Introduction
Car travel is not always something that dogs naturally enjoy but many can learn to love it. There are a range of reasons why a dog may dislike car travel and a range of solutions
Why does my dog refuse to get in the car?
There are lots of reasons why a dog may start or continue to refuse to get in the car:
- Puppies may feel sick in the car
- Older dogs may have pain getting in and out of the car
- Some haven’t been trained to love being in a crate or even separated from their owners by a barrier
- Some dogs may have missed out on positive experiences of travel by the end of their early socialisation window which closes between 12 and 16 weeks
- Others may have had previous traumatic experiences of travel
Why it matters?
Problems with car travel are made worse because you have a statutory obligation to ensure that your dog is appropriately restrained in a car or van. You are often rushed as you anticipate your dog will just get in the car so you don’t bring your best self to solving the problem. I remember when my first dog Jess started to refuse to get in the car, its was just awful to see her start to curl her tail between her legs and no amount of treats would help her over the problem. This was coupled with having small children and a life filled with other stresses and I felt like this was just one problem I didn’t need.
How can you tell what your dog’s issue is
It is often difficult to recognise the behaviour of a dog who is in pain, feels sick, feels afraid or anxious. Often it takes time to really diagnose what is going on. There are some signs to look for though:
- Vomiting and defecating on a very short journey may indicate severe panic
- Vomiting after a few minutes of travel may indicate sickness
- Barking and biting at the crate, seat belts or grill may indicate barrier frustration or separate anxiety
- Refusal to get in the car may indicate previous poor experiences of travel OR difficulty with the entry or exit
- Panting and drooling in the car may indicate severe nausea or anxiety
- Yelping on the journey may indicate pain
- Barking and lunging to get out of the car when you arrive is often over excitement
If the issue is ongoing then you need to get help, often starting at the vets to rule out any physical reasons first before working with a behaviourist.
What you can do?
If you have a problem with car travel then the first part you’ve already done, you’ve recognised it for what it is! The next step is to find a few weeks where you can avoid all car travel altogether while you work on the issue. Make sure you’ve had a vet check your dog over for any physical causes of the issue too. As it turned out my first dog Jess developed arthritis early in her life and had a problem with a disc in her spine and with hindsight I can see that the boot of the car was too big and jump for her, but a simple vet check might have picked this up early and saved her from ongoing pain.
You may want to invest in some steps or a ramp to help your dog get in and out of the car. You may not need them as a permanent solution but they can be helpful as they allow your dog to see into the car before getting in. Remember though, that if your dog is afraid of the car and you just attach a wobbly ramp to the car you may just have made the scary thing even scarier! You’ll need to train them to love any new kit in the house first.
You and your behaviourist will then need to put together a program of exercises to help them get comfortable:
- Near the car
- Getting in and out of the car
- In the car with the boot or doors open
- In the car with the boot or doors closed
- In the car with the engine running
- In the car moving slightly for a few seconds
- Shorter journeys
- Longer journeys
- Safe exits from the car