Help! Doodle scared of being in the car.

[Allison]

My GD has never liked being in the car. She is a little over a year now. She got carsick when she was younger and I think this has always been the problem. We've always had her in the car a lot and take her places weekly. She won't jump up into the car, so we always have to pick her in. She is a bit heavy for me. We always put her in a seatbeat/harness which seems to make her feel a little more secure. My husband and I have always made it playtime when we go somewhere, but it doesn't seem to help. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Kay and Tanner.]

Tanner loves to go for a ride in car, but there for awhile he used to want to play before he got in the car...Now I keep a bag of treats in the car, so when we go for a ride now he knows that he will get a treat ...He jumps right in.

[Adina P]

Hi Allison...sorry about the trouble with your doodle and the car. Can you tell us a little bit more about her behavior?

When does she start to show fear...at what point from leaving your house to getting in the car? What have you tried besides carrying her into the car? How does she show fear at the point of arriving at the car? Does she just resist getting in or does she fight to back up or go away?

When she's finally in the car what does she act like? Has she been carsick lately?

What types of things have you already tried?

Adina

[Allison]

Adina,

Poor thing, she got sick the first time she was in a car. On our way home from Staunton, she got sick. She use to get sick a lot before she was around 8 mos. She hasn't gotten sick since then, but she starts resisting and pulling away from the car when we approach and when she realizes we are going for a ride. She isn't scared of a car because she will go close to parked cars on our walk, but it is when she knows she is having to get in. I have a small SUV and she usually sits in the backseat. I tried to get her to jump in the back where there is plenty of room, but she just stood there looking at me like I was crazy. :-) We try to get excited and I have tried the treats. I just feel so bad for her, but I try hard not to pamper her when she acts this way because I think it would make it worse. She doesn't whine or make a noise getting in the car or once she is in the car. She is really stiff and it takes forever before she lays down. Hopefully this gives you more information. I wish i could figure something out. It is tough because we love to have her with us whenever possible.

[Dori]

Hi - our almost year old GD also hates the car. He still gets carsick from time to time. We've tried the treats - but he is never eager to get in - even when we are going someplace fun like the beach. We try to elevate him up so he can see out the window and roll it down from time to time as well - and that seems to help. But we always have to lift him in, and then he is just very still and quiet once in. Any advice would be appreciated here as well.

[Adina P]

Is the jump up high? Is it a tight squeeze to get in? Rosco loves to come with me and does fine in the car once he's in but he's always been SUPER slow to get in...kinda hesitant. I drive a Beetle and he's BIG and so unless the front seats are way in...he feels squashed entering and hesitates. However I can guarantee you that if there was a super important prize inside Rosco'd FLY in! Perhaps do some practice with your GD JUST getting in and out with a really great treat (something he rarely gets) on the other end for him?

[Tammy]

We need to try the practice thing without going anywhere because Zoe hates to get in the car too.

[38kijwn0b88tn]

Nala used to get sick too as a pup and now, she LOVES going places in the car, BUT she whines the entire time. I think she's learned that she has to put up the woosy car ride to get to the place she wants to go. She seems to do much better when we allow the window to be open, even in the freezing winter! But the suggestions others were talking about are right. Have her go in and out with out actually going somewhere, although it seems as though the bumpy ride is probably what makes her sick. Practicing will help though! Also, as yummy treats are a good lure, try not to feed her too much before you go because that can add to the sickness. Try peanut butter on your finger or something that will take a little while to eat up and is not so "filling" like 20 biscuits are.
As far as lifting her up, if you take a rag/towel etc. and put it up under her belly, close to her legs and use that as like a "handle" when lifting up her rear-end into the car, it may help!
Good Luck to you!

[1v200f3rbrnxk]

my GD Peanut was like that too...then one day I leaned in the car to get something and she just hopped in (totally shocked me) since then no problem
I also found she like riding in car much better if Max our LD was with her.

the car sickeness started at 11mos old....finally fixed it by taking numerous daily drives doing few miles at a time and increasing them over several weeks.
no drooling now, no decorating the side pockets of my doors : )

[Crystal Parker]

Our Harriet was the same way. Try putting your baby girl in the car and just sit there, don't start it, just to get her used to it. Take baby steps, next day, start it, let it run for a minute, then next day, go around the block, you get the idea. One thing that really helps Harriet is if we crack both back windows about two inches.. Also, I noticed that if I take straight roads vs. curvy ones, she does much better.. She used to literally foam at the mouth every car ride she was so nervous.. She's a little over a year now, and much better! Hope your baby girl grows out of it, too.. ;-) All our Best xo Crystal and family...

p.s. don't feed her anything about two hours before a car ride, found that out the hard way too.. ;-)

[williwoo]

Our Willow threw up the whole drive home from the breeder! She was carsick for several months and was hesitant to get in the truck. We started just sitting in the truck in the garage with her for a while. She'd get a treat when we were finished, and she has no problems now! good luck!

[2aged24xuje2h]

This discussion was very helpful. Finnegan also gets car sick. I'll give the suggestions a try to see if it works for us too! Thank you.