Hi,

We have a new to us rescue dog (9 months old) who has settled in well with us over the last 5 weeks but he gets very anxious when he goes in the car (lots of drooling) and is sick most journeys even if they are for 10 mins.
We have tried Calmex and Cerenia from the Vets, no taken him in the car for a week and just sat him in it and more recently tried distractions like bones which worked for a while but now he’s wise to it.
Getting drugs into him is a nightmare as he can taste them in his food and just doesnt eat. Once he’s had a bad journey or two he’s off his food and unsettled again

Again any ideas from anyone greatly appreciated

ta
will

Return under warranty. Not fit for purpose.

HTH.

Ours did the same. We were told not to make a fuss (put the dog in and ignore it) over getting in the car, make a fuss when they got out, keep a window down and the dog would get used to it.
It took a fair few car trips but the dog did get used to it then started jumping in the car at any open door, even going to the tip stacked to the roof with rubbish the dog still managed to squeeze in.

Happened with our black lab when we first had him. Like craigxxl says, it took a few trips for him to get over it and was then totally car-happy.

Had similar with a young lab. She hated it, drooling, foaming, throwing up. Tried lots of options and in the end she got over it. She still isn’t keen on long journeys, but puts up with it and no longer drools etc. She’s also loads better in a 4×4 – she gets more comfortable and just lies down. Even in estate cars she seems to find it a bit more uncomfortable / unpleasant and often sits up and looks grumpy!

mine was the same when we first got him. He’s still quite young and travelling in a car will cause motion sickness – like it does in some humans though we don’t have as sensitive hearing as dogs.

It’s also worth getting him to go into the car and letting him get used to being in the car without it moving – he’s probably associated it with feeling ill so is compounding the motion sickness. If you treat him for being in the car he will soon associate it with being a happy place.

Have you tried him in his cage (assuming you have one for him) in the car? this might help.

Above all, it’s just patience. he will get over it eventually. please don’t use drugs (we were advised agaisnt it by our vet).

Feed him in the car, sit in the car with him but don’t go anywhere, Dont make a fuss of him as thats altering your behaviour showing that something is different, then try do some very short journeys to somewhere he wants to go to, do not take him in the car to anywhere he hates just yet (vets etc)

A lot of people use rescue remedy just a drop on the tongue

You will get there it just takes patience especially with a rescue

Took more than five weeks for our rescue dog to poo anywhere but in the garden, sort of institutionalised, enclosed area thing.
Takes time to overcome learned things from earlier in their life: give it time, try and do it without drugs or you’ll be reliant on them.
In the boot or back seat with nose out of the window?

dashed – how long did that take?
we’ve had him 5 weeks and no real improvement that i can see. Once he has been sick he takes 2 steps back and we start all over again. Just feel guilty putting him in there so he gets stressed and pukes but he loves it when we get to the forest/beach etc and runs about like a looney

my folks are just about getting there with their rescue dobe (1yr) who was exactly the same.
lots of short, pointless journeys (minimal excitement at the end) lots of patience.
he recently travelled to S Wales (2.5hrs) and is fine on the motorways, less so on windy country roads still.

Regular exposure is the only way.

Small trips to somewhere fun and exciting. Ted had a problem with cars for a while, but just loading him up and driving 3 minutes to the local field for 20 minutes of tennis ball fetching made him love going in cars.

It took a while – sorry 🙁 Definitely months not weeks. Second the lots of short journeys to walks. Not long enough to feel really sick, but develop association between car and fun stuff – 5-10 mins max if you can. And do it every day if possible. And don’t feed them just before car journeys.

Also try and drive gently – ours was the same, fine on motorways, hated countrylanes. I remember driving all the way to cornwall, not a squeak, got off the main road and threw up within about 30 secs!!

And because no dog thread is complete without pics…

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eYSpIz2FjU[/video]

Our cat loves going out in the car. My car not the mrs the cat hates little hatchbacks

#nohelpwhatsoever

We use “Bach Rescue Remedy for pets” on our anxious rescue dog. It’s the same as the human version but without the alcohol. We use it to calm her nerves around strangers. Not sure it would be up to calm travel sickness, but might be worth a go. We just put a couple of drops onto a biscuit to get it in her.
Bach Rescue Remedy for pets

Crystallise ginger. Worked a treat for our first dog.

