of almost 2 hours - our usual journeys are no more than 10 minutes. When we got to our friends I took her for a gentle stroll and she passed almost liquid poos which was surprising as her earlier poo prior to the long journey was solid. I can only surmise that the stopping and starting (damned roadworks) may have made her anxious. I’m sure that you’ll get there. If Mabel got through it your pup will.

 

[Hemlock]

Great advice from the others, so I am just adding a couple of things - don't have the radio on in the car when pup is in it, as this can really hurt sensitive ears (much more sensitive than ours) and make sure pup is lying on something that doesn't conduct electricity, as static shock puts many dogs off car travel.

 

[RGC]

“...I did get some stuff from Dorwest....”. This was “Scullcap & Valerian” tablets. I also bought “Valerian Compound” which is in liquid form. These are for anxiety and travel sickness. Whether they actually worked or whether Mabel realised that the car meant happy events, I don’t know, but she no longer gets anxious nor throws up in the car. I must emphasise I am not a vet and have no scientific background nor knowledge - I am to science what Beethoven was to ice hockey. I’m sure you’ll get there.