subject: Transporting dogs in a car- how to deal with a reluctant dog [print this page] Transporting dogs in a car- how to deal with a reluctant dog
It is much better to train your dog to accustom your dog to the car when it is young than wait until it is older. Many dogs will simply outgrow car sickness as they get older and their inner ear develops, but some take a bit more encouragement than others.
The first hurdle with any dog that is a reluctant traveller is to get the dog into the car. With some dogs this is easier than others as you can simply lift them in. However, if this is not an option you will need to train them slowly using treats and toys with a stationary car to encourage them in. This may take a number of days.
Once you have your dog in the car it is a good idea to let the dog get used to being in the car without it running. Let them explore and offer treats so that they make good associations with the car.
Follow this up (on a separate occasion) with a very short journey, again offering encouragement and treats. As you increase the journey times make sure that the first few journeys are to somewhere fun like a park or a beach so that your dog associates the car with good times.
Leave the window open a little bit to allow air to circulate and do not give your dog any dog food before they travel as unlike humans they are more likely to be sick if they have eaten. Dry heaving, rapid panting, listlessness, whining, excessive drooling, excessive licking or excessive chewing are all signs that your dog is about to be sick.
Make sure that your dog has enough room to lie down and that it can see out of the window as this helps with motion sickness. Many dogs prefer to be in a crate with a familiar dog bed or blanket but if you are putting your dog on the back or front seat make sure that you use some form of harness or doggy seatbelt. These are available from any good pet supplies store and offer protection for both you and your dog in the event of an accident.
Often dogs are sick out of nervousness rather than genuine motion sickness, however sometimes it is the real deal. In these cases it is possible to get travel pills for your dog from your vet or alternatively you can give them Benadryl (diphenhydramine). The ideal dose is 1mg per lb. but you should only ever do this if your dog is completely well and has no other complications, otherwise always consult a vet first.
On long journeys take frequent breaks and let the dog out. If you want to be able to give your dog food or water, it is possible to get non-spill bowls that hold up to one litre of water or dog food and feature a drawstring closure to ensure that the contents do not spill.
