Get The Dog In The Car And Go

Online, April 12, 2011 (Newswire.com) - If your dog will not get into the car you know how frustrating that can be. I can relate!

When we first got our puppy we made the mistake of not really taking her out in the car simply because we live in a pretty accessible neighbourhood and the opportunity didn't happen that much. We really didn't give it much thought or pay any attention to it, but the fuss and commotion that would happen when we would need to get her in the car was insane. Sometimes it was so dramatic that we'd have to change our plans and stay home, rather than deal with the drama.

Out of desperation, I started looking around for some help and I found this article which was pretty great because it shed some light on how we ended up this situation. I've included the portion that has to do with the actual getting in the car stuff, but it's also got some pretty good advice about pet safety in the car. Have a read and see it you can figure out where I, and tons of other people go wrong.

=====

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Dog Training [http://dog-training-guideto.com]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

The dog or puppy's introduction to your car should be an association to things he likes and enjoys doing. A good training program will begin by not feeding the dog for several hours before the trip and also by not giving him any water for about 5-6 hours before departure. This way if he does get carsick and vomit it won't be too hard on his stomach and clean up will be easier. Also, he'll be in a bit sharper mood for his "training".

Since most every dog enjoys a good romp with his owner and loves tasty treats, a good starting plan would be to pack up his treats, put him in your car and drive to a short walking distance of your home to a nearby park or field. Making sure his collar and leash are on, let him out of the car and run and play with the dog on the field giving lots of praise and encouragement, (good dog!!!), with laughs and smiles and really mean it! Stop once in awhile and give him a favorite treat, then praise again and start romping and playing. Do this for a short period of time, about 15-20 minutes. Then, instead of getting back into the car to drive home, simply walk home. This will give the dog the association that the car does not mean the end of fun playtime.

Increase the distances from your home a little further at each outing. When you start to see that your dog is looking forward to the trips, you can then, at the end of your romp, re-introduce your dog to the car and put him in for the drive home. It is best at first to stop for at least one romp on the way home. Eventually, he'll not only look forward to going into the car for a ride, but he will jump into it for the ride home!

=====

Have you figured it out yet.....yup, you guessed it. The only time she went in the car was to places she didn't like - the vet and my mom's. Not that my mom's house was a bad place, but she'd go there and then we'd leave her for an extended period of time. Not rocket science I know, but looking back on the situation and seeing it through my dogs eyes, it makes sense that she was associating the car with negative feelings.

The article by Michael Russell was really helpful when it suggested the ways to attach a positive association with the car through treats and going for walks. We tried it and gradually things improved.

To avoid any further difficult situations, I made sure that I kept taking my pup on regular trips in the car, even when we really didn't need to, just to keep her in touch with the fact that the car is a "good place" to be. Things improved so much we were actually able to take a vacation road trip. Take a look at my other posting called "Hit The Road - Advice For Traveling With Your Dog" to see how we managed it.

Remember, if you're having a problem like I did, stay calm and try to be patient. It's not going to fix itself overnight, but things will get better and then you can thankfully leave the doggy drama at the curb!