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1639915 tn?1378929213

Keeping dogs calm for car rides

Does anyone have any ideas on how can I can keep my dogs calm while taking long drives
(like vacation ect)
I have a boxer lab about 75lbs, a lab golden retriever 60lbs, and a corgi 35lbs
they absoultly hate going for car rides my corgi trys to climb in the front seat
they wine and bark the entire time. I keep them supplied with food and water the whole time and stop for bathroom breaks but that still isnt enough we have just discoved that there are things you can buy for cars to keep them in the backseat so were investing in one of those
but what can help us with the barking and wineing the entire drive?
all advice is appricated
25 Responses
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Avatar universal
I really do not take them in for a ride really often.  They are crate trained. we have a mustang
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Time, consistency and patience.

As for the seat belts, not aiming this at you but in general, it is not a good idea to have animals unrestrained in cars.  They can cause you to have an accident.  In an accident, they can become projectiles and injure you or themselves.  They could get loose and run off, etc.  
have to admit sometimes I take our little one on short jaunts but always have her leash on.  When I showed dogs, they always traveled by crate with ID on them and ER contact information on their crates.  
Friend of mine ( only one story) was on the way to a friend's house and did have her Sheltie on a seatbelt harness.  She was in an accident.  Someone opened the car door, the dog got out and took off.  My friend was running after her and someone was able to grab the dog.  My friend was running on a broken foot!!
Just something we all need to think about.
Ah, good luck.  Keep us posted.  :-)
Helpful - 0
1639915 tn?1378929213
@deadgamegrrl Thank you for letting me know I will look into and get more information
@margot LOL thats so funny My dogs dont like their vet until she gives them treats then they are her best friend but once she takes their temps and they can see it they are back to not liking her and they go back and forth the whole visit. LOL Yes they are way to smart but I hoping the vets ideas work maybe we will have to take tons of trips driving to her and then keep trying to go further and further little at a time and hopefully they will start to be ok in the car I tried to let them ride with out doggie seat belts and they did much better so maybe the seatbelts are whats bothering them but they are going to have to try and get used to them and being in the car Ill get them there sometime might take me a while but Ill get them there
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Never heard of it but took a brief look.  Guess it's some holistic remedy.  Will have to look into it further and read some reviews.
Thanks
Helpful - 0
1436598 tn?1332896533
There's a supplement called Happy Traveler that is supposed to help. It's available on amazon. Fortunately I have never had problems with dogs in cars (just every other problem imaginable lol) but I used to own a dog store and a lot of customers swore by this particular item. Including those who didn't have much luck with anything else.

Good luck!
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
As I said, agree with the reconditioning ideas and hope that works.  I think I would start with the two big ones to see how that goes, then add the Corgi, if nothing else, to see if the dynamics change.

