This has been bugging me for awhile and i have tried everything to get my 7month old to enjoy car journeys, the list -
In a crate
with a harness on the front seat, back seat, boot
sitting in the car without moving and playing games
the old 'donkey & carrot routine' bribe him with treats
lots of fuss, praise and attention
the no-nonsense, im going to put you in and ignore you trick
soft music on
no music at all, even abit of me singing
sitting on my partners lap (naughty i know)

He will not get in the car, under any circumstance. When i lift him in ( its getting hard now as he's getting heavy) he physically shakes, his ears go back. We have never left him in the car more than a few minutes to get groceries, he's never been sick, fallen, or had a bad journey as far as im concerned. The only places we ever go in the car is for lovely long walks, the vets (he loves it :) ) or to play on the farm. 

I really am at my wits end as i cant keep seeing him like this, he looks petrified, doesnt want treats or any fuss at all.
Any suggestions would be great

Vikki

Hi Vicki
I do sympathise with you as my boy hated the car when he was a puppy from his first journey he used to shake, bark, cry and be sick he hated it.  I tried various things like feeding him small pieces of ginger biscuit every few minutes, sitting in the back with him was the best option for him, not for me as sometimes I had to drive.  I eventually got some homeopathic tiny tablets from Ainsworths (you can google them )  I phoned explained all the symptoms and his age, weight etc and they prescribed some tablets which did help.  However he was never great in the car until we got him a brother :)  who was totally different to him in the car and absolutely loves car journeys, and this helped my other boy lots and he is totally fine now, although it will never be one of his favourite pass times!

I had this problem.
Hard to solve, but needs to be broken into tiny steps.
I sprayed the car with DAP spray, then went and sat with him on my lap in the passenger seat for 5 minutes every day for a week, after we had been for a walk.
Next week I carried on with DAP every time we went to the car, but then i sat there for 5 minutes, turned the engine on, turned it off and sat for a bit longer.
Next week, i put on the engine and the AC (he didn't like the noise) again, turned it off after a minute and just sat there.
After a month he could sit in the Dap sprayed car without shaking, and would take a treat for doing so.
During the whole process, we didn't go in the car apart from for the daily training session, and always after exercise.
We then started taking short journeys, and now he is fine for as long as it takes in the car, he doesn't like the AC still, but is not frightened of it, just doesn't like to sit near the outlet.

I dont mean to sound ignorant but what is DAP? That sounds like a good idea, the slowly and small steps way but we have to go to training class once a week, as he's going to be taking his KC bronze in a few weeks :) and cannot get there without said car. Saying that he did actually walk within a foot of the car this evening but i suspect that was because he was shattered! but progress all the same! Thank you for your advice and i will post to let you know how we get on. Fingers crossed!

Vikki

DAP - Dog Appeasing Pheremone, to help with stress or fear, comes as a collar, diffuser or spray:

http://www.petmeds.co.uk/c-363-dap.aspx?gclid=COjYybi5wJoCFZSD3god_1jVqw

Unfortunately, if you use the car to make a journey during the training period he will continue to associate the car with bad and scary things happening, even though it will only be 1 day in 7.
Could you get to training by bus? Or perhaps someone could take you in their car, so at least he would be becoming desensitised to YOUR car in your training sessions.
DAP is dog appeasing pheromone, it smells like the smell that mother dog gives out when she has had puppies, so smells safe to dogs.

Hi Masonsmum, join our sad little club! My WSS has never had a bad experience in the car, but if we go over 40-50 mph (sometimes a lot less, depending on how he's fixed that day) he starts climbing up the side of his car crate. It looks like he's praying in the corner. He is quite capable of keeping this up for long stretches on the motorway and only ever quits out of exhaustion, which is why I hardly ever take him any big distance any more. He's fine sitting on the passenger seat, but he isn't allowed there for safety reasons if the car is moving. He isn't sick, but you can see he is really upset, breathing heavily and generally in a poor way by the time we arrive. His WSS 'brother' is completely bemused by this--he is happy to lie down any time, anywhere. There's plenty of room in the crate for both of them, and like you I am at my wits end. I am going to try Bach rescue remedy and if that fails I'll try the DAP approach. Good luck, I know how distressing this behaviour is.

I really feel for you.  It's so frustrating and stops you doing loads of fun things doesn't it?  I've had this problem for the first time [in over 30 yrs of dog ownership] with my 3 yr old Elkhound.  My other dogs were happy and able and willing to travel on bus, train, cable car, boat and so on [not forgetting the car and never had a problem.  Heidi, on the other hand, hates car travel and is so sick I wouldn't even attempt any other form of vehicular transport [shame they don't do doggy sick bags on public transport].  The only thing that's helped is 'Stugeron' tablets.  Advised by a breed specialist but worked well for the sickness and trembling - Heidi still doesn't enjoy the car but at least I can get her places without us all throwing up [from the mess, smell she makes in the car].  I think if you can reduce the amount of time in the car and do all the pleasuable, training and calming stuff suggested, and use something that'll help stop the sickness you've a good chance of making journeys acceptable to all if not enjoyable.  By the way - I still have one other dog and did hope my oldest [who LOVES] the car even stationary would help Heidi - if she has then I can't imagine how bad Heidi would be in the car.
If you have any success please let us know what helped.  Good luck

Since i last posted, we have been going out to the car everyday, having a sniff around it (him not me :) ) and generally having play with the car doors open. I found that if i keep myself calm (not worrying about if he will become frightened because we arent actually going anywhere) he seems to be less edgy around the car.
We still had to use the car last night for training but he was alot better. After abit of a panic, he slowly walked to the open door (with ALOT of encouragement) and actually put his feet inside!! My partner drove, so i kept him occupied with a few treats, talking and playing with him. He looked slightly nervous at first but on the way home he got in himself and crashed out!
I know we should have avoided the car completely until he was 100% happy but there is no way around that trip once a week :( He does seem better and i will keep up the daily car introduction as it seems to being helping greatly!
Thank you all for your fantastic advice :)

Vikki