Custom Search
|
|
Dog In The Car: How To Have A Car-happy Pooch
Wouldn't you like to change that? Wouldn't you like to have a road trip buddy who's a pleasure to travel with, your dog joyously sticking his head out of the window letting the wind blow back his ears on the way to play frisbee at the beach or dog park? There are times when you have to take your dog somewhere in the car. They have to go to the vet or groomer or you're taking them to stay with a friend when you go out of town. That's part of the problem most dogs have with cars and being so fearful of going anywhere in them. It's because every time they do, something bad or unpleasant happens to them. Understandable. We'd be a little freaked out over that, too. If your dog is fearful, let's get him over that. The first thing to do is to put him in the car with you. Right there in the driveway. You aren't going anywhere – you aren't even going to start the engine. You're just going to sit there and talk to him in a calm, happy voice and pet him for 5 minutes. At the end of the 5 minutes, get both of you out of the car, praise him and give him a treat. Play with him for a while, something fun he enjoys, then repeat the process for another 5 minutes. Praise and play. That's enough for one day. Do this for several days in a row, or maybe skip one day but not more than that if you can help it, extending the time in the car by a minute or two each day. Once he's staying calm in the car, try it with the engine running. Don't drive anywhere, just run the engine so he'll get used to the sound and vibrations. Again, pet him, praise him and play with him afterwards. He needs to unlearn the unpleasant associations and replace them with good ones. When he's cool with that, try a short trip around the block, then longer trips, always praising, treating and playing with him afterwards. You will have a road trip buddy soon, one who looks forward to it! If your dog enjoys riding in the car already but gets rowdy and too hyper to make it a pleasant experience for you, there's an easy way to fix it. Have him on his leash and when you get to the car, but don't open the door until he's calm. Once he is, open the door and let him jump in. Sit there with the car engine off until he's calm again and sitting or lying on the seat. Praise him for being such a good, calm boy. No treats for this one, his reward is to get to GO. Start the engine but don't move unless he's calm and quiet. Sit there for as long as it takes. Drive around the block a few times, pulling over any time he starts to get rowdy or bark. Sit there until he's calm, praise him, then continue. You will be amazed how quickly this works with most dogs, even the most excitable. Now that you've gotten this far, GO! Take your dog places – quick trips are great, even if it's just a quick trip to the drive-though window at the bank or lunch in the car at the Sonic. Show him that car trips are fun and routine and you'll have a well trained, car dog buddy forever. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Pat is a former Wildlife Biologist and animal trainer (birds, dogs and ferrets). For more information on training, nutrition and health of your pets, please visit her pet resource website at 4 Fur People and her blog Pet Passion Paradise Blog. |
|