Had to LOL about going to the Vet's office.  When my elderly aunt passed years ago, I brought her little Terror mix home as nobody would take her.  Her only car ride experiences were to the Vet or the groomer so she was horrible in the car.  That was one long 8 hour drive to get her home with me!!  Lol.  Anyway, I used to groom her myself but the car was an issue.  I'd pack her in, take a ride to my Vet's office, they would fuss over her and give her treats and back home we would go.  Worked pretty well unless we got in the car and if I didn't turn in the direction of the Vet's office, she'd have a fit!  LOL!  They are just too damn smart sometimes.
Good luck.  Keep us updated.
Helpful - 0
1639915 tn?1378929213
Thank you margot for keeping me informed about how everything was going I am going to try the ginger snacks sometime this week to see how they work for them. I definietly think my corgi is the ring leader as soon as she starts the other follow right behind her. I called the vet and she is going to look at options that I can also try to see how they go were going to start with smaller trips with the 3 of them like going to the little store in town (2 blocks) and back and then the vet wants us to try to do trips to her which is about 20 mins with them once a week and then trying to go a little farther then that after we can get them used to the little trips to start off this is going to take a while but im sure it will be worth it once they are able to be contained in the car :)
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Daughter had about a 9 hr trip home due to traffic and taking rest stops.  Her dog slept for about 6-6 1/2 hours with the 2 mg of Xanax.  The dog was starting to get anxious in the car but they did not redoes her as they were nearly home.  Dog is home, up and doing fine.
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Yep, the ole Ginger Snap cookie routine.
Few years ago, when I was helping with Greyhound rescue, got a call from our area Rep.  We are in Central Calif and a guy in Washington state saw a new female on our web site he was interested in adopting.  Group up in his area did the home visit and he was approved.  He was going to drive down here to get her then drive back.  Problem was, she got car sick and he did not want to sedate her.  Grey's can be very sensitive to meds and anesthetic s. called me to see if I could work with her.  I said I would give it a try.  We still had our adopted Grey here too.  Debated on trying the capsules but picked up the Ginger snaps as I used to this with a couple of my Shelties.  We did a "lot" of driving around town and on the freeway, gave her 3 or 4 cookies about 30-45 mins before we took off, made sure she had good air circulation and was facing forward in the car.  Thank goodness it worked, made the long trip fine !  Whew!!  :-)
Helpful - 0
462827 tn?1333168952
If you think it's nausea for any of them, feed Ginger Snaps (Cookies) before and/or during the ride....
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Good for you!  Yes, sounds like the Corgi may be the ring leader here.  May be worth a try speaking to your Vet about possible meds for the Corgi.
I just wonder if investing in a Thunder shirt may help.
Yes, do keep us posted.  You have your hands full but "great" you are trying to sort this out.
Helpful - 0
1639915 tn?1378929213
Thank you for keeping me informed :) I have been working with them only going one at a time right now my goldren retriever really isnt a winer when hes by himself hes pretty good but my boxer mix and corgi both by themselfs still wined the entire ride around the block so I now know those are the only 2 I have to work the hardest for although I did ice chips and a small bone to see if that would help which the boxer was quite while he had that but the corgi decided she was taking the treat and wineing to so she needs the most work :(
but thank you for all your advice I will keep you updated as they progress Im thinking its not going to take long with my boxer mix but my corgi she is going to make it rough on me
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Ok, update.
My daughter us here.  She gave her dog, that is about 70 lbs, 1 mg twice on the trip up.  It did help dirt a while but then she was panting again.
The V et actually said she could give 2 mg but my daughter wanted to try a lower dose first.  2 mg is pretty strong.
We usually like to try a lower dose on some meds, if we can.
So, it did help some but she is going to give her the full dose when they leave on Sunday.  I'll let you know how that goes.
Her Vet did say too that she could give the Benadryl, instead of the Xanax, do not give the two together!
If you should want to try these, good idea to run it past your Vet to check on the recommended dose for each dog.
Hope this makes sense
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Poor thing.  You have a particularly hard situation dealing with 3.
The reconditioning training would take a while and a lot of work.
My daughter will be here tomorrow so will see how it went.  I am not sure if she is just supposed to use this for car rides or daily.  
Benadryl had no effect?  Drat.  
Just curious to know, have you tried taking the two big dogs without the Corgi?  Maybe try that 2 or 3 times and see how that goes.  
Helpful - 0
1639915 tn?1378929213
Keep me informed on how that goes and if it helps
I tried the small things like taking them in and out of the car and they have no problems with that but as soon as the car starts moving they are wineing like crazy tried the treat thing but that didnt help! tried the dog music but that didnt help! waited a few hours and tried benedryl and that didnt help! so Im not sure what else much to try they just dont like to sit in the car :(
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Spoke to my daughter earlier thus evening and she is planning on coming home fir a few days, 7-8 hour drive in good traffic.  She has 2 dogs, one large and one small.  Her big dog is nearing 12 and, even though she has traveled with my daughter everywhere fir years, has started to get restless in the car.  My daughter was an Animal Science major, raised "here"  :-). So is very animal savvy.  Thought she would go to the Vet and get some Ace for the trip but he suggested low dose Xanax just to calm her down.  Will be interesting to see how that goes.  Stay tuned.
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1639915 tn?1378929213
Thanks everyone for all your advice I will be trying everything to see which works best for them... Margot we are getting the dog seat belts so they cant move and jump all over the car  they have each of us they favor they already know where to sit in the car my boxer is a huge mommas boy and my golden retriever is all about my husband so in the car thats where they sit and our corgi loves us both so she just stays mutual in the middle lol but the male big boys have to sit behind who they favor most they all wine in the car but usually my corgi starts it and the other follow maybe thats because she is older so they just repeat everything she does but i will try to see what works best for them to help them and me out for a long car ride
Thanks everyone
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Right!  How dare they!  :-)
Never heard if the music.  Wonder if those Thunder shirts would help.  
Helpful - 0
675347 tn?1365460645
COMMUNITY LEADER
Dogs are not built to sit for hours in a car, but to run and be outside But sometimes they have to do what we want them to do! After all, they get free food! lol

There is some music which is designed to calm dogs (thunderstorms, separation anxiety, various things. I wonder if it would work for car rides?
Perhaps you could try it at home first, get them relaxed, so every time they hear that music, they will associate it with being relaxed.....it's worth a try...

You can find the music on You Tube. Just type in "relax my dog"

The website is http://www.relaxmydog.com


Helpful - 0
1040373 tn?1273687488
When I take my dogs on vacation once per year (about a 4-5 hour drive), I give them benadryl beforehand. My guys are little (25-ish lbs) and they can each have 1 tablet.

I wouldn't give your dogs food during the trip in case they get carsick. Water yes, but no food until you arrive at your destination.

With the benadryl, my dogs sleep most of the trip. Otherwise they'd be up, walking around the backseat and getting antsy.
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
They have any obedience training?  Start training each one individually to sit outside the car until you give a command to enter, reward.  Do the same when taking them out.  Put a dog in the car, close the door, get in and sit fir maybe 5 mins.  You can try working up to starting the engine, sit, then turn it off. If the dog behaves, reward.  Then do the same routine but maybe move the car up and down the driveway a couple of times, take the dog out, praise bad reward.  Work up to short trips around the neighborhood, etc.  now, to be honest, I've worked with individual dogs but not 3 at one time.  It really is not safe for you or the dogs to have them loose in the car.  They do sell dig safety attachments fir the cars, check on line.  You might try putting beds or a blanket in the car fir each one so they have their designated area.  I take it you are talking about a car barrier?  Good idea but they have to be very secure or your big dogs will knock them right down.  
Are they all whining?  Does one start it?  If so, work with that one first.  If you have one that seems to be escalating the situation, you might consider boarding that one.
Wow, hope some of this helps.  Do some research on the Internet or consult a trainer in your area.
I hate to say this cause I'll probably get jumped on, but fir long trips, you might ask your Vet for a low dose medication like Acepromazine.
Helpful - 0
1639915 tn?1378929213
No we are planning in a few months but I wasnt sure if there was anything I could do to get them used to car rides espally for long periods of time because I have no one to house sit so I have to take them with me so they are takin care of
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Oh boy.  Sounds like you have a lot of reconditioning to do.  I was so hoping you had a large vehicle to hold big crates. :-).
I don't have time now.  Try doing some searches on the Net as to training dogs to ride in cars.
Are you planning on going some place soon?
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1639915 tn?1378929213
yes that are big.. I have a small car and they are crate trained but with the 2 bigger dogs their crates wouldnt fit in the back seat very well we try to take them often but that doesnt always go as planned because they will not sit down or stop barking the entire time
Helpful - 0
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