Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 So I know someone posted a thread about their dog having diarrhea as soon as the dog gets out of the car... A while ago, Dudley had diarrhea inside the car. I figured it was because we were at an all day event (he was out from 8am-5pm) and he rarely sat or laid down (next time I will bring a crate) so I figured he was completely overwhelmed exhausted, and just couldn't handle it. At the time it happened, the poo was really grainy, had no smell (NO smell, I got pretty close) and dried up by the time we got home (15 minutes after). Ever since then even on short car rides, he shakes like crazy, and will arch his back, and sometimes, not to be gross, but I can see his butt pucker in the rearview mirror like he's about to go. If I make a lot of noise, he will stop and go back to normal. Today was the first time he actually pooed, it was about 4 quarter sized drops, they smelled horrendous! We were only in the car for about 6 minutes.... I feel like if he felt more stable maybe he would be okay? But I drive a small sedan and cant fit a crate in the back seat... Is it cruel to buy a slightly small crate and just "shove" him in it for car rides? I love to take him places, but one day I'm going to get in an accident because I am constantly driving with anxiety and checking on him instead of the road... Any advice out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I have no suggestions as I've never had to deal with anything like this with any of my dogs. But the 4 super stinky droplets sounds more like anal glands than actual poo to me. Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I have no suggestions as I've never had to deal with anything like this with any of my dogs. But the 4 super stinky droplets sounds more like anal glands than actual poo to me. Hmm, I will have my kennel manager check it out tomorrow before we hit the vet. Lol. Would glands be something that could be stimulated by nervousness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Yes, dogs can express their anal glands when nervous, although it is more often in severe cases like a panic reaction. Anal glands smell very different from poop. It's a very foul, almost fishy odor. Has Dudley always been nervous on car rides, or just since the initial diarrhea incident? Has anything else changed that might have caused his anxiety in the car? Obviously, there are more dogs that vomit because they are carsick or stressed on rides, but given that stress can cause diarrhea, that's not an unexpected possibility. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Yes, dogs can express their anal glands when nervous, although it is more often in severe cases like a panic reaction. Anal glands smell very different from poop. It's a very foul, almost fishy odor. Has Dudley always been nervous on car rides, or just since the initial diarrhea incident? Has anything else changed that might have caused his anxiety in the car? Obviously, there are more dogs that vomit because they are carsick or stressed on rides, but given that stress can cause diarrhea, that's not an unexpected possibility. He's always been a little shaky, but never really nervous. Nothing else has really changed, I did buy a zipline harness for him but I only used it for about a week, and he did not seem to even notice it. It is all very strange. He is VERY excited to be getting in the car, I'm leaning towards the conclusion that he just doesn't feel secure and it makes him nervous.... I'm going to see if I can fit a big enough crate in my car tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 sounds like my welsh terrier when i first got him backed out of the driveway- peed made it to the main road- 2 blocks- vomited made it to the highway- 3 more blocks- pooped and this cycle went on until we returned home. it was nerves, it took poor willie a good 8 months to get used to the car and i took him everywhere. my dd was pretty young, around 10 at the time and i made her sit in the back w/ him to calm him down.(she never bonded w/ him, i can't imagine why~) well, i ended up lining the seat w/ newspaper and putting a crate ontop of the newspaper and lots of cleaning. when we finally had to make a trip to vermont, to drop the kid off at music camp, 4 hrs into the trip willie ran out of bodily fluids and got his act together. i say, take him out everytime you go anywhere, make sure he hasn't eaten first and ask your vet about dramamine. this too shall pass.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Giselle Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 From your brief post, it seems that the root of the problem is over-arousal. It may be fear. It may be nervousness. It may be anxiety. We can't tell without doing a whole history on him and seeing how he reacts in person. However, no matter the root of his arousal, your training will be the same: 1) Counter condition 2) Desensitize Have you heard of these two techniques before? If not, please let us know so we can give you more detailed explanations. Briefly, however, counter conditioning means reversing the animal's reaction to a stimulus. This usually means pairing something good (i.e. yummy meat!!!) with a stimulus that your dog typically finds scary/arousing (i.e. the car). So, instead of shoving your pup into the car and letting Dudley get riled up, you immediately pop some VERY delicious food into his mouth. It will go like: 