# Car Shy



## GOODTIMN (May 30, 2005)

Start by pickin her up and putting her in the car and sit with her and have her favorite toys in there also and make it a fun and happy place. You need to do this quiet a few times and watch her reactions and when she is seems to be getting comfy with doing this then start the car, dont go anywhere yet, and again watch her reactions, and again do this several times. When you see and feel she is comfortable with this then move the car, and again watch her reaactions. This may take awhile to acheive her confidence in the vehicle, but hopefully in time it will become a great place to go....

Maybe even place on of your other dogs in the car with her and let her see that its ok, dont rush this and make it a happy, fun place for her to be!!!

I'd start on this now while she is still small enough for you to pick up, and hopefully in time she will be jumping in on her own......

I would shy away from treats because if she is nervous then she may throw them up in the car, use toys instead...


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Samson is also car shy. He always ends up enjoying it once we go. But he doesn't want to get in at first. 

I usually just carry him into the car, and most of our trips are just short trips to the grocery store, with one of the kids waiting in the car with him while I run in to buy whatever groceries we need. He's always very happy to see me coming out of the store.....

I think it's just the unknown. The more he goes, the better he'll get. And I think it's just a matter of time until he enjoys car rides as much as our last dog, Buddy.

Rick


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## shaneamber (Apr 20, 2005)

Some Goldens just don't like the car.We had a boy Golden who would not stop barking until we went over 60 mph. Then he would calm down and just stare out the window. We took him on a long vacation drive one labor day weekend.The vet gave us "doggie downers" to calm him.Didn't work at all.
On Labor day we were traveling through a small town,we somehow got 2 cars infront of the parade,but behind the police escort at about 1 mph.
He was hanging out the windows barking,so much barking that he was foaming at the mouth.People were jumping back,Mom's were pulling their kids back and we just wanted to crawl under the dashboard.The parade was about 1 1/2 miles long and we scared everybody along the way.Finally the police let us through and we got out of there as fast as we could.
He never got better,he also hated UPS trucks for his whole life with us.He was about a year old when we got him, so he may have been in a car that was hit by a UPS truck.
GOODTIMN has given you some GReat advice,that's what I would have said. Start slow and easy,if you are happy about it,he will be too.
Shane


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## Buffy & Abby's Mom (Nov 27, 2005)

Shane: I know I shouldn't laugh because I'm sure it was horrendous while it was occurring but your parade story just cracked me up. I can just visualize this. What a nightmare but totally hilarious!


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

I have to carry Lucky to the car. I have to carry him into the vets. These are two situations were the debatable "choke chains" can be a real problem. He'd rather choke then go. The other day I wanted to do some window shopping at strip mall and he refused me on that one also. Scared to death of those building. 

Since right now he's only 40 lbs, I can still carry him, but I weigh 88lb on a good day, so we need to figure it out soon. I'm going to start stocking my car with some toys as Goodtmn suggested. Thats a good idea and something for him to look forward too. And I do plan to get another type of collar that might offer more safe control for situations like these.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

I don't think treats are a bad idea for short trips.....and what about a short trip to a park with lots of playtime to follow? Wouldn't he learn to associate the car ride with fun? Just an idea....

Rick


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I also got a good laugh out of the parade story. These forums can be so mch fun as well as educational. We have never had a car shy dog, so i can pull on any experience here. BUT I do have two exam room shy dogs--Buck and kayCee will not go into the exam room at the vets unless I take them in. Same the few times they get boarded or dropped off early for tests, etc. They just flop down when tech tires to take them. They will go get on the scales in the waiting area with the tech leading them, but as soon as she starts for one of the exam rooms, down they go. i have to take the leash and take them in--even if i had already been at the doorway and they know i will be in the exam roomwith them.


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## Buffy & Abby's Mom (Nov 27, 2005)

Now that I've quit cracking up about the parade story, I'll post about car shy. Buffy has never been car shy at all. I started taking her with me everywhere I went when she was only 8 weeks old. She has always been the best dog in a car. She'll look out the window for a bit but then will lay down and sleep. When she's waiting for me when I'm in a store or whatever, she never barks or gets excited, she just waits patiently. We also do a lot of RVing and leave Buffy fairly frequently in the RV while we're sightseeing or go places where a dog can't go. Again, she's great!

