# For anyone who's V has car travel issues!



## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

I just wanted to give a little info for all of those who's vizsla has problems travelling in the car. 

Until the last 3 weeks we had loads of problem with Elza. We bought a second car with a boot and we thought she would be happier to sit or lay in there safely. How wrong we were! She went nuts in there, crying trying to get to the front by pushing the divider, scratching it. Then would go quiet and throw up many times. After being sick in the car she started to poo in the car too. That was not because she had to, we made sure she had done her business before we put her in the car. We figured this was stress related and tried to figure out how to ease her anxiety. 
We tried again to sit with her on the back seat. She didn't get sick but would walk all over me pulling and trying to get to the front seat or just my partner. I new I had to be calm but it's pretty hard when you've got your dog's arse in your face and her nails pushing into your skin, etc. Although it was better than her being sick. 
I emailed my breeder for some advice and she mentioned the 
DAP SPRAY! Honestly!!! It's the best thing I have ever purchased for Elza! You have to spray the car with it 20-30 mins before you travel and that's it. I have to add that we bought a harness with a seatbelt too so she would sit alone at the backseat but still stay safe. At the beginning she would be still standing for even on a 20 mins car journey but after we were able to take her out in the car a few more times she understood it's ok to sit down. 
Last week we drove an hour and a half to a forest I found in Canterbury and she lay down after 20 mins! What an achievement! : We had a great walk, she was tired and on the way back she lay down after a few mins! Hurray! 
Since then she would lay down on any car journey. AND I have to say I haven't even used the spray since last week! It might still has its effect in the car but the box says it last for 2-3 hours.
Tomorrow we will have another trip to the forest with a longer drive and I will use the spray just in case but hey she's okay! 
I'm very happy since its so many nice woods around us with just a short car journey and it's so much easier and of course no stress. 

I'm hoping those of you who struggles find my post because its been a 100% change with Elza and I do believe the spray made a huge difference to her. Good luck! 

Here's a post to the spray:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adaptil-D...pplies_Dogs&hash=item4ab728a963#ht_1101wt_689


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## Katja (Mar 9, 2012)

adrino said:


> We bought a second car with a boot and we thought she would be happier to sit or lay in there safely. How wrong we were! She went nuts in there, crying trying to get to the front by pushing the divider, scratching it.


I need an English->American translation. I thought "boot" was what we call "trunk" and I can't imagine anyone putting a dog in the trunk, so it must mean something else. Anyone?


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## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

Station wagon?


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

Yeah, I'm guessing a station wagon or SUV--something where there isn't a trunk separate from the rest of the vehicle.

And yay for getting Elza to be better with car rides! Jasper had a hard time for the first few months. Now he LOVES them, and basically wants to be everywhere in the car unless he's got his seatbelt restraint on.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

I read that a car is like crate on wheels. 
Once they get used to it, it really relaxes them. 
They enjoy the smells and visual sights (once they learn to look ahead, otherwise, looking out the side window they will get sick in a hurry, especially at the beginning).


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Adrino, I have this image of your puppy in the trunk/boot - I don't think. Maybe a hatch back????

Well done for sorting the problem. I have just followed your link to ebay and bought some DAP for an elderly gentleman with a whippet who is in my puppy training class. He gets so upset bring the whippet to class as it gets so sick.. so I am going to donate him a bottle of DAP.

This is what this forum is all about... Many thanks


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Oops! Yes it's an SUV... English is my second language and sometimes I just use the wrong word. :-[

*Hotmischief* I hope the spray will do wonders for the whippet too!

Well here we come today for another journey since England finally has warmed up! ;D 8)


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Your English is great....wish my French was as good  

Isn't the weather just great. Do you take your V swimming? I guess that might be difficult in London. If you ever feel like joining my boys for a walk and a swim we live about an hours drive west of London just PM me.

Will let you know how the whippet gets on with the DAP. Many thanks.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Oh that would be great. We arrange something in the near future! 
We have a lake in the park where we take her daily but she still doesn't go in. ??? The other day met with a lady with two vizslas and they went into the water and was hoping Elza would follow them but she just waited for them to come out then argued why they left her behind! :
Also another place we take her has a stream. She does like that so hopefully soon enough she will get used to the water. 

So nice to have this weather, it's been so cold for so long! We enjoy it while we can! 8) 

Definitely let me know about the whippet. It would be great to know that the DAP really works.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Yes DAP can work for many different things. I used to use a DAP collar on a previous dog that didn't handle having to be left at a kennel if we were going out of town. I would put it on her two weeks before the trip and she seemed to be less stressed while we we gone.


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## Suliko (Sep 17, 2011)

I wish I had known such product when my Sophie was little... She was very anxious when riding in the car. We did LOTS of training! 

P.S. Your English is great! English is my 3rd language, and sometimes things just don't come out the way I intented


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

What a lovely day out we had! ;D
Elza was great in the car, on the way I still used the DAP and also put her favourite bone next to her. Which she chewed actually! After a 2 hour walk in the forest she was really tired so she fell asleep first time ever. 
I am so happy that my breeder suggested this spray, it's good when you can keep in contact and they help whenever they can. 

