Freaks out if he thinks we’re going to the car/truck

[Toffeesdad]

So I’ve been searching threads and seeing what folks have done to get their hound to get in the car, but mines a little different.  Toffee is 85lbs and 7yrs, he retired and we’ve had him going on 3 years.  When we got him from the foster he would get in a vehicle no problem. If he encountered an open car door he would get in it.  
About a year later he jumped into the back of a black suv cause he thought the lift gate was open and gave himself a pretty hard bump but no injuries.  Since that time he is understandably anxious about vehicles.  Generally we have to time a car ride to coincide with his routine walk.  If he’s at the door and we open it he will reluctantly jump in.
Ive tried cheese, a Kong, chicken, I’ve tried putting his favorite treats on the bumper so he could find them but nothing.  If he thinks he’s being lead to the car he won’t take anything.   Once in the car he’s fine no issues riding.  I haven’t tried just picking him up and putting him in the vehicle, luckily we’ve never had an emergency car ride.  Picking him up in that situation would require muzzling him as he would definitely snap at me.
Otherwise he’s a real gent and a joy to have around.  Any suggestions?

Edited January 17, 2021 by Toffeesdad

[1Moregrey]

My last gh stopped getting into the car and she loved car rides.  It turned out she had lumbosarcral stenosis.  

 

 

[Time4ANap]

Just checking, but did your vet rule out any kind of injury after that incident?   If he is reluctant to jump in, be sure that doing so isn't causing some kind of neck or back pain. Maybe have a vet check done for pain reactions just to be safe and rule out that jumping in the car is aggravating something. 

If you can borrow a ramp from a friend you can see if he's willing to use one to get in and out of the car but it will take some training before he willingly uses it.  Some people here have also built styrofoam block stairs for their hounds to get in and out of the car when they can no longer jump in.  As the hounds age, it's not unusual fort hem to either need some assistance or stop jumping if doing so is painful.  

Good luck. 

[Toffeesdad]

4 minutes ago, Time4ANap said:

Just checking, but did your vet rule out any kind of injury after that incident?   If he is reluctant to jump in, be sure that doing so isn't causing some kind of neck or back pain. Maybe have a vet check done for pain reactions just to be safe and rule out that jumping in the car is aggravating something. 

If you can borrow a ramp from a friend you can see if he's willing to use one to get in and out of the car but it will take some training before he willingly uses it.  Some people here have also built styrofoam block stairs for their hounds to get in and out of the car when they can no longer jump in.  As the hounds age, it's not unusual fort hem to either need some assistance or stop jumping if doing so is painful.  

Good luck. 

Yes no injuries, and it doesn’t seem to be the jump itself but the vehicle.

 

[sobesmom]

I'd suggest - tough it up - get in.   I had a foster years ago that was terrified of vehicles.  My neighbor, a horse-trainer, saw me struggling to get the dog in the car.  He offered to help.  He said - This is what I do to load skittish horses.  Looped a leash under the hind quarters, pull, and up and in we go.  It makes them get in, and when nothing terrible happens, they get it.  I only had to do it twice.  It's very effective.  

[Toffeesdad]

So I thought I would update this in case someone else has this issue and wants a success story.   So we decided to take him on a ride.  I put his muzzle on and he went out the door and down the steps then balked and statued.  He got that wild eyed look again so I talked to him gently picked all 85lbs of him up and walked to the truck. I sat him back down opened the door and he jumped right up in the back seat of the truck.   The ride was fine after that and he got back in the truck without issues when we came back home. So I guess that’s a win and hopefully he’ll calm down with repetition.  

[cleptogrey]

Just a couple of suggestions: light colored blanket for better visibility, interior lights on. Have someone inside with hot dog pieces and feed him the slivers when he is in. You walk and treat him along the way with hot dog slivers. I had to use my knee up Annie's butt to get her in our 2 door civic. I would place her front legs in the well and push and grow hot dog slivers onto the seat. 

I hope some of these techniques help. Annie became a trooper. She also had fear of running into the house and going up a long flight of steps and going down to the studio. I just did the reward exercises over and over again. She became a normal passanger and had a great recall bounding up and down steps.