# Car advice!



## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

Hi everyone: I hit my first major problem. Really need advice! My puppy is unable to settle in the car. 

About the car. I drive a sedan. We're getting a second car soon but not just yet. But I'm in panic NOW that I'm going to ruin the socialization period and screw up my wonderful dog. 

We use a harness that clips to the seat belt in the back. The puppy has learned to settle when the car isn't moving. However, she screams her head off once the car starts to drive. Normally, I would just keep on driving (like with crate training), but she managed to slip out of the harness _twice_. Ended up crawling and screaming all over the car. 

I bought a new harness, with straps that don't give so easy. She wasn't able to get out of that one. We went around the block again but it's not getting better at all. 

Now, she keeps pulling and trying to slip out of it, and screams. The screaming is much worse than during crate training. Piercing scream, like in a movie where a little girl sees a monster and goes nuts.

Then I put her in a PetSmart contraption that looks like a seat that rests on top of a cushion. It elevates the puppy higher and she can look out of three windows without having to stand on her back feet. Went around the block again. Prayed to every single God. No difference. 

I'm kind of in panic now. I want to take her to an open field that I've found to let her loose and play hunt. I'd like to take her to the shopping center and to the train station and to walk in a street with more people. To walk near a school with screaming kids. I'd like to visit a hunt trainer. 

It's easier if she sits in someone's lap in the back seat, then she only whimpers. When she slipped out of the harness, I helped her climb in my lap and she stopped screaming too (just whimpers). Of course I can't have someone on call every time we need to go somewhere. And sitting in my lap is out of the question. 

Now I'm becoming paralyzed with fear she'll somehow find a way to hurt herself, while trying to slip out of the harness. The screaming of course makes me feel like I'm abusing her, so we don't get to any of the places I've planned. It's just awful and breaks my heart.

I never expected this to be such a huge problem. She responds so well to everything - leash, strangers, noises, crate and even to goddamn dremel! I tried treats in the car of course but she refuses everything.

Has anyone trained their dog to ride in the back seat with a harness? Appreciate any advice...

Thanks


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Uma (DOB 02/22/2012) she is too young, IMO.


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Gracie rides in a Champion seat belt harness...but we didn't have these issues. 

Is she crate trained? Maybe she might settle better in a crate with a really fabulous chew? 

Good luck...


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm old school but I've had great success with the following:

1. Make sure you pup settles on command. Roll her over on her back with your hand on her tummy until she relaxes and does not struggle. Do this several times per day until she will settle on command.
2. Buy or make a dog bed. Should resemble a large pillow. Rectangular shape works best because it is gong on the car seat.
3. Begin with the car off. The dog bed goes in the passenger seat. Put your pup on the bed and if relaxed, fine. Praise, praise, praise. If not, settle them. When you can put them on the seat and get them settled/relaxed, it's time for the next step.
4. Begin as #3. Start the car, let it run but do not drive. Settle as necessary. When relaxed/settled reliably, ready to move to #5.
5. Time to simply back the car down the driveway and return. When ready move to the next step.
6. Short 5 minute drive. When successful make it 10, then 15 and 20. Don't forget constant praise.
7. Time for an hour drive. Enjoy!

All I really insist on is that the pup be relaxed and stay on the bed. NO, they can not climb in my lap, up on the seat back, down on the floor or the car door/window. As long as they are calm and on the bed I'm happy. Like all training several short sessions are best.

Nitro had already been taught to settle by the breeder and I have a rectangular dog bed. Steps 3, 4 & 5 were done in 3 consecutive days. A couple of days for step 6 and by the end of a week Nitro rode like a pro. Took two or three weeks to get him relaxed when I left him in the car.

After he had been riding for about a month in the front seat I moved him in the back seat. Started at step 3 and moved through the steps as before. I recently changed from a pickup with an extended cab to a small SUV. Now he rides in the very back of the car. No adjustment period this time, just moved his bed back there and he is content.

My dogs have been quiet, comfortable and love to go for rides. I'm heavy on praise and lite on "no "or punishment. I have never buckled my dogs in but no doubt you can adapt this system to work with a car harness. Hope someone finds this useful.


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

datacan said:


> Uma (DOB 02/22/2012) she is too young, IMO.



Too young for the car or for a harness? 


Finch started going everywhere with me in the car from the day I brought her home at 10 weeks. Luckily she has never had any problem riding so I have never gotten a car harness for her. We have a Scion XA, so we keep the back seats down and she has a dog bed, lots of chew toys and a no-spill water bowl back there. She always has a bone or bully stick to chew on. She likes to climb on my lap when I am the passenger and I let her sometimes, but when it is just her and I in the car, she often sleeps in the passenger seat.


I have another dog who gets really anxious in the car. We adopted her at 9 months and she wasn't properly socialized to the car. I feel like we've tried everything to settle her down... harness, calming treats, rescue remedy, thundershirt, calming cap... unfortunately the only thing we can do now for long rides is to give her a few Benedryl before the trip and it sedates her slightly. This has been a really hard thing to deal with and has limited our outings with her, so I wish you the best in working with Uma on this while she is still young!


