# Won't get in car or even near it.



## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Ok, he finally decided it was better to eat in the car, rather than not eat. Small steps.....


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## Bentley's Mom (May 19, 2011)

Oh Tucker...if only you realized what magical things happen on car rides. Do you use clicker training normally with him?


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

I forgive you for the novel  Let me tell you a short story.

There is a Golden named Gibson, you may have read the thread I posted about him and Fiona "what a cute couple"

Anyway I was told he hated rides. They literally had to put him in a crate and lift him in it into the SUV.

Really? This can't be I thought. Every Golden I have known loves rides. Good luck they said. Challenge accepted.

Did he want to get in my van first time, heck no. May as well have put a leash on a big rock. But he did get in on his own. A little scardy cat the first time. Unbeknown to me I was being watched from the window by his dad. Got back after our ride and walk and he said wow, do you have patience.

Second time he jumped in. 3rd time he was first in the door and looking out the windows with glee. I had them try it with their SUV, he ran and jumped in my van, LOL. With patience, time and positive reinforcement I had him in and out of their SUV 5 times in a row. I never pushed him, he read me, this is ok, this will be fun. Now he loves to go for rides in their SUV.

They have thanked me many times and have taken him to places they have never gotten him to before. A new dog so they say. I humbly think I did not do a darn thing. It seemed like a piece of cake to me.

We still take him out once a week just because. That boy practically blows open the door to get to me. I love his hugs.

Positive reinforcement, lots of patience, make it like car rides are the best thing that ever happened to him. Wonderful things happen. Fiona used to be a scardy cat with car rides. Took some time but now she can't wait to go, even on the most boring errands. Going to the laundromat is a joy for her, wish I could be that happy about washing my dirty clothes.

Never push it, let the dog make a choice willingly.


.


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## FeatherRiverSam (Aug 7, 2009)

I can't believe you're going through this again....bummer!!!

Wish I had some good advice for you but you're doing everything I can think of worth doing. I wonder what the heck it is that's causing this problem?

Is he this way with all cars or is it just the Highlander? My brother had the same problem with his Setter and you know something he had a Highlander too. His dog was fine with getting in my car.

Must be the car...

Good luck.

Pete


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

GoldenCamper said:


> I forgive you for the novel  Let me tell you a short story.
> 
> There is a Golden named Gibson, you may have read the thread I posted about him and Fiona "what a cute couple"
> 
> ...


Thank you. Thank you so much. I just want him to hop in. It breakes my heart to see him this way. He is this way with any car, or at least the 3 we have owned. I think part of it is the sense of motion under his feet. He hates elevators for the same reason, but I can deal with that, I will gladly take the stairs. I can see that he is scared. I took a good 1/2 hr to 45 minutes, just sat in a chair, and drank a beer, just waiting. No avail. Like I said, he finally got hungry enough to let us boost him in so he could eat. We always take him to fun places in the car. He only goes to the vet for a yearly check up. It kills me to see him so confident and happy in rally class, and yet see his hind legs tremble when he stands next to the car...


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Bentley's Mom said:


> Oh Tucker...if only you realized what magical things happen on car rides. Do you use clicker training normally with him?


We don't clicker train, per se, but we mark with a "yes" rather than a click. Same thing in my eyes...


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## Bentley's Mom (May 19, 2011)

Phillyfisher said:


> We don't clicker train, per se, but we mark with a "yes" rather than a click. Same thing in my eyes...


Exactly the same thing  Have you tried counter-conditioning, going all the way back to step one? Basically, he looks at the car,yes,treat, he smells the car, yes, treat. I apologize if I'm already repeating things you've tried or others have suggested.


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

We are blessed with an awesome trainer, who he absolutely adores. If this does not get better, we will have some consultations with her. I so long for him to just hop in the car, care free. I keep racking my brain for what I am doing wrong. I wonder is it physical, do I left him in a way he does not like? He jumps on our bed, which is of similar height, with no issues. What is the deal with the car?


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Bentley's Mom said:


> Exactly the same thing  Have you tried counter-conditioning, going all the way back to step one? Basically, he looks at the car,yes,treat, he smells the car, yes, treat. I apologize if I'm already repeating things you've tried or others have suggested.


