Help! Gracie is having a problem with car sickness

[Vickie]

- any tricks or advice. She was fine until she got her last series of shots. On the way home she got sick and the next time I took her out she got sick. Now she won't go near the car, I have a Honda van and I think that could be part of the trouble. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Gracie will be 4 months old on the 1st of September, is there any chance she will outgrow this. The last couple of times I took her for a ride, she didn't get sick - there is a little progress. She still hates the car. She won't even walk past it, I've had to pick her up just to get her in thew car.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Guinness also gets carsick. He's five months now, and our vet says he will probably outgrow it. I cut way back on his food if we are going any distance in the car. I asked about using a motion sickness drug, but our vet wanted to wait until he is a little older. I know he can't enjoy riding because he just feels too sick.

[Vickie]

Thanks for the advice.

[Lynne B]

Can you put her on the floor? It's usually a disorientation caused by looking at things moving past and feeling the motion of the car at the same time, usually whether it's a dog- or a person, if they don't look out the windows, or if they look straight ahead they don't get sick

[Vickie]

Tried the floor and the seat, doesn't seem to matter - thanks for the advice.

[Tammy & Gracie]

I think she will outgrow it. Maybe try her in a plastic kennel that she can't see out of too much. Do, try not to feed her for several hours before you go on a car ride. Also, she may have fear or think the car is connected to bad things like the vet. Take her on many short trips to fun places like parks, friends houses, playdates, etc.

[Vickie]

thanks for the advice, I'll try everything I can

[elyse]

She probably will outgrow this. Our last dog got car sick for the first year we had her. I tried all the tricks that people told me, to no avail. The funniest one I tried was to give her skittles when we were in the car. I had a white standard poodle that ended up with a rainbow face and paws from the skittles and she still got sick. Then I tried sugar, because I was told that would work. Not as funny as the skittles, but it still didn't work. I would give her a training treat to get her in the car, and that did work out pretty good. I kept lots of bags and paper towels in the car for our trips. Then about at a year old, on our way to a dog show, she didn't get sick. And that was the last of it. :0)

[Vickie]

I replied and don't know where it went, so if you get this twice it will be thank you twice. You are so funny, love the skittles story - I would have tried that too. Guess I'll just keep trying and hope that eventually she will not get sick. I just feel so bad for her she looks so miserable. Thanks for the advice.

[Marilyn Polacci]

Our Clancy arrived from her breeder soaking wet! We all wondered what the heck happened to her on the ride to us. We quickly solved the mystery the first time we took her out in our car. This little dog began to drool the moment you put her in the car. Now I'm not talking a little dribble here. She was like a furry garden hose. The drool soaked her coat, the car seat, it was incredible. She HATED the car. So, we did a couple of things. My husband used to take her out to the car in the driveway and just sit in the car with her. I take and pick up my kids from school daily, so I made sure I always brought her, miserable or not. She made sure to lay her head on my arm while I drove so that my shirt would be wringing wet by the time we got home. In the end, what it took was time. Eventually she became curious about what was outside the car. She'd peek. Now, at 7 months, she loves the car and likes to get as close to the window as possible to do her "Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful" pose as the wind blows through her hair. Keep the faith, there's a real good chance the same will happen for you.

[Vickie]

Gracie will be 5 months old the 1st of October, she's not getting sick anymore - but the drool factor is there. I know what you mean about the garden hose. She's been going to puppy class (which she loves), at times it's really bad and others not so much.I was told by her instructor that it's not so much motion sickness as anxiety. I am keeping the faith that this too shall pass. We are taking her as much as we can to anything that is fun for her, we just put a shower curtain down under her. Thank you for giving me hope.
Vickie