Ours was the same at first, she is now fine on short journeys bit anything longer and we use serenums…. link…. and they work a treat. We also tried mega bucks drugs from the vets with no success…

It may sound stupid but give one of these a go Link. I haven’t used them personally but know people who have and I have been told they work.

EDIT: I’ve just noticed your dog is only 9 months old. I don’t let mine jump in the car until they’re over 12 months to help protect their joints – this does depend a bit on their breed, and I am neurotic about mine. Where I’ve said about getting him to jump in on his own below – I’d advise you don’t just yet. However, you still want the dog to choose to get in the car himself – so if you can use a box or ramp so he can climb in by himself that would be ideal – if not, then on balance and depending on his breed(s) I’d lift him in, even though that will be less effective at helping cure his anxiety – his joints are more important.

Have you tried other cars?
Is he in the boot or back seat?
Is he in a crate/box?
Is he food and/or toy motivated?
Do you make him sit to wait for a release before he is fed?

Depending on the answers to the above – if you were one of my clients – I’d be recommending something like this:

Chill out. Seriously – you are obviously worried out it – and the dog will pick up on that.

Ideally, you want him travelling in the boot. It can also help if they’re in a crate (depends how big he is of course). If he’s in a crate it gives you the option of throwing a blanket over – which can help settle many nervous dogs. Cars which are easy to get into win over difficult ones. Low radio on can help both him and you relax. For the time being, try not to go anywhere with him in the car. When you do: No loud music, no 30 mph over speed bumps, no going fast on roundabouts, no yelling at other drivers, very short journeys to begin with. Absolutely no trips to the vet in the car. (If you have to take him to the vets, park up 5 minutes walk away, and walk him the last leg)

Start feeding meals in the car – do this for at least 1 week. If getting in the car is enough to set the dog on edge – begin slowly – first couple of meals on the floor behind the car with the boot open. Then put the food bowl in the car. If – heaven forbid you have a dog which is not food motivated – then try the first meal inside the boot as breakfast on a Saturday morning to give you time for the next step. If the dog won’t jump in the car to eat – don’t make a fuss, take the bowl away for 30 minutes and try again, keep doing this for as long as patience allows until the dog jumps in of his own accord. If he really really won’t jump in, lift him in yourself without saying a word – and then sit on the edge as he eats. Hopefully you’ll make progress to him getting in by himself and being comfortable eating. After a few meals like this start the engine when he is half way through eating and see how he reacts. If this goes well, you’re ready to close the boot and drive him 50 yards down the road. Stop, give yourself a massive pat on the back if he survived and get him out. Walk him back home again if you don’t want to push your luck, or drive him home again if you think he’s really making progress. Build up journeys – always somewhere fun, and always short to begin with.

I’d also start playing games of fetch into the boot while the car is parked up somewhere safe.

Having said that – we had a guy once who said his dog would never get in the car, and went on about how he had to put the car in the garage with all the lights off, wearing a special hat, and lift the dog in while playing Beethoven and standing on one leg (I’m exaggerating, but only just). The trainer I work for nodded along and said – “OK – let’s try something”, threw a tennis ball in the boot, dog jumped straight in, and he had no problems from then on. It doesn’t always have to be such a big deal.

I don’t have rescues – I get my dogs as puppies – but they also don’t love travelling to begin with. I tend to operate a slightly tough love approach of just ignoring them – and they soon just learnt o accept (and love) the car. In time your dog will probably manage that too if you stay calm and don’t make a big fuss. But try feeding in the car, and try playing games. You can go down the drugs route if you wish (I have friends with rescue dogs who use dog zombie collars when settling a dog in to new things [ie Adaptil] and things like the Thundershirt to calm them) but I think that most things can be overcome with patience and repetition.

But honestly – you also need to chill out.