1) Let the dog hop into the car 2) Feed him a stream of treats 3) Release and let him hop out of the car. Repeat repeat repeat. This step is especially necessary for dogs who are so aroused that they refuse treats in the car. This is like the step before Square 1 If your dog can perform this step easily, make him give you a calm behavior, like "Down", instead of letting him pace/pant/get aroused. So, your sequence will look like: 1) Let the dog hop into the car 2) Ask for a "Down" 3) Feed a stream of treats 4) Release and let him hop out of the car. Repeat repeat repeat. Eventually, you can decrease the stream of treats and increase the amount of time that you ask him to stay "Down". Once Dudley can stay "Down" in the car without a whole lot of treats, you can start desensitizing him to actual car rides. (Everything above is actually part of the desensitization process, too.) Basically, you start with car rides that don't elicit a fear response from Dudley and slowly increase the length of car rides as long as Dudley stays calm. It may have to be 30 seconds at first. Try backing your car in and out of your garage. Then, if he can stay "Down" or at least stay relatively calm, increase the car rides to 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc. Feel free to reinforce calm behavior by tossing yummy treats into the backseat. Here's a video that explains how counter conditioning works: http://drsophiayin.com/resources/video_full/counter-conditioning_a_dog_to_blowing_in_face Desensitization generally falls into place very naturally, so I wouldn't worry about that. I'd focus on counter conditioning a calm response for now. Hope this helps and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 From your brief post, it seems that the root of the problem is over-arousal. It may be fear. It may be nervousness. It may be anxiety. We can't tell without doing a whole history on him and seeing how he reacts in person. However, no matter the root of his arousal, your training will be the same: 1) Counter condition 2) Desensitize Have you heard of these two techniques before? If not, please let us know so we can give you more detailed explanations. Briefly, however, counter conditioning means reversing the animal's reaction to a stimulus. This usually means pairing something good (i.e. yummy meat!!!) with a stimulus that your dog typically finds scary/arousing (i.e. the car). So, instead of shoving your pup into the car and letting Dudley get riled up, you immediately pop some VERY delicious food into his mouth. It will go like: 1) Let the dog hop into the car 2) Feed him a stream of treats 3) Release and let him hop out of the car. Repeat repeat repeat. This step is especially necessary for dogs who are so aroused that they refuse treats in the car. This is like the step before Square 1 If your dog can perform this step easily, make him give you a calm behavior, like "Down", instead of letting him pace/pant/get aroused. So, your sequence will look like: 1) Let the dog hop into the car 2) Ask for a "Down" 3) Feed a stream of treats 4) Release and let him hop out of the car. Repeat repeat repeat. Eventually, you can decrease the stream of treats and increase the amount of time that you ask him to stay "Down". Once Dudley can stay "Down" in the car without a whole lot of treats, you can start desensitizing him to actual car rides. (Everything above is actually part of the desensitization process, too.) Basically, you start with car rides that don't elicit a fear response from Dudley and slowly increase the length of car rides as long as Dudley stays calm. It may have to be 30 seconds at first. Try backing your car in and out of your garage. Then, if he can stay "Down" or at least stay relatively calm, increase the car rides to 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc. Feel free to reinforce calm behavior by tossing yummy treats into the backseat. Here's a video that explains how counter conditioning works: http://drsophiayin.com/resources/video_full/counter-conditioning_a_dog_to_blowing_in_face Desensitization generally falls into place very naturally, so I wouldn't worry about that. I'd focus on counter conditioning a calm response for now. Hope this helps and good luck! Thanks for this. I will try, but I will admit he does not know any "tricks" like sit or down. He will only lie down when the car has been moving at the same speed for a few minutes, which is tough because I live in South Florida which has terrible traffic. I guess I have to work on the down position first (I have some good resources, I just haven't gotten around to it yet..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Agree with everything Giselle posted. It sounds like a panic/fear response. Here was my response from a similar thread. To address your original question, it sounds like your boy is extremely fearful of riding in the car. If he was getting motion sickness, he would be throwing up, not having diarrhea. I wouldn't take it lightly- if he is so scared that he's pooping himself everytime, I would recommend a couple of things. Primarily, it's important to work on car training. Slow down his exposure to the car as not to overwhelm him. Start by walking him near/around the car and giving treats. Do that a couple times and graduate to having him get into the car and giving treats while the car is turned off. Next time, drive the car around the block. Just keep training sessions short (no