Car Failure

[koalagirl]

Hi, we adopted our little girl Meg a month ago today. She was very nervous, but everday she gets better. We recently booked a vets appointment for her and were worried how she would deal with actually being in the vets (is scared of people being around her). However, when we tried to get her in to the car she was so scared that I had to cancel the appointment. I had also booked a playing field for an hour, but had to cancel that too.

I sat on the back seat with some rewards for her. She would not get in, so hubby picked her up and placed her on the seat. I tried to get her to lay down and rest her head in my lap, but she was so scared that she ended up hanging round my neck and trying to scramble her way out through the back window.  We then decided that maybe she would be better of in the van, but that was exactly the same. She let off wind very loudly. which we saw as a sign to get her out quickly!!! We brought her back indoors and she was hypervenitillating very badly. After about 30 minutes she calmed down.

We are now coaxing her to come up to us by the car with treats, which she very gingerly does. However when moving on to sitting in the car and offering her a treat, there is no way!

We have now started to park the car in the back garden, so that she can see us driving off from the window and make sure she see's us when we come back. Hopefully she will learn that if she wants to be with us, she will have to get in the car. 

Has anybody have an similar experiences and if so how did you overcome your Greys fear of travelling?

[Onyfalk]

It takes time to build a relationship and forcing her into the car probably damaged her trust in you.

I would play games and treat heavily around the van. When she's more comfortable play with the doors open, then when she's comfortable with that try tossing a treat into the van where she can reach without getting in... Keep it really fun and low pressure.

If you ever *need* to get her into the van make sure there's a clear signal that this isn't the same as the usual games or she might regress.

[Time4ANap]

We played a game using high value treats (liver, I think). We kept throwing treats for the dog to retrieve all around the car, eventually throwing a treat or two into the back seat. Worked like a charm.  As @Onyfalk said above, make it a game with very low pressure. This needs to be done way ahead of time before you actually need them to get in the car for an appointment. 

It all takes time, but most dogs usually will jump right in once they realize that they may be going someplace fun. You may want to start with a few short rides to a local park once the dog gets in the car so that they assocaite the fun things with the ride. 

[greysmom]

This is not going to be an easy or fast fix.  It's going to take time to desensitize her and make her comfortable around and in the car.  She's terrified on top of being a pretty anxious dog in the first place.  You may need to resort to anti anxiety medication or CBD (if that's legal where you are) to help her work through her fear.

Follow the above suggestions and remember to use *extremely* high value treats in the beginning - roasted chicken or beef, cooked liver, hamburger patties - whatever is the thing she LOVES the most.  Keep sessions very short - only a few minutes at a time - and try to end on a positive note, even if that's only her taking one step towards the car.  Significantly lower your expectations for what success looks like, and be happy with tiny victories.

If you have a secure garage area where you can both just sit and be around the car, that would be where I would begin.  Put a bed in the garage as close to the car as she will relax and just sit there.  Read a book or magazine, watch a show, do some knitting for 5 minutes at a time until she's not panicking, and laying down.  Then move the bed closer in *small* increments until you can get her inside the car.

Good luck!

[HeyRunDog]

I haven't any experience of a dog not wanting to get into a car but Grace really doesn't like going to the vets, but if I walk confidently into the surgery without giving her the choice of backing out she'll begrudgingly go in.

Remember dogs pick up on how you react to situations so you and your husband need to remain calm and confident. Also be careful not to reward her fear but give her a reward when she takes a step towards the vehicle either with a treat or praise whichever works for her.

It could be the smell of the vehicle that's putting her off. Open the windows for a few minutes before hand and then put her bedding on the seat so it smells familiar.

[enoire]

We recently had a breakthrough with our grey's car anxiety by giving him lick mats covered in banana and peanut butter in the car. Those are really high value foods to him, much higher value than the standard training treats. And it also occupies his mind, he is less focused on the fact he is in the car and more focused on getting all of the peanut butter off the mat. So maybe start with that around the car and build up to getting her in the car. Bonus of the lick mats too is that he lies down for the journey rather than getting bounced about and making himself feel queasy looking out the back window. So it should also be useful for later stages when you start to go places with her in the car. 

[Apollo_the_Grey]

On 1/5/2022 at 1:39 AM, HeyRunDog said:

I haven't any experience of a dog not wanting to get into a car but Grace really doesn't like going to the vets, but if I walk confidently into the surgery without giving her the choice of backing out she'll begrudgingly go in.

Remember dogs pick up on how you react to situations so you and your husband need to remain calm and confident. Also be careful not to reward her fear but give her a reward when she takes a step towards the vehicle either with a treat or praise whichever works for her.

 

I think this is an important point.  You are the leader, and you should be calm and confident.  

Apollo doesn't enjoy getting into the car.  There are times when I actually need to lift his front legs to get in, and then his butt to follow up.  (This is fine by me, so he doesn't have any mis-steps getting into the vehicle.)  I didn't have to resort to treats for him, but we also have a really tight trust/bond.  

Further, are you using high value treats or mid-value treats?  Sometimes coaxing with bits of chicken, or hotdog, or liverwurst or dried liver works where other commercially available treats don't work.   Like was said before, make it a game- and keep the sessions short (3 to 5 minutes.) Don't stress over it.  and change the game up often.   Any progress is good.  Baby steps build confidence and that's what the ultimate goal is... a dog who is confident in itself, and in it's humans.  (my struggles with Apollos' confidence are ongoing and we make sure not to overdo it, as he shuts down really quickly and wants nothing to do with anything.)  

 

TLDR:  short 3 to 5 minute fun training sessions with super high value treats and confident body language.

[cleptogrey]

annie hated the car and would stand there like a statue when i tried to get her in. i tried everything- treats thrown in, person sitting in the back seat- you name it. eventually with perseverance she got her act together. never was that happy going for a long haul but she did it.

mango puked in the car for over a year. no matter what- crate, back seat, empty stomach, car sick meds. she is now getting better. 

willie peed, pooped, vomited in the car. thank god i used a crate and still had newspapers to line the seat and behind the crate. a 6.5 hr trip to vt. cured him of that. 

just keep on taking them, line the seat w/ many layers of towels, have baby wipes and plastic bags(for the dirty towels) in the car and go for it.