Hi My friend has a young 11mth old lab cross who initially as a pup could get into the car and was fine.
He is now too big to be lifted in and freaks out about going into the car. Going out in the car stopped after few weeks of getting him as my friend became pregnant and was suffering severely from hyperemisis gravidarum and was house bound for most of the pregnancy but the dog got lead walked by relatives everyday.

Baby is now born and she wants to be able to get out more with her dog and family over the forest but cannot get him in the car. They have tried for several months just with giving him treats by the car, and then progressing to feeding him in the car but he is quick and as soon as he's done he's out. They haven't wanted to shut the boot whilst he's eating as didnt want to frighten him. He had one time of getting in and they closed the boot and took him for a lovely walk but on returning to the carpark he just wasn't getting anywhere near the car let alone in it. Her husband probably could have picked him up and bundled him in but he was on his own so couldn't shut the boot for fear of the dog jumping out and being hurt. He had to walk home with him! luckily not too far.

They have tried using another family member car but with no luck. They are very calm and patient with him and he hasn't been forced at any point and they keep giving treats when he's near the car and then raising the boot and putting treats on the bumper and then throwing treats into the back. He's very on guard though and seems to know the boot will shut and gets panicky.

Has anyone got any ideas for the next step please? even getting to the vet would be impossible at the moment! he's a really lovely dog and lively and enjoys his walks, though on coming out of their house he won't go a certain way that involves walking towards the car. he is used to being in a cage in the house for bedtime and is fine going in it and sleeping.

Was he car sick on the occasions he has been driven? My younger boy was car sick, still is on long or winding journeys, and it really put him off the car. He never actually threw up, but drooled excessively and looked miserable. I gave him stugeron for a few journeys and once he stopped feeling sick he began to appreciate the exciting places we can walk if we drive to them things got better fast. Unfortunately we had a setback where I drove him home from the vets after sedation which had made him nauseous anyway but things are improving again now. Mine is a 22kg standard poodle pup, 7 months old, and i give him half a pill, but consult your vet on what to give and how much etc.

I think he may have been but as a very young pup once or twice.
I will suggest that to but its actually getting him in now thats the issue and he really is not wanting to do it. Even if he has the tablet its still getting his confidence to get in and stay in the car.
I have suggested a tailgate/guard so if he does jump in they can shut it but leave boot open for a while and just sit with him.

The problem is if he felt sick but then had the huge gap he may well recall it being unpleasant but not why. I'm afraid in my busy household my pup was instructed to "get on with it" and though he gets in more reluctantly than his brother he does get in. I have three kids and another dog and no time to wait for him to be thrilled about the car. He just had to tolerate It (I don't expect him to put up with nausea, hence the stugeron). It helps that the ONLY off lead walks are accessed by car - is there somewhere the dog can be walked off lead which is a very short drive away? I can walk to where I mostly let my boy off for a proper run but I drive there purely because it makes car trips seem worthwhile to him even if he doesn't much like them. It's a 3 minute drive!

I agree that a crate in the car might help him, especially if it can be covered (some dogs are absolutely terrified by the world rushing by and unlike humans it tends to male them feel sicker looking out than not). I use "wait" in the boot. They have a good solid wait so won't leap out until invited. Does this dog have a good wait? Could they practice some "get in" "wait" "out you come" parked in a safe place to get the dog used to getting in and out in a controlled way?

> My younger boy was car sick, still is on long or winding journeys, and it really put him off the car. He never actually threw up, but drooled excessively and looked miserable.

My Border Collie was exactly the same as a pup.  Really, really excessive drooling and he got himself into the front of the car and put his head on my lap.  My jeans were genuinely soaked through.  It was my first experience of drooling in any quantity and I felt so sorry for him.  Although my vet gave me tablets for him my boy still hates the car.  No longer drools but is not at all happy.  I only take him in the car when it is essential now.