My 8 week old lab puppy hates the car. She screams and scrabbles frantically when i have to take her out.Had to take her to the vets twice,and it was a nightmare.Not only did she scream,she peed and poohed as well,even though she had just "gone".It was all over her paws and all over me,when I carried her in. I have tried feeding her in the car,and she gobbles up her food,and then starts the performance again. I put her in the hatchback and sit in the driving seat,sometimes with the engine running and sometimes not. I have let her explore the back and front seats,but she is not happy at all. I will have to take her out regularly in the car,and the screaming and scrabbling is one thing,but doing the toilet is definitely not. What else can I do? I am in the car by myself with her,and cannot let her in the front or back seats.

Poor you, I remember what it was like - one of mine didn't like the car when she was a baby. How often have you tried these things? It may take some weeks before there is much improvement, but she is still very young, so if you stay calm and consistent she will eventually get the idea that the car is safe.
Good luck.
:)

Hi
JG is right. You must be calm and stick with it. Eventually, your pup will learn that the car is not nasty.

Perhaps you could try to teach her that cars are not scary. Put her in it, and rather than drive somewhere, give her some food in it. Maybe even feed her her tea. Try this a few times (but dont drive anywhere..plus, it isnt good for them to eat after or before driving) and she should learn that a car is actually a GOOD place.
Good luck!
steph
x

My bullmastiff is now 13 weeks old and I have been taking her out in the car a couple of times a week since she was 8 weeks old. Yesterday was the first time that we managed a whole trip with no accidents, and she was fine today as well. I think that it is just a matter of perserverence and them getting used to the motion and the idea that you can go to fun places in the car. Good luck, Sam.

Hi,

My lab pup was the same - squealing and vomiting (although no poo) - when I used to first take her in the car. I have a hatchback, and initially put her in the 'boot', but found that if I could put her on the back seat she was much better. I think it was because she couldn't see out in the boot and felt sick and alone and scared. Why can't she go on back seat? if it's because she'll fall down the foot-well you can get a 'dog hammock' that will prevent this. It attaches to back seat head-rests, covers back and seat of back seat and then comes up to attach to front headrests - a godsend for us in my husband's car, as we can now use it when with the dogs. However, they are quite expensive. If you wanted the details of the manufacturer I'd be happy to send them to you. Anyway, the gist is that once my little one could see out she was much better - the complete improvement came with age and experience.

Good luck! :)

Hi Thanks for replying. I collect my grandchildren from school/nursery and have 2 child seats in the back of the car,so she wouldn't have any room. I do have a harness,but she is too small just now. I intend to get a dog guard and she has plenty of room in the boot.Even when the kids are in the car and talking to her,she keeps up the wailing .I have put a bed in for her,and today I fed her twice in the car and stayed and talked to her.I reversed up and down the driveway,but she just hates the boot.I don't want to stress her out too much,so I will just keep on doing that till she is more relaxed.Once she is able to go out,I will take her to the park(only a 5 minute drive),and hopefully she will associate going in the car with something nice.I thought today with the kids being there that she would be ok,but she wasn't,still going frantic.Thanks for everyone's help. This is the first dog I have had that didnt like the car,and it's thrown me a bit.Wee devil,she is coming along great at the house training and sleeps all night,so I suppose I can't complain.

I think you are right to be patient and persistent. Personally I think all dogs should be behind a dog guard - I've seen what happens in an accident to the dog and the other car occupants in an accident when they aren't- (think about the seat belt advert) something the size of a staffie becomes like a lead basketball bouncing around. But it is good to look at the fear from your dogs point of view - I agree that seeing out of windoews can calm them - my dog gets stressed in the winter if the boot windows are iced up - so we have learnt to clean them off before he gets in.

Have you tried sitting in the boot space with him/her, whilst you read a book or something.

Do you put your dogs bed in the back? - this can help, also make sure there is plenty of ventilation ( I get car sick myself if a window isn't open, or if someone puts the heating on) .

If all else fails ...

What about a seat belt harness if you are going to try the back seat?

All dogs are different ...
After the heatwave my dog has had a couple of weeks were clearly he has not been happy about going in the car - (we have only been out during this hot spell after 7pm, when it has cooled down a bit) , but I wondered if it was him associating it with heat after the sunny spell we've had..

He is fine now. Be fair to your puppy, after all the pack leaders job (you) is to look after the pack, and he/she is still very young.
I was always car sick as a child, but I grew out of it eventually.

Nikki

I know what you mean about seat belts. When i got to the vets the other dat,the receptionist had to give me a few wipes to clean off the pooh. She was telling me that one of their clients had just been to his brother-in-law's funeral. His dog was sitting on the back seat,and he was involved in a pile up and the dog came through from the back and hit him. The dog survived,but he died. Even if the dog had been wearing a harness this could have been avoided.Makes you think doesn't it?

Hi if you get a dog crate and let her get used to that feed/and sit with her then put a cover over most of it do this a few times and she will be okay they need to feel safe and being in a crate makes them feel safe.

I have been quite lucky, I have a 9 week old Retriever and I take him out in the car all the time but I also have an older GSD who is as good as gold in the car. When he was 7 weeks I first put him in a box (a regular storage box, quite large) with a blanket in. He cried at first but was OK. He now just climbs out of the box so this morning I took it away and he just lies down at the GSD feet and I dont hear a sound. But I think the box done him good as it got him used to the motion and his balance in a small 'safe' area.

My retriever used to hate the car as she got car sick. I found that bach rescue remedy about 15 minutes before going in the car calmed her down slightly. I then waited until she was sleepy and put her bed in the car and then sat in the boot with her. I also gave her all her meals in the car. After a few days she settled down. A dog crate is a really good idea as any mess is contained, and a dog guard is excellent too. Once she has calmed down a bit you can try going out in the car for very short journeys which end in something exciting and fun so that the puppy associates the car with good things. The trouble with puppies is that their first few journeys in the car end up with injections at the vets - not very pleasant experiences.

I think the crate is a good idea,but don't know if it would fit. I have a small estate type car,and the indoor crate I have would be far too big. can you get special ones for cars?I am hoping she will settle down and I intend to fit a dog guard soon. I fed her in the boot today again,and shut the lid and opened and shut the car door a few times,and she finished her food and then looked around,but didnt whine,so maybe tomorrow I will try it in between feeds,as i don't want her to be sick,and maybe go round the block.Will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the advice.
Jean

Don't undo your good work by trying too many steps at once. Try to avoid moving the car until she's first reasonably happy being in there in the first place - sit in with her, ignoring her (take a book) for about 15 or 20 minutes. If she whines when you turn the engine on, don't move the car. Just sit with it idling for a while, then switch off and read again. Slow and steady will do it. Hurry it and you'll be back at square one.

Me too.