Have not done this... But great suggestion...we will see what happens at his next meal...


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I have a confession--since Toby's cataract surgery we are experiencing the same thing. We have 2 primary cars and an old SUV that is hubby's airport car. He will jump into the back of the airport car because he knows he is going to chase balls, but the other two--forget it. One is a small 2 seater and still no dice. He used to love to jump in both. We have 3 theories:

1. He realizes he's going to the vet in those cars. As soon as it is warmer I plan to take him down to the lake to walk just so he begins to associate the car with fun times. 

2. He now has a perception issue due to the cataract surgery, so it's scary for him to jump because he doesn't understand where he will land. 

3. He doesn't like the Champion K9 seatbelts we use for him in those cars. 

I end up coaxing him in with treats and a little assist, but it's a challenge for us as well. I just hope one day we can get back to where we were before the surgery. 

I totally empathize with what you are going through. My only suggestion--see if Steve will come your way to help you with Tucker, then send him south to me to help us with Toby.


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Does this look like a dog who is unhappy riding in the car?...

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=79024&d=1278336707


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Phillyfisher said:


> Does this look like a dog who is unhappy riding in the car?...
> 
> http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=79024&d=1278336707


That's a great photo!


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks guys. Thanks so much for the support. Ever since that therapy visit to to school, Tucker has been so in tune with me. If you could have seen how proud of himself and joyful he was at our last rally class. It was spiritual. He was great every time we were on the course, and simply thrilled when we were done. All I had to do was say was "great job buddy" and rub his chest and he just wiggled in delight. As we neared the end of class I could just see his demeanor change, and see the look of worry on his face about the car. Honestly at first I was not even thinking about it, I just noticed he was standing still for a period of time longer than usual. But I looked at his face, and I just knew...


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Dallas Gold said:


> I'm so sorry you are going through this. I have a confession--since Toby's cataract surgery we are experiencing the same thing. We have 2 primary cars and an old SUV that is hubby's airport car. He will jump into the back of the airport car because he knows he is going to chase balls, but the other two--forget it. One is a small 2 seater and still no dice. He used to love to jump in both. We have 3 theories:
> 
> 1. He realizes he's going to the vet in those cars. As soon as it is warmer I plan to take him down to the lake to walk just so he begins to associate the car with fun times.
> 
> ...


I would suspect is was number 2. I wish I could lure Tucker with treats. But when you take a dish of food and wave it under the nose of a dog who has not eaten in 24 hours and he turns away from it, it breaks your heart. I know he is scared.


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## Blondie (Oct 10, 2009)

I am just reading this and I apologize that I'm not fully understanding Tucker's fear of the car. Did something happen to him in a car or near a car at some point in time? Does he always stay in the far rear of your vehicle? What about bringing him up closer to you? Is that an option? Would he feel more safe and secure if you used a restraint attached to the seatbelt so he could ride safely next to you?


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Any chance, since this seems to occur mostly at night, that his depth perception is messed up and he feels like he's about to jump into a bottomless dark pit? Maybe get his eyes checked to be sure that it's not a medical issue, then work with your trainer. Here's a little story that illustrates how we can misread a situation: a friend with an Old English Sheepdog puppy was beyond frustrated because it seemed that Pippen wouldn't keep anything in her head that she had learned, and she really didn't pay attention. Months of frustration, and the trainers were frustrated too, saying she was the most stubborn puppy they'd ever met. A suggestion was made to check out her hearing.....and yes, she is completely deaf. So zillions of suggestions later, it would never have made any difference how many techniques she used because the dog couldn't hear commands or whistles or anything. Maybe Tucker can't see where to jump and it's terrifying for him? Just a thought. I hope you can get to the bottom of the poor guy's fear....


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Blondie said:


> I am just reading this and I apologize that I'm not fully understanding Tucker's fear of the car. Did something happen to him in a car or near a car at some point in time? Does he always stay in the far rear of your vehicle? What about bringing him up closer to you? Is that an option? Would he feel more safe and secure if you used a restraint attached to the seatbelt so he could ride safely next to you?