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Get a ARMORED car and let the V do as it's pleased - not much help - LOL


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## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

> After he had been riding for about a month in the front seat I moved him in the back seat.


I read this and a light bulb went on. We've gone through the other steps (sitting in a quiet car, sitting in a car with a running engine, etc). Never occurred to me to have a gradual transition from the front to the back set and to drive for 5 minutes, parking on the side of the road. 

What great advice - thank you so much!! I'll try this tomorrow.


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## OttosMama (Oct 27, 2011)

Otto adapted relatively well to the car. He sat in my lap in the beginning, he behaved MUCH better there than in the passenger seat - sometimes it felt like he wouldn't move a muscle. Then when he grew too large I had him sitting in the passenger seat for a while, but he was all over the place.

I too have a Scion - the Xd, and it works wonderfully! We put the seats down and attach Otto's harness to the center seatbelt that attaches from the ceiling of the car to the car seat. Once we moved him to the back, I didn't have him buckled initially, but a trainer suggested it (just for his safety) and it works really well. 

I think Aimless offered some pretty sound advice. Anything that gives the pup that much discomfort should probably be handled slowly and steadily. Baby steps. Keep at it, I don't think you are going to ruin your pup, you will desensitize her with the exposure, in my opinion. 

Just make sure she associates it with great things, not only toys and treats and praise, but like you intend on, with great destinations. A friend of mine only traveled with her dog in the car to go home (when they took him from his mom/littermates) and to the vet. He has a serious affliction towards the car now seemingly because he associates it with unpleasant experiences.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

We used to have a Audi A4 wagon with nice leather seats. Then we got Vizslas. Now it is the Jeep Liberty with the back seat down, plastic cover in the back and a cover for the seats. Both Bailey and Chloe know "Truck" as the command to get into the back The Jeep Liberty is the perfect Vizsla field trial vehicle. When the dogs were pups, I used a metal barrier behind the driver and passenger sets and the back. As they grew, the barrier was removed and they take turns riding "shotgun" in the front seat.

Could the dogs be injured not being secured? Yes. I am old enough that my kids rode in the the car without seatbelts. They survived. Now my grandkids are much safer in the back seat in a rear facing child seat. My dogs have full roam of the Jeep and the motorhome. They know, now that they are older, that when I hit the brakes they are going to move forward.

It is Bailey and Chloes responsibility to be "settled" in the car. We have driven 1,000s of miles together. They are great car passengers.

Good luck. My wife told me a term for young parents and their children. Helicopter parents. They hover. 

Good luck and happy motoring.
RBD


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## Suliko (Sep 17, 2011)

*veifera*, Aimless 1 gave a great advice - very slowly to progress from one step to another. That's what we basically did with our oldest V. Sophie. She used to be extremely anxious and stressed when riding in the car. With consistent training everything is possible  We used to cover crate and uncover when she was quiet. We used to treat her a lot while driving. At the end we just let her roam around the car and our SUV and restricted her to the back seats at first. She is still slightly anxious in the car but settles down a lot faster than she used to. I don't think the anxiety will ever completely go away - she's just that kind of a V. My sweet,wired ADD child


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Some things to consider...

Check your state law regarding dogs loose in a vehicle. You may still decide to roll with it, but you should know ahead of time what you are going to do if you are stopped.

Front air bags deploy with considerable force. Some cars have options to turn them off. Of course, you have to remember to turn it back on whenever an adult is in the front seat.

Savannah was worse than the cat when she started riding in the car. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, she goes to work with me every day. There was no gradual progression - just the crate in the back seat with a screaming puppy for a few days and lots of prayers for patience. She got the hang of it and now considers the car a safe place whenever we are out and about and something startles her. With that said, if I had had the flexibility, I would have tried Aimless' suggestions.


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## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

Just a quick one to say big *thank you* to everyone for the advice. My hopes are up after a day of despair. I'm going to find a way to make her love the car (almost) as much as she loves me! LOL

Aimless1 - I'm trying your advice today. Why didn't I think about it myself?? I'll probably start with her in my lap, just going down the street. 5 minutes increments, as you suggest. Then transition to front passenger seat, then the back seat. She's able to settle in the car and accept treats as long as the car isn't moving but we'll go over that again, to be sure. 

RBD, you're right and there's no way I'm going to be a helicopter parent. It's super tempting for me, frankly - the morning after I brought her home, I was diligently picking out sticks and bark out of her mouth in the bark yard. Then I stopped and asked myself what the **** I was doing. LOL.

And also, thanks to everyone who offered advice, you guys are amazing. 

I think the reason her reaction to the car is so different from any other experience is the cab ride to the airport from the breeder's. She got sick twice and then again on the way home once we landed. So the sooner I can teach her car rides lead to great things, the better. 