more than five minutes a couple times a day) and make the process as gradual as possible. Also, if he's recently retired, stick with a very plain treat like boiled chicken, as not to upset his stomach. If you absolutely *have* to take him somewhere in the car, I would ask the vet for an anti-anxiety prescription temporarily which you can give 30 minutes prior to the car ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FreeholdHound Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 I have been looking for a way to get Harry to Down in the car, this sounds like it may be the answer. He only lays down if I'm on an Interstate going over 50 mph for extended time. Slow down at all or stop and he pops right up. Will have to get some treats ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Agree with everything Giselle posted. It sounds like a panic/fear response. Here was my response from a similar thread. To address your original question, it sounds like your boy is extremely fearful of riding in the car. If he was getting motion sickness, he would be throwing up, not having diarrhea. I wouldn't take it lightly- if he is so scared that he's pooping himself everytime, I would recommend a couple of things. Primarily, it's important to work on car training. Slow down his exposure to the car as not to overwhelm him. Start by walking him near/around the car and giving treats. Do that a couple times and graduate to having him get into the car and giving treats while the car is turned off. Next time, drive the car around the block. Just keep training sessions short (no more than five minutes a couple times a day) and make the process as gradual as possible. Also, if he's recently retired, stick with a very plain treat like boiled chicken, as not to upset his stomach. If you absolutely *have* to take him somewhere in the car, I would ask the vet for an anti-anxiety prescription temporarily which you can give 30 minutes prior to the car ride. I have had him since feb of this year, so he is not so recently retired, and he has only recently begun this problem, it has happened twice (and we drive everyday.) It's weird because I just don't truly feel it is a fear response. It is just sometimes he is shaky in the car and sometimes he is fine. Yesterday we drove about 45 minutes to go to the kennels and had no problems. I am definitely going to be doing the exercises you guys have posted. But he likes getting in the car, or at least seems to like it...I would like to hold off on the meds unless the vet thinks it's necessary, as we drive frequently and he has such a wonderful happy personality I don't want to put him on something everyday....I have been looking for a way to get Harry to Down in the car, this sounds like it may be the answer. He only lays down if I'm on an Interstate going over 50 mph for extended time. Slow down at all or stop and he pops right up. Will have to get some treats !I am definitely going to start training down... It's just harder than it looks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Giselle Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Clawsandpaws, I agree with you about medication. I only consider it a last-resort tool for aiding training. On that note, even if Dudley's behavior seems too mercurial to call strictly "fear-related", we can say that he is over-aroused. Nervous? Anxious? Excited? Scared? We're not sure. There may be components of all of these things. The issue, however, is that we need to train him to be calm and not aroused. In my experience, the most efficient way to do this is to teach the pups to perform a calm behavior (i.e. "Down") that is incompatible with arousing behaviors (i.e. pacing, panting, getting otherwise riled up). Do you need some tips on training Down? I think there are some helpful threads if you search for "teaching down" in this forum. It's a topic that has been covered in detail before, so you'll be sure to find some helpful tips here One fail proof method has simply been to shut myself and the hungry dog in a quiet room. Key: Make sure the dog is hungry. Don't feed breakfast or only feed a small meal. Then, I feed a few freebie treats to the dog just to get his attention. Then, I hold a really yummy treat in a closed fist and place my fist on the ground, right between the dog's front legs. Some dogs will follow the treat with their nose and plop straight into a Down. Others need to sniff and think about it for a few minutes. Eventually, though, the dogs will lie down. You can use a lot of aids to help you: carpets, fluffy mats, have the dog crawl under your knees or a chair to get the treat, reward in smaller increments (i.e. treat the the dog just for putting his nose down, treat for bending the front legs, etc.). But this is the most basic and reliable method that I've found. