My toy breed is 9 now. She is an anxious dog anyway, but in the car it’s getting worse. I had some homeopathy tablets recommended by a locum vet which appeared to lessen it, but they went off and I chucked them out without writing down what they were !!
So , how many drops of Rescue Remedy would I give a toy size dog, and any other suggestions ?
Thanks.

U cant over dose so just 2 or 3 and see how she goes. U can increase if it of u want . . If they were homeopathic remedies they don't go off for future reference.  I have that on good authority from a homeopath btw in the mean time I would work on feeding her in the car giving her treats and not going anywhere.  I am sure other people will explain in more detai
If u give hellos or ainsworths a ring both being homeopathic pharmacy's and tell.them u have forgotten which remedies they may be able to make some suggestions which may jog your memory . I doubt theu will actually be able to prescribe as with homeopathy the remedy is tailored to the individual and not generic like allopathic medicines.

If she’s sitting on someone’s knee she isn’t so bad, it’s when I take her on my own. I wouldn’t mind but she’s going somewhere nice and fun, but to look at her you’d think she was going to the gallows !!
No amount of taking her out on short trips will help. This is a long time problem that seems to be getting worse. She’s actually quite distracting to me when I’m driving so I think I might have to try a soft muzzle or a soft crate.
She currently sits in the front passenger seat. I tried putting her in the back and she was worse, she was throwing herself at the front seat but kept being yanked backwards by her harness. It’s no joke.

covered crate ? If she cant see it may help and feel cosy and cave  like   Sometimes if they feel nauseas it puts them off. homeopathic  sepia can help with nausea and wont hurt if it isn't. I am not sure  a muzzle will help as she can still throw herself around and unless you are very careful intruding a muzzle it may stress her more xx
Have you tried just sitting with her in the car going nowhere with treats.

Brooke wasn't happy getting into cars for the first year plus of her life and it was really tricky. Once in she was in she was ok ish so I get the anxiety from your side but you have it worse than I did
Is it all cars or just yours ?

You could look at denes website or ring them for suggestions for anxiety they do all sorts. The remedy prescribed should be on her records so why not give the vet a ring

It wasn’t prescribed.
The locum vet suggested it and wrote it down for me.

ok just give the places I suggested a ring then and see if they can help. There are a few that maybe suggested

You can get Adaptil spray and collars that might be worth a try.

> covered crate ? If she cant see it may help and feel cosy and cave  like

Having lived with a breed known for having car travel problems, I have noticed over the years, that when we travel in the night, they settle way better than during the daytime.   Sooooo - covered crate.     At least your dog will be safely contained so you can concentrate on driving.  If you have an accident, the police won't be impressed with a dog who is loose, and unhappy.  We had one who was particularly upset with car travel until one day, he managed to ingest a grass seed.  His head blew up into a football, he was given a strong dose of steroids but that resulted in him burying his head in the bushes in the garden.  I thought I was going to lose him!  Eventually after many car trips to the vet, it finally pointed just under one ear and was able to be lanced.  I don't know who was more overjoyed, me or my vet!!  The upset of all that was he then travelled in the car with NO problems, even if we were going to the vet!!

They've not all be like that - we had one, our second, who'd lie across the back seat on his back - like his sofa.

How about trying this - https://www.healthfulpets.co.uk/dorwest-scullcap-and-valerian?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvNOI3rO18AIVB7LtCh2Hcg01EAAYASAAEgKU1fD_BwE

Dorwest may be able to suggest something else.

sorry earlier i suggested denes but actually i meant Dorwest . Oh dear brain dead today. thank you mamabas

Try a covered cage in the back of the car. Might help to use bedding from indoors to start with too. She will come to no harm in a cover cage (and although she may be noisy for a while, you won't be distracted because she throwing herself about). The dark should sooth her but you could also try distracting her with a bone or filled Kong. Something that she only ever has in the car and never indoors. Your own anxiety levels are rising because you know she is going to kick off and she will pick up on that, so try and be calm yourself. Sing   Personally, I would not use Rescue Remedy in this instance. Good luck.

Have you tried remedies for travel sickness and has she been assessed thoroughly for pain and other possible medical issues?

For it to be getting worse makes me wonder if she's anticipating nausea (which wouldn't necessarily have external symptoms such as drooling), or she's got discomfort/pain somewhere.

She has no pain, she is fit and well, it’s just the car. I think it might have got worse since we were forced to change groomer during Covid. Not sure about that, but could be.
It used to be that she would be anxious on the way to where I was taking her, but then lie down and sleep on the way home. Now she’s being anxious on the way back too.
She knows when she’s going to the groomers, and when she’s going somewhere fun. She does know the difference, but the anxiety is now the same.

