PANTING, WHINING, BARKING, NOT SETTLING DOWN… if the experience of going for a drive in the car with your dog has become stressful for you and your dog it’s time to address the situation. Left as is, neither you nor your dog can relax, normalize and enjoy the time spent together.
To cure the behaviour you must address and correct the root cause – this is a psychological issue – your dog’s and yours. Rescue remedies may help but they are unlikely to cure the behaviour.
FIRST LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW THIS BEHAVIOUR DEVELOPS
Here are a few examples of how we de-normalize the situation for our dogs and create the behaviour problem…
One – If you make a fuss when you are about to go out to the car, you ‘wind’ your dog-up and teach your dog that leaving and going out in the car is associated with excitement… i.e. ‘hey boy, you want to go for a ride in the car!’ by creating intense excitement you are destabilizing your dog’s state of being. You are overwhelming and flooding their senses. You are telling your dog to be excited, you are enabling an altered state. For an insecure dog this can trigger anxiety and anxiousness.
Two - If, in the past you or your dog has experienced a traumatic incident in the car and you still carry some of that stress from your traumatic experience your dog can sense your disquiet, nervousness, upset.
Three – You may have been upset or very excited when you first brought your dog home in the car
Four – Your dog has motion sickness. When your dog gets sick in the car you get worried, frustrated, angry or otherwise stressed. For guidance on curing motion sickness in your dog you can read this article.
Now let’s talk about curing this behaviour
STEP ONE – CHANGE YOUR OWN BEHAVIOUR
I usually spend the first 30 minutes to 60 minutes of a four hour session just dealing with the human’s issues – which trigger the dog’s issues. When we humans start to accumulate nervousness pertaining to our dogs in certain situations (i.e. Our dog going up to another dog) we teach them to associate that situation with tension, nervousness, fear, insecurity, excitement…this is why dogs become reactive. Our dogs read our body language as our thoughts translate directly and instantaneously to our bodies. The second you feel tension, your body shows it…compression of your lips, tension around your eyes, your shoulders – your dog knows how you feel before you are aware of how you feel! You must relax and normalize so your dog can too.
To understand more about how you can inadvertently communicate the wrong message to your dog and to understand more about how to communicate the right message you can read these articles…
Communication and the Sensitivity of dogs
Because dogs live in the moment it is easier to change a dog’s ‘bad habits’ than it is a human’s. Humans carry grudges, dogs do not. Dogs form associations with places, things, animate and inanimate objects. Dogs are very forgiving and treat each day, each experience as a new beginning. It is only with difficulty that we are able to convince, permit and allow ourselves to do the same.
Make the future different than the past. You must let the past go – must not anticipate that the past will and must repeat itself – let it go from your mind. Envision a new future in which you forget about what has happened before and focus instead on what you would like to happen – a nice peaceful ride in the car with your dog.
When you change your thoughts from negative to positive you relax – this allows your dog to do the same. You are leading by the right example.
STEP TWO – SET THE FRAMEWORK AND GET READY TO GO OUT
You then have to set the framework for the car ride before you get into the car! How you go out of the house with your dog matters! You must have control of your own state of being and your dog at every step of the way. This sets the framework for good behaviour in the car.
A – When you want your dog to go to the front door to get ready to go, call your dog over in a calm, confident manner. Don’t wind your dog-up. Don’t say, ‘we’re going out’ or ‘do you want to go for a ride’ – you do not need to say anything at all – your dog already knows. Don’t engage your emotions, just be matter of fact – remember this should be a normal event.
B – Your dog needs to be, calm and quiet before you walk out the door, if you are attaching a leash to go out to the car your dog needs to be calm and quite before you attach the leash to your dog’s collar.
C – When you are ready to approach the door, stand-up straight – your posture should be upright, confident, not tense – be aware of your shoulders, arms and how you hold the leash in your hands. If you are gripping the leash with tension, if your arms and shoulders are stiff with apprehension and tension you are giving your dog a message – you are communicating that you are not in control of yourself and therefore you cannot be in a leadership position with your dog. You are enabling stress, anxiety, insecurity in your dog.
D – Your dog is behind you before you open the door;
E – Your dog is to stay behind you as you walk out the door (and down the steps);
F – Your dog is either behind or beside you to the garage or across the lawn (pathway) and out to the sidewalk and to the car.
If you or your dog is not calm – stop.
I see so many people keep moving forward when their dog is not calm, when they (the person) are not calm. Stop, get your dog calm and then continue moving. If your dog is reacting and you keep walking you are telling your dog it’s ok to behave as you are. Stop regain control and then move forward.
It matters 100% what state you and your dog is in before you get into the car!
Don’t engage in an argument with your dog and don’t whine! Don’t say to your dog ‘ oh, I wish you wouldn’t do that’…to do so is whining and complaining, not directing – provide leadership, coach and mentor your dog. If you expect trouble you will get trouble…your dog can feel if you are anticipating an argument, instead remember to think i direct, my dog listens and that is it! Be 100% committed – your dog knows when you are not. Your dog knows when he has an edge to manipulate and control. Be fair, but be determined.
alt="Ottawa Dog of the Week"/>
Liz Bradley is a dog lover who lives in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband,
2 Users Responded in " Is Your Dog Anxious or Over Excited In The Car? "
We have had many great conversations and advice given on our Facebook page about dog travel anxiety as well as other anxieties dogs face. If you are interested in seeing some of the advice people have given or joining in the conversation please check out http://www.facebook.com/thundershirt
While at the moment we are dogless,since our dog died in early November we still recall all sorts of excitement we lived with him over the years. you have given some great points in ensuring that our next dog gets properly trained from the outset…Now I just need to get my mother on board since it will really be hers.
Leave A Reply Here