Here some pics of the trip to King's Wood. :


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Love the photos - the woods with the Blue Bell are beautiful  

*Suliko* Your English is great, I wouldn't have known it was your third language 8)


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## Lindsey1420 (Jan 28, 2012)

Jack was a bad rider himself. One time I was staying over night with my parents and took Jack's bed with me. Apparently his bed was the trick. He rode to my parents so perfectly. Did not move an inch unless he was getting up to poke his head out the window. Now anytime I grab his bed he knows he is leaving. Anytime he goes on a car ride he rides in his bed. Might get that a try too.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

What is DAP? 
Some kind of catnip for dogs?


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## Looney (Sep 28, 2011)

May be this stuff at the vets you can spray in the kennel to soothe them. A fake hormone that reminds them of the litter.


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## Looney (Sep 28, 2011)

Chillin in the back. 14.99 cover from Walgreens.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

http://www.adaptil.co.uk/

We had her bed in there too, but even that didn't make any difference until we started to use the spray. It's brilliant, now we barely need it. :


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Adrino, the Adapt arrived this morning. That was very quick. I have puppy training class tonight so will take to give to the whippets owner - I really hope it works as this will save him dosing the poor little thing with Sturgeron  

Will let you know how he gets on.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Can't wait to hear the good news! :
It's been such a success with us that I really hope it will work for others too. Elza now lays down after a minute in the car and just relaxes until we get to our destination. 8)

By the way thanks for the compliments about my English and the photos. I wish I would have a proper dig camera to take better pics. :-[


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Peter, the gentleman with the whippet was really excited when I gave him the DAP. I told him how success it had been with Elza.

Unfortunately, I won't see him now for 2 weeks as next monday is a public holiday so no dog training. I should have given him my telephone number. We will just have to wait and see. Let you know how it goes.

I am so pleased that it has helped Elza.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Any news on the whippet hotmischief?

We have one more day before our 1070 miles journey begins!
Wish us luck! :


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Well, we had our 1070 miles journey!!!

Sprayed the car only at the beginning of the day. First day unfortunately she threw up her breakfast and had a bit of drooling too but that stopped soon and she just slept most of the time or chewed her bone. That was 11 hours with all the stops and using the Eurotunnel. We only fed her at night after that so she wouldn't get sick again in the car. The second day, we didn't feed her at all till we arrived to our destination. Like that she was fine all day and didn't drool at all. On that day in the car was even better. She just knew it's better if she sleeps. We travelled for about 9 hours with stops. 

Now I can confidently say Elza is great in the car, she behaves well and doesn't get anxious. We only used the DAP spray at the beginning and it was enough. Probably once we get back we won't need to use it again. 

It's been a long journey and we still have to do it going home but hey it's all worth it when you finally get to see your loved ones!


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Hi sdrino,

No news as to how the whippet is doing with the car travel. Boris has moved up to the next level of training class so didn't see him last week/ I will email my friend who runs the classes and ask her if she saw Peter last night.

Glad you have had so much success with it. Can you imagine what a nightmare it would have been if you had had to make that journey amd Elza had been car sick. Sounds like you had a good time.

On a different note. I am try to sort a date for a whizz at the beach at W Whittering. I know you guys work most weekends. If you want to come let us know which weekend you are off in July (hope you have a weekend off) and we can go with that. OrangeMonkey with Pip and I met up with the Surrey Vizs one Sunday and it was really great fun - the dogs just went mad!!! I didn't see Boris for the first 40 minutes - he obviously didn't care if I was there or not.

Look forward to hearing from you. Heather


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Hi Heather! ;D

Yes, Elza was a big worry with the car as you know and I would have had to come to see my family on my own if she wouldn't have improved. But all went well and my parents absolutely love Elza! 8)

I just checked my rota and we will not have any weekend off until september... :'( :'( :'( :'( :-[ and even then just Sunday off for a while. 
Elza really needs a good run now! I just hope even if it's later in the year we still can meet up one day to have a great vizsla time!

I'm still looking forward to hear about the whippet. :

Adriana


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## roxy2011 (May 21, 2012)

now i have a hatch back car and i bought a dog gate to go accross the back of my seats as they are leather and didnt want them clawed, roxy used to jump in no problem at all and was happy to ride there. since i got her back from her holiday home though she is being really stubborn and refusing to jump in and freaks out when i put her in there...she has lots of room as its an audi hatch and her bed and toys are in there too but she hates it at the moment and since we walk in alot of mud and she swims all the time its the only way to get out to the good walks...ill give this stuff a try as i think something happened when i was away and now shes scared


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Oh dear! Maybe you have to start all over again. Just have her in there without starting the car and give her some treats. Then just go back inside without a car journey. 
If you use the spray, just do it 20 mins before. I think once she's in she would calm down and having a good experience after the drive would also help her associate the car with a good thing. 

It probably will take a few trips with the spray but I have to say my dog has totally changed since we started to use it. We took only short drives first 6-15 mins only. I know your dog already know the car but since she has some bad experience this could work better. 

Have you asked the person who looked after Roxy if anything happened? If its a good place they should be honest with you and tell you the truth. If not then you might need to find a new one for future boarding. 

Good luck, keep us posted how you're getting on!


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

*Adrino*

Great news - I went to the Monday training session today (ladies lunch on Thursday, which I can't possibly miss) - the gentleman with the Whippet was there and...







He is thrilled the Adaptil has worked - he is so grateful that Dillion is so much happier in the car and isn't being car sick.
So you have made one whippet and owner very happy.     

Many thanks.

Heather


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

*Heather* that is sooooo brilliant! ;D
I'm very happy for him! 

Oh that's made my day, I wrote this thread and it helped to someone else! It's a good feeling! :


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