Have you tried anxitane? It’s herbal and available without prescription

>  She does know the difference, but the anxiety is now the same.

That's why I wonder if she's hurting somewhere.  80% of dogs have arthritis by the time they're 8 years old, and they can appear to be perfectly fine physically - that's why I asked if she had been assessed for pain, by a vet.  Or possibly she's nauseous, or has been at some point and is now anticipating it happening again.  Again she might not show external symptoms of that.  In any case, it's a recent behavioural change (albeit an increase rather than a new behaviour), so a vet check would be warranted.

Another rather odd thought, that I've seen mentioned a couple of times, is to try a grounding strip on the car - for some reason some dogs struggle with travel until one is installed, then they're fine.  I don't know if that would apply in this instance but worth mentioning, just in case.

> Another rather odd thought, that I've seen mentioned a couple of times, is to try a grounding strip on the car - for some reason some dogs struggle with travel until one is installed, then they're fine.  I don't know if that would apply in this instance but worth mentioning, just in case.

Interestingly I've not seen these on cars for some years.   Are they still around?

Neither have I but a quick googled shows they are alive and well . Lots to choose from

I obviously put the wrong words into an Ebay search - they are available there too!!

She’s better at the moment, not great but better.
She pants all the way there, but isn’t trying to get on to my knee while I'm driving now, and settles for some of the way back.
No, she’s not in pain.

I honestly feel you'd do best by travelling her in a crate - would that mean changing your car however (to accommodate a crate in the back?).  If she's in a crate you can cover top and sides, perhaps making her feel snug while travelling.  Whatever the case, you do need to be able to concentrate on your driving rather than worry about where she is.  And in a crate, you can include a non-spill water bowl too.

I tried a soft crate and she was worse. Barking and scratching to get out.

Why not use a big metal crate, and start to get her used to being in it indoors?   Maybe she's too old now to do that however.   Back to the Skullcap and Valarien (Dorwest).   One thing is for certain, she must be confined so you can concentrate on your driving!  JMO

I’d second a crate. I start all mine off in crates and then once I know they settle in the car they go in the enclosed boot. Is she food motivated? Perhaps try just popping her in the crate in the car when the cars stationary at first and let her have a long or chew in there - she needs to associate it with good fun things at first, then comes the boring journeys themselves. Gradual reintroduction to the car is what I’d suggest.
Also another thing to think about, insurance wise, a dog has to be confined or secured in some way in a car. If you were to have an accident then your insurance can be invalid, not to mention the impact a crash can have on you/the dog if they’re not safely secured.

She is 9, not a puppy, and I’ve already said that she didn’t like the crate - she was worse.
And she is secured with a doggie seat belt.

Has she at any time slipped off the seat while in her seat belt? I’ve used doggy seat belts for four dogs over 25 years, and although it’s very rare I have had one Cavalier and one Cocker slip off the (back) seat onto the floor while in the seat belt. After which I set up a hammock to catch them, for the Cavalier every journey; the Cocker, being bigger and heavier, only needed it in very old age (he was over 14 when he slipped, and losing muscle tone and weight). Neither of them was anxious afterwards, but all dogs are different, and yours certainly seems to be seeking comfort from you.

I would wonder if she’s developing arthritis or some other pain, as Nikita suggested, as the seat belt may press on a sensitive area or joint?

Otherwise, have you tried something like a thundershirt?

> She is 9, not a puppy, and I’ve already said that she didn’t like the crate - she was worse.

I didn’t say she was a puppy? We’ve had rescues before that have never been in a crate, or have and hated it. You have to reintroduce them to it and introduce it to them that enables them to enjoy going in and being away from you, hence why I asked if she was food motivated. It’s boring and can be scary for a dog to be in a crate, which sounds like what she’s feeling - you have to change those feelings she has to the crate by making it a fun experience. I believe it’s never too late for a dog to learn something, especially if she was once not as anxious about travelling in the car.

If you’re not willing to try other things out properly then I guess she won’t ever have the chance to not be anxious in the car. It’s tough having a dog anxious about something but the reward of helping them to become less anxious about it is so good to see. There’s no quick fix, but putting in the time and training.

It’s good she’s tethered and is fastened to a seat belt but if she’s distracting you whilst driving and is attempting to get on whilst driving then to me that’s unsafe.

> <br />It’s good she’s tethered and is fastened to a seat belt but if she’s distracting you whilst driving and is attempting to get on whilst driving then to me that’s unsafe.