He has always been quirky bout the car. And he has always been quirky bout things shifing under his feet . I have been told that is common with goldens, have others notice that? He does not like riding on the passeneger seat. I suspect part of it is the dark, and me kind of hustling him into the car the other night contributed to it. I am wondering about some medical issue t this point...


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## Bentley's Mom (May 19, 2011)

Have you tried a ramp? Maybe he just wants to do it himself :uhoh: After we got Bentley a ramp he would no longer let us help him in the Jeep. He insisted on doing it himself :doh:


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Well, getting better tonight. When dinner time came around, he willingly walked with me out to the car and let me help him up and into the car for dinner. Small steps! We had a big party afterwards. Tomorrow is another day.


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## jluke (Nov 18, 2011)

*One More Thought about Treats*

You may have already tried all the ideas about treats, but I'll add one more. When Maisie was little, she hated getting into the car. Our trainer suggested making a trail of really high value treats (I used the freeze dried natural beef hot dog bits that she goes wild for) up to and into the car and on the seat. For a few days, she was still shy of going up to the car and had to be coaxed a bit, then willingly went up to the car, but wouldn't put her paws up on the seat, then put her paws up, but had to be boosted in, then, etc., etc. Now she goes in on her own. It helped that she wears a harness-style seat so that I could use that to get a secure grip to help her into the car.

Even if your dog is going to keep riding in the hatch area, would it help to temporarily lead him in with a treat trail?


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

OK, after a few more meals in the car, last night he refused to get in again. Ugh. We will see how he does today. I have a feeling we will be having a consult with our trainer here at the house...


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

OK here is the status. Wife put towel across back of car with hatch open. Tucker is comfortable putting front paws up on bumper now and eating from his bowl that is in the truck. He will not let us try to pick up his hind legs to boost him up and in however. 

Looking back on it, he had a rough couple of "up and ins" with either his front paws slipping, or us losing hold of a back leg getting him in. He also does not like me picking him up by reaching around his chest and butt from a kneeling position to pick him up. I don't like it either, but when he has refused to allow me to boost his butt in with his front paws up on the bumper, we have no other option when we need to get home. I know he knows I am worried about rupturing another disk in my back by doing this. Tucker is physically capable of jumping in the back of the car, as he jumps on our bed that is the same height. We suspect he is worried about the confines of the space to actually jump into the truck. He either needs to jump in on his own, or let us lift his butt up and in. Until then, we are not going to be going anywhere with him in the car. No rally class, no groomer appointments, no therapy visits, no walks at places outside of our neighborhood, no vacations, etc. 

I will consult with our trainer tomorrow. We need to get him beyond this.


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## Helios (Feb 14, 2012)

Maybe you can try with a ramp or steps like someone else suggested earlier, sinve your last post mentioned that there were some miscues when boosting him up the car, which may have resulted in his apprehension.

My older and dearly departed golden, never liked jumping into the back seat directly (we drive a family sedan), although he can obviously clear that height. He prefers to hop up to the footrest area, then another hop up to the seat. If there were bags or anything we place on the footrest area, he'd turn around and look at me with the expression 'there's something blocking my way and you expect me to get up the car?'. We'd have to remove the obstacle before he'll hop up gladly on his own.


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

I second the ramp suggestion! Here's a link to many styles of ramps. I really think this could be your solution!

Discounted Dog Ramps - $59.99 & Up


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Progress! Been feeding Tucker in the car, with him jumping in! We put a towel down over the slippery bumper and took the liner out of the cargo area so he has carpet under his feet. We also realized that if no one stands near him, he will hop in the car on his own, when someone lures him from the back seat. Today we actually got him to take a short ride to the groomer for his grooming (he loves her). In and out of the car with no issues bath ways! We will continue to reinforce with meals in the car for now. He is becoming much more relaxed. Hopefully this will continue...


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Thrilled to read your latest update  Removing the liner just may have made the difference.


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

Glad things are improving! Another vote for a ramp, if you ever need more ideas.

We've been going through the same thing with Casper. Feeding him in the car was the trick. Though scheduling his outings around meals is ridiculous. Fortunately, it's the bowl and not the quantity of food that seems to be key.


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