Here's my amazing Uma's first morning in her new home. Seems like a 100 years ago, even though it's just 10 days.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

One thing specifically, we were asked by Sam's breeder... was not to overload his senses, too much happening at once may trigger strange reactions or generalizations. Not sure if this is breed specific, but we obeyed this rule as much as possible.

That's why we saw no need to regularly ride with him until he was comfortable with a harness. We just kept him in his wire crate because he slept a lot and we are available all the time. He was never left alone more than 1.5 hours.

At about 3.5 or 4 months we placed him on the back seat (dog seat cover) and never looked back. There was no need to slowly introduce him to anything. Never barked, even when left inside the truck for short periods of time. He did throw up 2 or 3 times (and cleaned up most of it ), our fault. 
I read somewhere the car is like a den, except it's moving (very cool).

Under the right circumstances (not overloading their senses), we were told this dog is as easy as wash and wear shirts, in our case... Hungarian dog, Hungarian breeder and hopefully, we were given matching advice. 
So far, so good...


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## Looney (Sep 28, 2011)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi everyone: I hit my first major problem. Really need advice! My puppy is unable to settle in the car. 

About the car. I drive a sedan. We're getting a second car soon but not just yet. But I'm in panic NOW that I'm going to ruin the socialization period and screw up my wonderful dog. 

before i read anymore other than this...stop!!!!!! I am getting anxious just reading this part can you imagine the energy you are sending you puppy...dang!!!! relax, you aren't ruining anything or anyone. One step at a time, they are after all just little fuzzy babies that learn things.....
I am full on believer that your pup will reflect your person. If you are chill, your dog is chill. If you are anxious nervous you puppy is going to be too! My guy is so chill i think that there is something wrong with him sometimes for real!!!!
Baby steps and don't take this site to heart not all V's are the same and won't be the same. they look the same but that's about it. I tell my wife We bought a puppy we are making a DOG!


Now I'm becoming paralyzed with fear she'll somehow find a way to hurt herself, while trying to slip out of the 

i only got this far again....paralyzed with fear? this should never be unless you have a 120lb pit bull bearing down on the two of you! lol!! but really.....

treat her while the car is sitting still in the drive way. sit there for an hour or so if that is what it takes.
My guy hates the crate we are dealing with that hassle right now so we all find one sticking point if yours is the car that can be fixed just like the crate....but easier than that crate lol.....


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

If she is used to the crate then I would use it on car trips. Keep the car ride short and make sure she has fun at your destination. That way she will start to associate the car ride with good things.


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## Looney (Sep 28, 2011)

so friggin' adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

datacan said:


> One thing specifically, we were asked by Sam's breeder... was not to overload his senses, too much happening at once may trigger strange reactions or generalizations. Not sure if this is breed specific, but we obeyed this rule as much as possible.


I'm glad you found a system you are both comfortable and happy with. I do have issues with that, however. Let's just say I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum from that philosophy rather than question specifics. 

I have exposed my pups to as many new an varied experiences as I can as quickly as I can. This includes other dogs, new people, new locations, vehicles & etc. There is no limit to what I will try to expose him to. I've personally found the younger I can expose him to something the less likely I am to have issues later. I laughed when I changed vets and she commented that Nitro has no fear. She could not believe that he wanted to explore the entire office, front, patient rooms and back area. Other cats and dogs. Could have cared less that she was going to give a shot, or was poking and prodding him. He was riding in the car at 9 weeks of age. This past weekend at our season lease site the owner's old Golden shot out of the golf cart to give him the once over. A pit bull mix that is known not to like many dogs in the campground came over and played with the pup .... and also likes our old Gordon who was raised the same way. Nitro was in heaven.

However, that being said, you have to raise your pup in a way that you are comfortable with.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Aimless, you have much more experience with hunting dogs, I respect that very much. 
I used to have Tony, a GSD. 

Despite how it reads, have not limited Sam's experiences. We have a cat and almost everyone has dogs around here. 

Sam ran with GSDs, Goldens, Labs, Poodles, Miniature schnauzer, Rhodesian Ridge-back, Black Russian male (intact), Giant poodle, Irish sheep herding dog (he lives across the street), Spanish water dog, Spaniel (this one ran away from home and we just happen to bump into her, Christmas evening - we were the only ones walking a dog that night (in our neighborhood)) 
With the GSD, Sam was initially herded but somehow ended up humping the GSD and later somehow they happily ran together. 
We meet dogs, people every day, sadly we don't hunt (beginning to regret this)
We visited department stores, furniture stores, car dealerships. We met family, people of varied races, my wife is oriental, we have black friends, we know elderly people, young people, meet people on the street... however, we did not meet any Olympic athletes or Martians, yet. 

Really, socialization never ends. My concept of it is perhaps a little different. For me socialization means having control of the dog in the environment. The more places, the better. 

The sensory overload thing we were warned of, I am not sure what it is. 
I interpreted it, if the dog is taught something new and it doesn't respond today, this moment, I should let it go and try again next time.
As far as the car, we waited for this one a little, no biggie. We are around him all the time.


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