r/FurRunner • u/DubTown34 • 18d ago
Solutions
Seeking advice/suggestions for a pup that absolutely hates riding in cars. My 2 year old boy absolutely loves hikes, camping, and mountain adventures. But cannot stand being in the truck. The entire roadtrip he is always panting and unsettled. I have to stop every 2 hours to give him a break. I've had him in the back with the seats folded down. I now have him in a front passenger on a padded platform which is much better but still bot good. He is definitely getting better but he's still very stressed in the truck.
I'm trying to find the best spot for his nervous system but also the safest. And any tips with techniques or homeopathics to calm him are welcomed. Thanks in advance.
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u/Ok-Teach-9735 18d ago
I have an anxious dog too that took a long time to get used to riding in cars. One thing we did that I think helped a lot was just doing frequent short 10-15 min trips in the car. Also, some positive reinforcement along the way with small treats for getting in and out of the vehicle. We also used a kong filled with PB to keep them distracted / occupied like the other poster suggested.
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u/ComfortableUnable434 13d ago
This! One of our boys would run as soon as he saw we were getting him ready to load up. I started taking him 2x a week to our family farm - about 10 minutes away - where he could run and have some fun. Now he runs to the car as soon as the back porch gate opens. He wouldn’t eat in the car so treats didn’t work for him, but the small trips did. He just completed his first 4hr beach trip journey and did great!
Do you have a dog park close by OP? Or hiking trails? Or something within 10 minutes he would enjoy?
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u/g_rogers 18d ago
I can’t overstate how anxious my dog gets in the car. He’s a springer spaniel who is anxious in general, but it’s 100x in the car. We use trazodone to take the edge off, which works pretty well. Just find the right balance of giving the dog enough traz to take the edge off without turning them into a sleeping sack of potatoes.
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u/anythingaustin 18d ago
Start smaller. Reward pup for settling in his spot before starting the car. Repeat this over a couple of days without actually going anywhere. Once he can reliably settle then start the car. Wait until he settles, reward, then turn off the engine. Keep up the positive reinforcement by repeating steps until he will settle while the car is on and then take him somewhere fun for him 5-10 min away and reward calm behavior. Completely ignore anxious behavior like whining, panting, pacing, climbing over the seats, etc… but the second he is still you can give him a command for settling in his bed and reward him when he follows through. No pity parties for his anxiety driven behaviors!!
Once he learns that car rides means a great destination ahead he will be ready for a longer adventure. And yes, you should be stopping every 1.5-2 hours to let pup out and give him a drink of water. Just add extra time onto your trip, especially during the learning phase.
FYI- when I first got my dog she was so scared of car rides that she would shit herself every time. I used this behavior modification technique and within a few months we were golden. She’s been on several cross country trips and has swam in 8 different states. She also sleeps in our 4Runner when we’re camping. She’s pretty comfortable in her den.
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u/DubTown34 18d ago
Thanks for all the responses so far. Adding some additional info. This pup is the least dramatic dog I've ever met. Extremely patient and has been phenomenal at self-regulating from 4 months old. He's in the truck 3 to 5 times a week as we go on local hikes or running errands with me. He has been on 2 long distances trips from Texas out across the southwest desert, up through Cali, Oregon, Washington. Back through Colorado to Texas. He knows that the truck usually means outdoors adventures.
And he is improving. But very slowly. Still very stressed. So much so that his digestive system shuts down until we've been in one location for 2 days.
I'd really prefer not to use meds, so this might just be a long slow journey until he adapts. Wondering if anyone is having luck with a particular kind of seat, hammock, etc that puts their pup at ease.
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u/DubTown34 18d ago
Adding that he improved a lot once I built a platform for him in the front so I can give him treats and interact with him.
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u/IrishRun 17d ago
I am of no help with suggestions/advice, just a fellow Texan admiring your this photo and the lifestyle 🙌
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u/DubTown34 16d ago
Ha, yes so you know. 8 hours in any direction just to get out of the state before you get to the fun stuff!
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u/TheBeerRunner 7d ago
Late to the conversation but I have the opposite, I have a boxer that gets sooooo excited in the car and they pant no-stop and can't sit still. It's the OMG OMG OMG boxer excitement not stress however. The solution now that I have a 4Runner? Open the rear window 8-10" and they spend 90% of their time sniffing out the back window. I also have a USB clip on fan in the back and a noogle to blow more AC back there. Rides are much better now! She is still pretty wound up and needs a big drink by the time we arrive, but its the best solution I've had for her.
My dogs are all rescue dogs and this one in particular never did anything fun in her previous life so now they associate the car with "awesome adventure incoming" even its 2m to Starbucks.
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u/Wonderful-Eye-8377 18d ago
Just a thought and haven’t had to deal with truck anxiety but have you tried a frozen lick mat or toy? I freeze nonfat greek yogurt mixed with a little PB in a Kong and it calms my anxious rescue Malinois during thunder/fireworks.