Having a car sick dog takes the fun out of
travelling with your pooch. Doing good
obedience training is a great first step to
build a better bond and trust with your four-legged
friend. Here are a few more steps that you can take
to quell the car sickness cycle. As always, before
you train, rule out any underlying medical
conditions.
1. Crate train your dog. The use of a
crate will not only make house breaking and potty
training easier on you, but it will show your dog that
he has a safe place to go and be calm.
2. Use the crate in the car.
If you already have done crate
training, put the crate inside the car securely and
follow the rest of the steps. If you have not crate
trained your dog, see rule number 1, or try the next
steps without it.
3. Break everything down into small,
digestible steps for the dog to understand and retain.
4. Start by just getting the dog
aquainted with being in the vehicle. Lead the dog inside
the back of the vehicle and praise him. If he is too
reluctant, wait until he is hungry and throw a tasty
treat or two in the vehicle. Make sure that he sees the
treat.
5. Once he is comfortable with being
in the car, get in the car with him (like you were going
to go for a ride) and just sit there for a minute or
two. Repeat until the dog doesn't react.
6. Next step is to turn the car on.
When you do this, don't go anywhere, just turn the car
on and sit in the driveway for a minute or two.
7. When all of the above steps can be
done without any hesitation or reaction from the dog,
its time to take a spin. Just go a short distance, maybe
around the block. Repeat this process and increase the
distance GRADUALLY.
A couple of things to remember: Be
patient. Don't rush it. If you see a reaction from your
dog on step 6, for example, GO BACK A STEP. There are no
penalties for going back steps. Fortify the previous
step until there is NO REACTION and then move on.
You can open a window slightly for
some fresh air if so desired, but it is not necessary.
Also, it may be easier for you if you
do this training when the dog has an empty stomach.
These are the basic steps to help you
cure your car sick dog.
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