Car Rides Can Be a Struggle – Advice From a Dog Trainer in Inner West Sydney
Condition Your Puppy to Enjoy Car Rides
Advice from a dog trainer in Inner West Sydney
Many people seem to struggle with car rides. Your puppy might be scared of the car or feel sick in it which makes car trips unpleasant. But since we often need to take our dog to different places with us, they really need to get used to it. Here’s advice from Dog Trainer Inner West!
If a dog won’t go near a car, it limits our ability and willingness to take her to different places. Fortunately, you can teach your puppy that a car is a wonderful place.
Part of the problem is that for many puppies the first car ride is very traumatic.
It’s usually the first time they are separated from their mom and litter mates. The stress of the separation and movement of the car can cause your pup to get carsick. And that’s how a puppy associates a car with stress and vomiting. If you are lucky the breeder has already given your puppy short car rides with her siblings.
If it’s too late for all that, you need to work to change your pup’s already negative association with the car. Start by simply sitting in the car with her; don’t even turn on the engine. Give her delicious treats or play with her to make the car a fun place to be.
When she’s happy about just being in the car turn the engine on and repeat the fun-and-games process, without driving anywhere. Be patient with your pup, this might take awhile! Then, with someone else doing the driving for you, continue to play car games or feeding treats while the car moves a very short distance. At the end of the ride, take her out of the car and do something fun with her. Then put her back in the car and travel another short distance. Gradually have your driver take you longer distances, with fun stuff happening at every destination. This will teach your puppy that car rides aren’t only pleasant but also take her to fun places.
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