# help with getting our dog to go into car



## MrsTaylor (Nov 23, 2015)

we've had our beautiful 18 month old Golden ' Annie' for 6 weeks now, and shes doing so great, we're obviously still all getting used to new routine together and sadly we don't know how her previous owners treated her as he died and the breeder took the dog back, anyway she is quite a nervous dog with loud noises etc and she is scared of the car when it comes to going into it, i honestly doubt she was ever really in one through out being a pup.

sadly the times we've taken her in the car it has been to the vet after she got an infection from being spayed so her link to the car isn't particularly good.,

we are so keen to take her to a local forest, the beach etc, but need to work on changing her opinion of the car I guess

the issues for my husband and I are this

when it comes to car journeys, she automatcially sits her butt on the ground to stop my husband lifting her (shes 35kgs and i cant lift her at all) and he struggles to get a lift of her because she plants herself firmly on terra firma

when we do manage to get her in the car she won't respond to treats or anything she lies and shakes nervously.

I hate traumatizing her but we want to get her used to it, so we're going to try and take her for walks at a forest that's 5 mins from our house to get her used to it,

but sadly mu husband has to be there to lift her

has anyone any tips on making this easier for her, or is it a case of just keep doing it

ramps etc i don't think will make it any easier i suspect shes continue to avoid the car

help much appreciated 

N


----------



## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

I think in part, she just needs more time, she has been through some 'traumatic' and life changing events, which she associates with the car, and six weeks with you is truly not very long. She doesn't understand what has happened to her, and to be 'abandoned' (from her perspective -home - breeder- new home) has had a deep impact on her and she is not yet able to believe, have enough trust, that she will not be 'abandoned' again. 

For now I would focus on taking short walks close to home, with the goal of expanding her 'horizons' slowly. Pay attention to her body language, is she feeling 'safe' on walks? Does she seem relaxed and eager to go, or is she showing signs of stress or fear - panting (out of context - at the beginning of the walk), tail held low, ears back, walking quickly (may appear to you that she is excited) or slowing down, extra vigilant, eyes open wide - looking around, are all signs that she is not truly 'comfortable' yet. Reward/praise her for coming along and encourage her to go with you, helping to ensure that it is a good thing for her. Through practice and repetition she will learn to trust that leaving ALWAYS means she will go home again.

Work with her creating a positive association with the car. Try tossing some treats on the ground, make a trail leading up to the car, placing higher value treats near the car, and giving her the freedom and time to eat the treats, follow the trail at her own pace. Do not even think about getting her in at this point.
Once she is comfortable approaching the car, leave the door open and start over again, the goal is to practice patience, give her time, and reinforcement to help her create a positive association without actually having to get in. In time, work in small steps, place the treats on the seat, and allow her the choice to get them. Once she is able to get in, lots of praise and high value treats,close the door briefly, then invite her out. Work up to sitting in the car with her, then starting the car, and going no where. 

She is terrified in the car, 'flooding' her by forcing her in and taking her for a ride (avoid it, unless absolutely necessary), is no benefit to her, she cannot 'learn' anything in such a fearful state, her mind is not working, she cannot think - she is focused on merely 'surviving' the event.

A couple of things you could try to help ease her anxieties and help her adjust are Rescue Remedy and/or DAP (dog appeasing pheromones), calming music (Through a dogs ear) is helpful for some dogs. A Thundershirt, or a snug fitting T-shirt, can be helpful as well. But long term it is the positive associations that you help her make with the things she is fearful of/anxious about, the good experiences that she has along the way that will make all the difference for her, build her confidence and trust in a world that may be so very new (and perhaps scary) for her.


----------



## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

You can try giving her lots of treats if she will take them. My girl won't take treats when she is too nervous. My girl is much more leery of getting in through the side doors than the hatch. My car is smaller so she will awkwardly get in the side door on her own but she will jump right in the hatch. My BF always has to help her into the Jeep which is a bit higher off the ground. I think she has trouble judging the space. Even after that, she just doesn't like car rides. 

She can handle short rides (less than hour) with just a lot of panting/nervousness. After that, she actually starts to choke herself from a dry throat from all the panting. We take a trip to Wisconsin every year which is a four hour ride and we get her something for it.

I wish I could tell you something a little more encouraging but I can say that I still take my girl places even though she is clearly panting nervously. I just keep telling her to lie down as much as possible. It's worth it because she absolutely loves it when we get there. My girl is three now and I have just come to terms with her not liking car rides much.


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

You've been given good tips. You've accepted her and embraced her but 6 weeks is such a short amount of time and you simply have got to slow down. 

Really good trainers (I am not pretending to be one, but I do try to observe the ones I know) will teach things to their dogs in small increments and then string them all together. I know you live in Northern Ireland (I was able to visit Ireland once and it is the most beautiful place, I hope you will share photos of your Golden and her world when you are able, I would LOVE to see where you live) and the weather is not the best this time of year, but if you could start spending time outside near the car an with the car doors open, a couple times a day if possible, and show her how this is no big deal. If it's not rainy, bundle up and bring a chair out there, play, feed dinner to her out there etc. If it takes a few weeks, try to build up to sitting in the car and encouraging her to join you in the back seat, without going anywhere. Spend a couple weeks just doing this, and see how it goes feeding her meals in the back seat. Again, without even turning the car on. Gradual baby steps. Do you have room in your car for a crate? That could help as well if you covered it. When you can build up to it, try having someone drive you around and you can ride in the back with her. Just go around the block and the return home. Show her that not every car ride ends in a trip to the vet's office. It may be something she never truly embraces, that's ok. Just take it slow and realize that this may be something you work on for years. Also remember that a hungry dog works better for treats


