Another helpful tip for people with puppies is start doing now what you would want your puppy to do as an adult. This seems self-explanatory and very obvious however as humans we get caught up in our everyday lives and forget about the little things with puppy training. So here are my tips to start you and your puppy off to years of being able to enjoy each other EVERYWHERE.
First is sit down and think about the thinks you love doing in your free time…camping, hiking, gardening, going to the kid’s games. Or maybe you are just a couch potato that likes spending time inside watching TV, reading books or doing crafts. How does your dog fit into that picture? Do you want to include your dog in any or all of those things?
If the answer is yes then you need to start working with the dog from the beginning and although I am saying “puppy” these things can be done with adult dogs that you have rescued or adopted as well.
This particular post will be about traveling in the car however I will also be posting about how to do things like camping with your dog, going to kid’s ball games and other things as well. Keep watching out for those posts coming soon.
First if you and your dog are going to be traveling in the car at all start getting the puppy used to the idea right away. I personally like crating dog in the car for safety reasons however large breed dogs might not have that ability and then I would suggest a seatbelt or tie down system. Most dogs that are in car accidents are not actually killed in the accident but are thrown from the vehicle. Then they either run into traffic or they run away and are not found again. With either crates or seatbelts the dogs are physically attached to the vehicle and less likely to get injured or die.
If you are going to have a crate make sure it is secured down and the appropriate size. Going a little smaller for travel is okay vs going larger. The more area the dog has the more potential for being thrown around. If your dog is already crate trained, which I recommend for every dog, then getting them to relax and sleep in the crate while driving should be much easier.
If you are going to use a seatbelt, I would suggest one of the commercially made ones that are fitted for the dog and will secure in your seatbelt receptacle. This prevents any injury from ill fitted harnesses and ensures that your dog will not come loose if in an accident. I would suggest having the dog wear the harness portion of this in the house while playing or eating so they get used to it.
Once traveling with your puppy find out what works…some puppies get car sick, some are nervous about the movement, some really just don’t care and sleep the whole time. If you have that last puppy congratulate yourself on getting lucky. For those that are struggling with a puppy that is either nervous, car sick or just not loving the idea of car rides themselves time to get to work.
First is I would start by just putting the puppy in the car in the kennel if using one or in the back seat if going to be on a seatbelt. Then I would give the puppy a treat for just existing in the car with no adverse reaction. If the puppy loves certain toy you could use that and engage in a little game of tug. Then after a few minutes if the puppy is seeming more comfortable take the puppy out of the car and that session is done for the day. The next day do the same thing until the puppy is looking forward to going into the car for their treat or game.
The next step is keeping the crate closed and you moving into the driver’s seat. If the puppy is doing well (no tantrums or seemingly stressed) praise the puppy give a treat and sit in the front seat for a few minutes. Then get out, take the puppy out and you are done with the exercise for the day.
The next step is the same as the last except you are actually going to start the car. This for many puppies is a huge trigger and sets off the panic button which starts the triggering effect of panting, drooling, and possibly even the act of vomiting. If the puppy starts to panic try not to say things like “It’s okay” or pet the puppy as this just is telling the puppy it is okay to be nervous. My saying is “What you pet is what you get!” If you are petting a nervous upset puppy you will continue to have a nervous upset puppy. If you act like being in the car is no big deal or even correct the unwanted behaviors the puppy will learn what is expected in the car #1 and #2 see by what you are doing there is nothing to be afraid of. Once the puppy has mastered the art of having the car running and doing great continue on.
The next step is actually moving in the car. Again, follow the same steps as before with crating the puppy and so forth but this time we are going to go for a little ride. I would suggest doing this when you don’t actually have someplace to go on a tight schedule. And if you have a puppy that really struggled you might want two people so one person can drive and the other work with the puppy. Again, if the puppy starts barking, trying to dig out or any other unfavorable behaviors like that I would correct those. How I correct those while driving is tapping on the top of the kennel, shaking a can of pennies, or using some canned air to startle the puppy just enough to stop the behavior. You could say a word like “quiet” so the puppy starts to link the actual act of being quiet with the word. This is where having two people is almost needed. The driver can just continue driving while the other person works the puppy. Once the puppy has settled down at that point tell the puppy what a good puppy they are and give a treat if they like treats. Continue driving for a little bit (5-10 minutes) before going home and calling it the end of the training session.
Repeat! Repeat! Repeat! What should happen is the more you work the puppy the quicker they quiet down and just relax. Soon the puppy will not even put up a fuss.
For those with puppies that actually get car sick (vomiting or drooling) this maybe a longer process and sometimes there are a few puppies that just don’t get over it. For those puppies there are medications that we can use in conjunction with the above steps to help the puppy feel better in the car. If that is the case talk to your veterinarian about what might be the best medications for you and your puppy.
If you have any other questions on this please let me know.