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Agree with everything Giselle posted. It sounds like a panic/fear response. Here was my response from a similar thread. To address your original question, it sounds like your boy is extremely fearful of riding in the car. If he was getting motion sickness, he would be throwing up, not having diarrhea. I wouldn't take it lightly- if he is so scared that he's pooping himself everytime, I would recommend a couple of things. Primarily, it's important to work on car training. Slow down his exposure to the car as not to overwhelm him. Start by walking him near/around the car and giving treats. Do that a couple times and graduate to having him get into the car and giving treats while the car is turned off. Next time, drive the car around the block. Just keep training sessions short (no more than five minutes a couple times a day) and make the process as gradual as possible. Also, if he's recently retired, stick with a very plain treat like boiled chicken, as not to upset his stomach. If you absolutely *have* to take him somewhere in the car, I would ask the vet for an anti-anxiety prescription temporarily which you can give 30 minutes prior to the car ride.I have had him since feb of this year, so he is not so recently retired, and he has only recently begun this problem, it has happened twice (and we drive everyday.) It's weird because I just don't truly feel it is a fear response. It is just sometimes he is shaky in the car and sometimes he is fine. Yesterday we drove about 45 minutes to go to the kennels and had no problems. I am definitely going to be doing the exercises you guys have posted. But he likes getting in the car, or at least seems to like it...I would like to hold off on the meds unless the vet thinks it's necessary, as we drive frequently and he has such a wonderful happy personality I don't want to put him on something everyday....I have been looking for a way to get Harry to Down in the car, this sounds like it may be the answer. He only lays down if I'm on an Interstate going over 50 mph for extended time. Slow down at all or stop and he pops right up. Will have to get some treats !I am definitely going to start training down... It's just harder than it looks!!! Right... I just pasted my response regarding the desensitization training from a similar thread. If the training works, then meds shouldn't be necessary... Only as a last resort. Did something happen that could be perceived as traumatic for him? Maybe the zip line? Or a stressful trip to the vets office? One of my guys was always great on leash, and one traumatic incident with another dog set him back a long way behaviorally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Agree with everything Giselle posted. It sounds like a panic/fear response. Here was my response from a similar thread. To address your original question, it sounds like your boy is extremely fearful of riding in the car. If he was getting motion sickness, he would be throwing up, not having diarrhea. I wouldn't take it lightly- if he is so scared that he's pooping himself everytime, I would recommend a couple of things. Primarily, it's important to work on car training. Slow down his exposure to the car as not to overwhelm him. Start by walking him near/around the car and giving treats. Do that a couple times and graduate to having him get into the car and giving treats while the car is turned off. Next time, drive the car around the block. Just keep training sessions short (no more than five minutes a couple times a day) and make the process as gradual as possible. Also, if he's recently retired, stick with a very plain treat like boiled chicken, as not to upset his stomach. If you absolutely *have* to take him somewhere in the car, I would ask the vet for an anti-anxiety prescription temporarily which you can give 30 minutes prior to the car ride.I have had him since feb of this year, so he is not so recently retired, and he has only recently begun this problem, it has happened twice (and we drive everyday.) It's weird because I just don't truly feel it is a fear response. It is just sometimes he is shaky in the car and sometimes he is fine. Yesterday we drove about 45 minutes to go to the kennels and had no problems. I am definitely going to be doing the exercises you guys have posted. But he likes getting in the car, or at least seems to like it...I would like to hold off on the meds unless the vet thinks it's necessary, as we drive frequently and he has such a wonderful happy personality I don't want to put him on something everyday....I have been looking for a way to get Harry to Down in the car, this sounds like it may be the answer. He only lays down if I'm on an Interstate going over 50 mph for extended time. Slow down at all or stop and he pops right up. Will have to get some treats !I am definitely going to start training down... It's just harder than it looks!!! Right... I just pasted my response regarding the desensitization training from a similar thread. If the training works, then meds shouldn't be necessary... Only as a last resort. Did something happen that could be perceived as traumatic for him? Maybe the zip line? Or a stressful trip to the vets office? One of my guys was always great on leash, and one traumatic incident with another dog set him back a long way behaviorally. I don't know what could have triggered it The zip line harness didn't seem to bother him in the least, it was comfortable and allowed full range (to the point where it was pretty much useless, which is why I stopped using it.) I have already started the desensitization training! I'll update you guys in a few days or so if I see any improvement... He still sticks his head out of the window and seems like he's enjoying himself... Then he suddenly would retreat back in the car and just let a few out... I don't want him to be stressed/anxious/fearful especially in the car, I take him everywhere!! Ps. He loves the vet, so no trauma there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 after dealing w/ a dog who