Totally agree.   And re using a crate, I purposely said that if older, crating her may not be possible................

Sadly if OP isn't interested in helpful comments, then I'm afraid she'll have to sort this out herself.  ( Use a crate! )

Maybe rather than a crate a dog guard would make sure she can't get to u while u are driving .
I think using valerian or one of those previously mentioned products .
Feeding her in the car ,playing in the car, treats.all without moving tne car .

Also a thundershirt as mambas suggests is certainly worth trying or use a tight t shirt .in essence its the same thing

I shall say it again, the crate made her worse. She was howling and digging to get out. She was close to being sick, so no I won’t try it again.
Thunder shirts do nothing for her.
Neither did she like the back seat, despite several attempts.
She is best in the front passenger seat, where she has always sat.
Skullcap and valerian has got her slightly better, in fact my daughter commented on the difference only the other day.
No more comments are required on this thread thank you, and thank you to whoever posted me to the skullcap.

Whilst im glad you have a solution. Comments on the thread may (and usually are) read by others so any further suggestions are always useful.

I had a puppy that was terribly car sick and couldnt even manage to get out of the village sometimes without being sick. We tried all the usual suggestions. We were due do go on a long journey so decided to line her crate with newspaper to make it easy to clean and replace. She had a fun time shredding the newspaper and to my complete suprise wasnt sick once, the back of my car was full of confetti but not a single pile of sick. .

I have never had a dog that didn't respond to Stugeron tablets, initially given well in advance of all journeys, however short, and gradually phased out as the dog responds. Build confidence by taking regular short journeys to places that the dog finds enjoyable. For safety's sake - and also by law - all dogs should be secured when travelling.

All my pups have been travel sick until they did a long journey and then it went to drool before completely stopping 

A friend took on a foreign rescue and she too was sick unless sat in the front seat, I suggested not feeding before a car journey which helped and she then tried Sturgeron and that really knocked it on its head. She can now travel in my van in a crate at the back with no issues at all. It broke the cycle.

I couldn't believe my eyes - there are so many posts on here about dogs and car travel - because today for the first time we tried our Miniature Poodle puppy of 10 weeks in a crate in the car.  I have had many dogs in the past, none with any problems with car travel.  So I assumed all would be fine....but!  We popped Darcy into his soft crate in the boot (was that wrong?) and had decided we would just drive around the block for 5 minutes so he could get the feel of  it.   Well -  he kicked off within seconds of leaving the house and starting crying and shrieking, throwing himself around  and really distressed,  We obviously returned  home as soon as we could.  I am very worried.  Like most we live somewhere where you have to get in the car to go anywhere and in the 40 years of dog owning I have never had a problem.

Darcy is a lovely confident pup who has settled in with my other two dogs (and my cats) and is clever and loving.  Having read through these posts I will follow these suggestions but in my bones I feel that there are not going to be any quick fix solutions  Thanks for reading thisx

Sorry to hear this snowflake, has he had experience of being in a crate outside of the car? Usually the first time they go in a crate in the car they will whine and cry a bit but will settle. Tips for introducing the crate in the car if he really hates it - I’d start off with the car stationary and getting him used to just going in the crate for something fun, like a Kong etc. I’d also put him in when he’s due a nap, get him used to being put in there and closing the boot and car door etc, literally at first start small like a few seconds then reward, increase the time when he can do seconds easy, then move on to closing the boo/door and you sitting in the front etc. It may also help if you go on a journey with one of your other dogs next to the crate he’s in, if that’s possible - I know mine will settle more with each other because that’s what they’re used to. Unfortunately sometimes there aren’t any quick fixes, so it may take time but with such a youngster at some point it’ll just click and he’ll hopefully be fine in there.
Some pups struggle more with things, but trust me if you put the work in you will get there

Really useful book recommendation for you:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HELP-Dog-Doesnt-Travel-Well-ebook/dp/B01N5FFGG1

HELP! My Dog Doesn't Travel Well in the Car
Toni Sherbourne

I watched a live lecture from Toni the other day about this subject, and she's really good.  It'd be worth a look for your pup (and the older dog).

Thank you both and I will take on board your suggestions.  The poodle from the word go (since I brought him home from the breeder) has always slept happily at night in his crate and also in the day for a nap.  Today we put him in a smaller crate in the car boot and I sat in the back seat (split) so he could see me and we went out just for 5 minutes round the  block,not too much squeaking.  After years of owning dogs -  pups/rescues- it s something that never crossed my mind - but clearly needs to be sorted.  The book you suggest sounds good - will report backxx