Some dogs really enjoy car rides – the tail starts wagging the moment the owner picks up his car keys and during the ride, the dog sticks his head out the window (of course, while wearing protective Doggles to prevent eye injuries) and enthusiastically watches as the world whizzes past.
But other dogs hate car rides. The owner has to physically force the dog to go inside the vehicle just to make the trip to the veterinary clinic for the pet's yearly physical exam. And the ride is miserable for both owner and animal: when the car sick dog isn't vomiting, he's curled up on the seat, anxious and shivering.
Fortunately, there are ways to help a car sick dog to overcome the anxiety and fear associated with car rides.
Vomiting in the Car – Why Do Dogs Get Car Sick?
Like humans, some dogs are prone to motion sickness. Motion sickness occurs when the body receives conflicting sensory input: the eyes see that the interior of the car is stable and the body is stationary inside the car, but the inner ear detects motion and the eye detects motion outside the window. In short, the body cannot make sense of the conflicting sensory input and motion sickness results.
A dog who hates car rides often suffers from motion sickness and frequently, this causes vomiting. He associates this negative experience of motion sickness with car rides, thereby making him resistant to future car trips. In addition, a vomiting dog may be scolded by the owner and this leads to yet another negative association with riding in the car.
Causes of Dog Anxiety and a Fear of Car Rides
A dog's anxiety can also cause vomiting, and even diarrhea or uncontrolled urination. Some dogs shiver uncontrollably during car rides due to fear and anxiety. The anxious dog anticipates the negative experience of car sickness – nausea, vomiting and scolding. This elicits anxiety, which makes him even more prone to getting sick in the car.
An anxious, car sick dog faces a circular and self-perpetuating problem: motion sickness causes the pet to vomit; these negative physical sensations lead to anxiety; the dog's anxiety and fear of the car makes him more likely to vomit; the dog associates these negative experiences with the car ride and therefore becomes anxious and fearful, anticipating a bad experience on every car ride.
Once the dog is scared of car rides, that anxiety and fear causes future car ride experiences to be negative; this reinforces the pet's fear of riding in the car.
Helping a Dog Who Hates Car Rides – Preventing a Dog's Motion Sickness
The first step to helping a dog learn to enjoy car rides involves treating motion sickness. Dogs can take medications for car sickness, like Dramamine.
A visit to the veterinary clinic is required before giving over-the-counter medications to a dog, as some medications can be harmful if used in a pet who suffers from certain medical conditions. Medication interactions can also be very dangerous. The Dramamine dosage for dogs depends on the animal's weight and health factors, so after the veterinarian examines the dog and reviews the pet's medical history, a dosage can be prescribed.
Helping an Anxious Dog Who's Scared to Ride in the Car
To help an anxious, fearful dog who won't ride in the car, the owner must re-condition the pet by engaging in desensitization training. The following measures can be used to help an anxious dog overcome a fear of car rides. These desensitization exercises should be performed daily. Once a dog is comfortable with a particular step, owners can progress to the next step.
- Open the car door and stand beside the car with the dog. Offer praise, give dog treats and play. Feeding the dog his meals beside the car can work as well.
- Sit inside the car with the dog (with the engine off). Again, offer praise, dog treats and play; the pet must associate sitting inside the car with a positive experience. Once the dog's initial fear of sitting inside the car dissipates, feeding the dog his dinner inside the car can be a good way to reinforce the idea that the car is not a frightening location.
- Sit inside the car with the dog with the engine running. Continue to offer praise and dog treats and play with the dog to reinforce the idea that car rides are fun!
- Take the dog on a short car ride; it should be no longer than 1 minute. A friend should be on-hand to provide treats and praise during the car ride. Once the dog returns home, engage in a fun activity, like a game of fetch.
- Take the dog on short trips around town to fun locations like the park. Bring a second person who can offer praise and dog treats. (Remember, never leave a dog unattended inside a car, especially during hot weather!)
- Gradually increase the length of the car rides as the pet becomes increasingly comfortable on the drives.
When helping a dog overcome a fear of the car, it's important to avoid unpleasant destinations. If the dog rides in the car once a year in order to go to the veterinary clinic, he will associate the car ride with that negative experience. It's important to drive the dog to fun and pleasant locations like the park or the beach!
Some anxious dogs can benefit from medication and anxiety remedies. There are an array of over-the-counter anxiety medications for dogs, including Rescue Remedy and Nutri-Vet Pet-Ease Calming Supplement.
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Mia Carter - Mia Carter - Journalist, Producer/Editor & Web Writer. Carter's work has appeared on CBS and CNN.com.
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