puked, pooped and peed in the car i would only desensitize the dog w/ food for short stays which can grow in lenght in the driveway.that's what i did w/ fearful annie who needed to be surgically inserted into our truck or 2 door car for 9 months- but it clicked and she finally hopped right in.it did take a loooong time for her to muster up the courage to jump in- even w/ high quality treats. willie had both fear and motion sickness. brave/stupid me drove to the train station every night with willie in tow- his reward, picking up joe who he loved. i never ever gave him food before any out outing in the car. anything in his system came out one end or the other. he learned, we took him everywhere, i cleaned my car a lot, but he eventually settled down and was good for the long bi-weekly hauls to vermont or our trips to the outerbanks. i do believe in desensitizing w/ food reward, but sometimes just doing it a lot- repetition works as well with out major emotional reprocussions. it's a matter of giving all options a try and seeing what works for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 after dealing w/ a dog who puked, pooped and peed in the car i would only desensitize the dog w/ food for short stays which can grow in lenght in the driveway.that's what i did w/ fearful annie who needed to be surgically inserted into our truck or 2 door car for 9 months- but it clicked and she finally hopped right in.it did take a loooong time for her to muster up the courage to jump in- even w/ high quality treats. willie had both fear and motion sickness. brave/stupid me drove to the train station every night with willie in tow- his reward, picking up joe who he loved. i never ever gave him food before any out outing in the car. anything in his system came out one end or the other. he learned, we took him everywhere, i cleaned my car a lot, but he eventually settled down and was good for the long bi-weekly hauls to vermont or our trips to the outerbanks. i do believe in desensitizing w/ food reward, but sometimes just doing it a lot- repetition works as well with out major emotional reprocussions. it's a matter of giving all options a try and seeing what works for you. Yup, this is what I'm going to be doing for a while thank you, do you ever give food while in the car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 no food for the dogs in the car, not on breaks or pit stops while we travel. water when we stop- yup. we're the only passengers who eat in our car- ah...nothing like a salami sandwich on the road.(yup, the dogs drool but never beg). when we travel i feed them when i lodge for the night, so it's a little late, they seem to survive w/o problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 no food for the dogs in the car, not on breaks or pit stops while we travel. water when we stop- yup. we're the only passengers who eat in our car- ah...nothing like a salami sandwich on the road.(yup, the dogs drool but never beg). when we travel i feed them when i lodge for the night, so it's a little late, they seem to survive w/o problems. I meant during the desensitization training We haven't done any trips longer than an hour. So I was wondering if when you do the little practice drives (5 mins etc) if you give little treats throughout? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jonesyvoor Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 Dumb question but do you roll down the window and let him stick his face in the breeze? My Jersey is so excited and happy to feel the breeze in her face that she'd probably forget that she was afraid of the car ride itself. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Giselle Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 no food for the dogs in the car, not on breaks or pit stops while we travel. water when we stop- yup. we're the only passengers who eat in our car- ah...nothing like a salami sandwich on the road.(yup, the dogs drool but never beg). when we travel i feed them when i lodge for the night, so it's a little late, they seem to survive w/o problems. I meant during the desensitization training We haven't done any trips longer than an hour. So I was wondering if when you do the little practice drives (5 mins etc) if you give little treats throughout? My mentor was crazy insistent about using the right terminology, so forgive me if I'm a bit nitpicky about this Counter conditioning refers specifically to the pairing of food with the car rides. When you're giving treats to change the dog's emotional state from "AH! I'm anxious!" to "Oh, food! I'm happy", you're counter conditioning the dog. Rewarding your pup with treats for calm behavior (whether the car is moving or not) is all part of counter conditioning. Desensitization is the actual act of slowly increasing the rides from 30 seconds --> 3 hours, etc. Desensitization is unrelated to food rewards. Most people pair desensitization + counter conditioning together because they are most powerful when used together. But they are different and distinct methods. So, back to your original question, yes you certainly can and should reward your pup for calm behavior as you increase the car rides. But do not increase the car rides if your pup is still showing signs of anxiety. Once he begins to pant or "go deaf", take a break and try again later. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 Dumb question but do you roll down the window and let him stick his face in the breeze? My Jersey is so excited and happy to feel the breeze in her face that she'd probably forget that she was afraid of the car ride itself. lol Yes I do, but when he has pooed, it was so random, like he's having the time of his life and all of the sudden he would pull his head in! no food for the dogs in the car, not on breaks or pit stops while we travel. water when we stop- yup. we're the only passengers who eat in our car- ah...nothing like a salami sandwich on the road.(yup, the dogs drool but never beg). when we travel i feed them when i lodge for the night, so it's a little late, they seem to survive w/o problems. I meant during the desensitization training We haven't done any trips longer than an hour. So I was wondering if when you do the little practice drives (5 mins etc) if you give little treats throughout? My mentor was crazy insistent about using the right terminology, so forgive me if I'm a bit nitpicky about this Counter conditioning refers specifically to the pairing of food with the car rides. When you're giving treats to change the dog's emotional state from "AH! I'm anxious!" to "Oh, food! I'm happy", you're counter conditioning the dog. Rewarding your pup with treats for calm behavior (whether the car is moving or not) is all part of counter conditioning. Desensitization is the actual act of slowly increasing the rides from 30 seconds --> 3 hours, etc. Desensitization is unrelated to food rewards. Most people pair desensitization + counter conditioning together because they are most powerful when used together. But they are different and distinct methods. So, back to your original question, yes you certainly can and should reward your pup for calm behavior as you increase the car rides. But do not increase the car rides if your pup is still showing signs of anxiety. Once he begins to pant or "go deaf", take a break and try again later. Good luck! Oh geez, panting is bad? He frequently pants, pretty much as soon as we leave the house, even on walks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Giselle Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 When animals get excited, our heart rates increase and our bodies prepare for activity. Ever had to give a speech and found yourself drenched in sweat for nothing at all? Same thing with dogs. The only difference is that dogs pant while we sweat profusely. A dog that is not engaged in heavy exercise but pants heavily is probably under some type of mental stress. Of course, we can't say for sure without doing a complete history of the animal and seeing it in person, but I file unnecessary panting away in my mind as a sign of stress. If your pup suddenly goes from not panting to panting inside the car, it may be a sign of nervousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 When animals get excited, our heart rates increase and our bodies prepare for activity. Ever had to give a speech and found yourself drenched in sweat for nothing at all? Same thing with dogs. The only difference is that dogs pant while we sweat profusely. A dog that is not engaged in heavy exercise but pants heavily is probably under some type of mental stress. Of course, we can't say for sure without doing a complete history of the animal and seeing it in person, but I file unnecessary panting away in my mind as a sign of stress. If your pup suddenly goes from not panting to panting inside the car, it may be a sign of nervousness. Okay, I always chalked it up to it being so hot outside here... Ugh. Well, I called the vet to set up some kind of action plan anyways, I'll hear back from them tomorrow. My vet is old school and always laughs at me for over-reacting, I recently posted about Dudley peeing funny and made him run a slew of tests (UTI/bladder stone related ones) although he had already done a urinalysis that came back clear... At least he doesn't charge me full price anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clawsandpaws Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Been working on it for a few days, I tried making a more solid/comfortable surface as well, put my seats down, and his dog bed. He has been laying down for 80% of the ride, which is awesome, but when he stands up he is still shaky. Wanted to give an update I have been trying to train sit/down, but can only get him in those positions on my bed... Is that weird? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Been working on it for a few days, I tried making a more solid/comfortable surface as well, put my seats down, and his dog bed. He has been laying down for 80% of the ride, which is awesome, but when he stands up he is still shaky. Wanted to give an update I have been trying to train sit/down, but can only get him in those positions on my bed... Is that weird? time and practice, nothings weird these days it took annie 9 months to jump into our car, another year to finally lie down, 2 years to fall asleep on a trip, we're on our 3rd year w/ her-- who knows what may happen next? keep the surface secure and comfortable as you are doing. i found that the neoprene floor mats(sold at bed bath and beyond) work really well on a seat as a secure non-skid surface. i inherited a car w/ leather seats, not at all dog friendly. the dogs are usually more comfortable in a cold car, keep the heat down as well. greyt start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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