My challenge will be with Abby since she was so neglected for 10 months. So far I've only taken Abby to the vet and for that I had to lift her into the car. I'm going to start taking her soon on short trips to get her used to it. It will be a challenge to get both of them into the back seat since I have a small Saturn. I haven't decided yet whether to start Abby out alone or if she would be more comfortable (but more crowded) if Buffy was along. But summer will be here soon and the RV will be in use a lot so she needs to be accustomed.


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## krbshappy71 (Dec 30, 2005)

Thank you for the suggestions! I considered picking her up and putting her in there but she's already too lanky/bulky for me to carry nicely. I was afraid that would put her off even more if I forced her. Once she is in the car she just lays down. YAY! Yesterday I encouraged all the dogs to come into the garage with me, the garage door was open, and she wasn't afraid. Perhaps its the darkness and the unknown. Oh and once I opened the car door while they were out there, she bolted back into the house. Maybe I need to spend time with her in the garage first? Make that an okay place to be, without the car association.


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## dionne (Dec 28, 2005)

When we got Max (7.5 mths) he was very car shy & sick. I had to lift him into the car and get one of the children to hold his lead whilst I closed the boot door. I now take him out every day for just a short journey of 5 mins to the local park. 2 weeks on and he know sits whilst I open the door and then jumps straight in. He is still occasionally sick (could be my driving !!!), but is 100% better than he was.


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## shaneamber (Apr 20, 2005)

Have you tried to get her in the car outside the garage? Perhaps it is the garage that is spooking her.
As for my Golden,he wouldn't go in the water either. On the same trip,we stopped at a large water fall.It had several drops and at the bottom one they allowed swiming. Lee swam out a bit,I carried him out until I was chest deep and let him go. He tried to walk on top of the water and was splashing like crazy.He went right to Lee and climbed on her head.She had to come in to let me pry him off of her.We tried many times over the years,but he never liked the water or the car.
Shane


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Just wanted to share an update on Samson's car shyness....

Until today, we've either had to bribe with treats or actually pick him up to get him into the car. When we'd open the car door, he'd run back into the yard and just plop down.

Well, today, I came home from the store and let Samson outside. Half joking around, I opened the back door of the car and said "Come on," thinking he'd run the other way. Instead, he hopped right in. So I had to give him a ride around the block.

Then, same thing tonight. Had to run to the store....so I opened the car door and he jumped right in. Just like that, the car shyness is gone.

Rick


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## goldencity (May 26, 2005)

Of our old dogs, one was car shy. Penny always loved the car, but her sister Lucy would always try to hide if she thaught she had to go in the car. 
I think this was because she used to get car sick as a small puppy- she always associated the car with feeling sick. Also Penny, as no. 1 dog, would stand on top of her to see out of the windows better! So I guess car rides were no fun. Now this was 15 years ago and now I think I would have got them crates so Lucy had her own space.....

So. my point is, does your dog feel sick in the car? Or does she associate it with something unpleasant like being squashed by the other dogs? 
If she does, then perhaps you could make the car a "better" place for her?

Now we have Millie and Daisy as well as Penny [Lucy died 3 years ago] and the younger dogs love the car. I have always taken them out in the car so they think: car = fun. I think it helps that I have a big enough car so that they can all stretch out!


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

Jack didn't like the car at first either but he doesn't mind it now (he's a little over 5 mo.). I used to just pick him up (He would drag his feet on the way to the car) and plop him in and shut the door. My lab rides in the front seat and loves the car. Gradually he stopped resisting and now he willingly jumps in by himself. 

He would always vomit if the car ride lasted more than 10 min so I kept taking him on very short trips--to get milk at Xtra Mart, to my mother's house, to the bank, etc. and then right home again and so far so good. He's also taller so he can see out the window now and I've heard that dogs will get motion sick if they can't see where they are going.

I think it was a good idea too, if possible, to pull your car out of the garage first _before_ putting the pup in.
CAthy


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