Hi,

I have a 2 year old chocolate Lab, Hershey. She is a really good dog and isn't really naughty.

We go to the beach every day for her exercise. She has always got really excited when she knows we are going there. I have tried putting the towels etc in when she is not there so that she doesn't know we are going but she knows the way!

She is getting worse and has now found her high pitched whine and yelp this combined with her running up and down the width of the boot is making me dread taking her out as i cannot concentrate on my driving.

I am sure I have done something wrong and would love any advice please on how to stop this.

Thank You
Sally

sounds like it could become dangerous! i would get a dog crate and put a blanket or towel over it. if she starts, drive her to the beach turn your engine off and then drive straight back home. (no walk and no talking to her in the car) then do it again and again !
even though shes not naughty i would go back to basic training around the home dont let her get excited over anything food etc
im sure other folk will come along soon with other ideas.

> We go to the beach every day for her exercise

> I am sure I have done something wrong

Hi Sally, no you haven't but your regular routine has allowed her to learn exactly what happens next, and she is simply getting over stimulated by excitement.

If she we mine I'd be inclined to stop the beach walks for a while.  I'd walk her from home, no car journeys for a week at least.  After that I'd probably do another week walking from home, but I'd add a short car journey after each walk - just round the block.  Then perhaps a short car trip every 2 days to a different walking destination each time.  Depending how she reacted I'd either go back a step or two or move forward slowly. 

I'd also look to amend my cues - such as picking up car keys, putting on a coat, putting on walking boots, collecting the towel etc.  All of these are things that tell her it's about to happen.

I think the training term for what I'm describing is desensitisation (?).  You do need to break her habit, it's both dangerous and annoying for you but to her it's self fulfilling. I believe a car crate is a safe idea and keeping it covered may help.  Good luck

Hi,

Thank You for your reply's. I will give it a go walking her with a short ride around but not going to the beach.

She does know the cues, she even knows the clothes i put on!

She doesn't really get excited around the house although unless my friend brings her Lab round and then she won't leave him alone for at least an hour until she collapses!

We have taken her to the beach to swim and run to keep her fit and not let her get over weight. Walking just doesn't seem to use any of her energy!

Sally

hi,
I have the same problem with my springer. He is brilliant in the car generally, except for the journey to local woods which is where he gets the majority of his exercise. As my car is a saloon he has to go on back seat whith the same problems as your having - whining and jumping about! very distracting! I cant crate him as the back seats wont accomodate it. However something that i have found to work is either to take him out say just around the block before going on the car journey, or if your lab is as food obsessed as mine giving him a filled bone, or pigs ear keeps im occupied for the ten minute journey. Dont know if this will help, but just sharing what has worked for me in this situation.

If you have your dog on the back seat you should have it strapped in anyway, you can buy harnesses that attach to the seat belt.

My next door neighbour is a firefighter and one of the worst accidents he has attended was caused by a dog loose in a car.

I dont feel that my dogs behaviour is serious enough to warrant having him straped in the same position for the duration of the car journey. As i have said his manic behaviour was only on a specific journey. Generally he sits with his head resting on window, or lies down. As i said his behaviour has now been improved with the aid of having something to chew on.

Hi springer88

even the most well behaved, sleepy travelling dog is a danger loose in a car.  Just as any luggage/shopping or any other wieghty object unsecured would be, your dog would become a missile within the car should you have a collision :(  You are in danger, as are any passengers, not just the dog.

One of mine sleeps throughout car journeys but if not secured in the fitted crate wears a harness for everyones sake.

You may well have seen the advert some time back about a mother who knew her 'killer' in a crash - it was her teenage son in the back seat who was thrown forward and killed her.  This is just as likely, perhaps even more so due to physical size, with a dog :(

I hope you dont take offence - this is intended as a cautionary note to keep you both safe.
regards, Teri

hi,
Im not taking offence. It is just not something i have ever really given thought to, maybe naively. Thank you for the advice teri, been thinking about changing car reccently anyway. But untill that happens i will look into getting a car harness. I suppose when you just nipping around you dont think about having an accident or the implications to you and passengers even if it is a crazy springer.

Thanks again

I agree with Teri, in an accident or sudden sharp braking, unsecured items in a car(including dogs)continue to move at the same speed as the car was before the accident or sudden braking, & a dog travelling at even 20 mph can go through the windscreen or hit a front seat passenger/driver hard enough to cause serious injuries or worse

I don't see quite the same advice my friend received when having the same trouble with her young GR.  She was told to take him for as many outings in the car as she could, without letting him out at all.  Need milk?  Take the dog, he stays in the car, what a boring outing for the dog.  Finn was so bad he was a danger even in the crate, with the way he got it rocking around.  I don't know if it worked because the last time we tried to get together she hadn't done it yet and he was so bad on the way to his walk she had to stop the car and was so late I missed her.

Is it not illegal now to have a dog unrestrained in a car? Might be wrong but thought I herd this somewhere.

No the Highway Code has not been altered, the guidelines are still

57

When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.

A guide to whether it is requirement or guide is below

Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words 'MUST/MUST NOT'. In addition, the rule includes an abbreviated reference to the legislation which creates the offence. An explanation of the abbreviations can be found in 'The road user and the law'.

As the words must/must not do not occur is a safety guide & not a requirement

Hi Everyone,

Well I have taken the advice with a slight tweake!

Instead of her crate covered up (because it is a full size one) I put the parcel shelf in place so that she had to lay down in the back. She only whimpered a little which was a real improvement. I didn't take her to the beach just for a run closer to home. The second time I took her out she did manage to get her head out as the shelf is in 3 parts! However she couldn't really move and was so much better. I didn't speak to her and didn't get her out until she was quiet.

I will try and fix the parcel shelf although i feel so guilty, but not guilty enough that I want to risk our safety!

Thank You

Sally