Dogs sometimes cause stress in the car, they pant, salivate, bark and tremble. You should get your four-legged friend used to it at an early stage, proceed very slowly and give him security in the car. For example, getting him used to a box at home where he has support and feels safe. Once you’ve done that, you get him used to the pits in the car, but you should also proceed slowly and carefully. The training is the same as that to the back seat or the trunk.
Learn more while having fun with the dog
open all the doors and take something very tasty with you, meat sausage or something similar is a good idea. Then lure the dog into the car when he eats the sausage, that’s great – because stress and eating is not an option. There are rewards for smaller steps, for example when he puts his paws on the boarding aid and thus makes contact with the car. Incidentally, the exercises should be extended to a weekend or several days. Then it’s good if the dog should go through the car or jump – in and out. If he does it with pleasure, open a window and close a door. The meat sausage is then passed through the window. If he takes it, open the door immediately. It can’t be done all at once. If you go too fast and the dog is stressed, you may have to start all over again.
The dog is stressed when it doesn’t take a treat
Only when you can close the doors and he stays on the back seat, sit down and feed him. If that works well, start the car and turn it off again – he should accept it. If he sits quietly in the crate, in the back seat, or in the trunk, taking treats, very gently try to pull away. It is best to roll onto the road first and then back again. Then open the door and play with the dog – let the dog look for a treat, for example. Nose work relaxes and makes you tired. Ginger eliminates dizziness when driving, maybe he drinks ginger water or globules. The best advice is to train a lot in a playful way. If the dog understands that driving a car leads to play and fun, then you’ll soon have made it. (The author has seen several dogs over the years, most of them obsessed with driving. One would jump right in if he saw a car door open.)
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