----------



## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

Like Kristi said - start small!!! Start by taking her out to the car and giving her treats next to it (2 x a day for 3 days). Then put her in the car and sit there and read a book. Every so often take her out of the car and walk around and then go back to the car and put her inside and you go back to reading in the front seat. Give her treats ONLY if she is calm. Panting or pacing is not calm and the treat is worthless. Do the reading bit until she is calm and accepting of the car. Ignore her panting and pacing. You do not want to acknowledge her fear since to a dog that gives the fear merit in her mind. If she is calming down at this stage you MIGHT try to start the car but do not drive anywhere. Just turn it on and let it run a few minutes and then turn it off. Last step is to actually drive the car but by then it is almost a non event for the dog. 

I agree with Kristi that a crate would be a good idea if you can fit one in the back. That lends security to the dog. Remember to stay on one step until she is calm before you move on to actually driving the car with her in it. 

Let us know how it goes.


----------



## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

It's been a four-year struggle with Casper, but we are finally in a place where he will jump in. But each time, he has to think about it for a bit and we have to toss in treats first. We also plan about five minutes for the getting in the car routine. Even now, it takes him a few minutes to get used to the idea that he's going to have to get it. We figure all the neighbors are having a good laugh. 

I had the biggest breakthrough by feeding him his breakfast in the car. Since then, he's been a lot more agreeable.

We had a ramp, but we replaced that with foldable steps a few months ago. That helped a lot, too, since we could treat at each step. With the ramp, it was an all or nothing thing.

Another good thing to try is getting in and out of the car without going anywhere.

Lately, I have let Casper ride in the backseat, rather than behind the gate of the cargo area. We have a Subaru Outback. He's much happier in the backseat.

Finally, we also have camper van and he hops right into that thing. As soon as we bring it home to pack up for a trip, he gets all agitated and hops right in. Then he won't get out. I think he's worried we'll leave him behind!


----------



## goldy1 (Aug 5, 2012)

The only thing I can add to the excellent advice you have gotten here is when you use treats to lure her closer to (and hopefully into) the car, use the highest value treats. Something Annie absolutely loves and only use them for "car training". Once inside, reward her with more and lots of "happy talk".

Otherwise, I agree with the previous posters. It will be SO worth it.


----------



## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

I should add about feeding breakfast in the car. I did it many days in a row. If I fed him breakfast in the the car every day forever, I probably wouldn't have any trouble. But it's a lot of trouble to feed him in the car every morning. So I'm balancing my laziness with the outcome.


----------



## MrsTaylor (Nov 23, 2015)

*thank you*

thank you everyone for all your advice...

sadly the only trips she's had have been necessary vet appointments as her previous owner hadn't gotten her spayed.

she won't go into her crate in the house so i'll not be attempting that in the car , i supposed for us its about patience!!, husband and I just are so keen to get out and about to the beach and forests etc for more interesting walks but i do understand with all you folks are saying and it probably is better that we get her more secure and used to being around the car etc

she does love being out for walks with us near home and is a playful girl!

here's some pics  apologies but i can't get them to be the correct way up!


----------



## anamcouto (Aug 15, 2015)

*Ella also doesn't like the car*

Ella now 9 months is also not very keen on the car thing although in her case 90% of the times it means beach and beach is super hyper cool. She does cry the entire time there not sure if a mix of excitement and fear or just excitement now.

It used to be a nightmare but what we did was just sit on the back door both of us with some toys and treats watching world go by, we still do that sometimes, I sit with her with the door open.

We also started just going to office to pick up my boyfriend because once we get there all my friends/ex colleagues want to get in the backseat to pat her which is working out interestingly because the back of the car becomes a fun goofy place where she gets lots of attention of others besides the boring you know mom and dad. She's crying less often, she will get over it but I still need to pick her up from the ground to put her in the car just starting to convince her to put the front paws inside the car by giving a soft pull in her collar, it's much easier to lift just the bum:doh:


----------



## MrsTaylor (Nov 23, 2015)

yep i get that,

Annie, doesn't go close to the car if the doors or boot is open, she'll keep her distance and she knows its my husband who'll lift her so when he comes near she plants herself on the ground, i think we'll work on the 5 min journey to the forest and mostly sitting in the car with boot open for a while until she feels more settled


----------



## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

anamcouto said:


> We also started just going to office to pick up my boyfriend because once we get there all my friends/ex colleagues want to get in the backseat to pat her which is working out interestingly because the back of the car becomes a fun goofy place where she gets lots of attention of others besides the boring you know mom and dad. She's crying less often, she will get over it but I still need to pick her up from the ground to put her in the car just starting to convince her to put the front paws inside the car by giving a soft pull in her collar, it's much easier to lift just the bum:doh:


I did this, too. Casper knows Paws Up and will put his paws in the car and get a treat. Then I can lift the back end. Problem is, this is a great way to "poison a cue". Very rarely do this anymore, though I will sometimes have him do Paws Up, but I don't pick up the back end. I let him get back down. That way he can see the feast of treats waiting in the car for him. Yea, right!


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Open all the car doors and the back, and play anything she wants to. Toss her ball through, or toss treats in. Get her moving through all the space inside the car with clear escape routes in and out, like a jungle gym for kids. Dont try to move the car or go for a ride. Break the skills into tiny pieces, so each on gets "descarified". Another thought is give her a benadryl or something from your vet in case she gets motion sick and toes that to the car.


----------

