How to help your dog enjoy car rides

How to help your dog enjoy car rides

Some dogs are anxious about car travel because they've associated motion sickness with the ride. If you realized that you were going to get sick from doing something, you would avoid doing it, right? While dogs are either unaccustomed to traveling in the car because they don't do it often or they associate travel to destinations they don't like, such as the veterinarian or a groomer, and then are very anxious from the get go. Other dogs are nervous in cars because they previously had a bad experience, such as a car accident.

It's rare for a dog to be strictly upset about car rides because of motion sickness alone, usually there is an anxiety component. The solution might be as easy as slapping on a Adaptil collar, which emits a copy of a calming pheromone, and offering Anxitane (L-theanine, a nutritional supplement manufactured to ease anxiety). However, while these products, and others -- including the Thundershirt, which dogs wear, do help, many dogs also require a course of counter-conditioning and desensitization.

Here's what you do:

Take your dog to the car with a favorite toy. Open the back seat and periodically toss a favorite toy inside. Also, feed your pup from the back seat. When your dog's anxiety seems gone -- which can take days or even a few weeks -- now move on to the next step.

Before you actually drive anywhere, you may need to add a medication for motion sickness. It's difficult for dog owners to tease out, where anxiety ends and motion sickness begins.

Ask your veterinarian about a drug called Cerenia, though Dramamine can also help. Cerenia, is more expensive, but made specifically for dogs -- and can deal with a nauseous dog, even if the upset tummy is caused more by anxiety than motion sickness.

Now, you can actually drive with your dog. Start off using a toy stuffed with low fat low salt peanut butter inside it (to distract), and take your dog down the block just down the driveway and back. The trip should literally be less than a minute. When you return home, offer a meal (so the dog associates the car ride with something positive). Once your dog expresses zero anxiety, you're ready to drive a bit further. Gradually work your way up to a mile, then a few miles. Once you've driven this distance without your dog expressing anxiety, head for somewhere fun -- such as the park or a friend's house with a dog, whatever your dog will like.