Travels With Charley?
Charley approached the open door of the SUV and froze. He was a fine, tall specimen of a poodle and if he put his mind to it, could have considered the entire van a low hurdle. There were a number of treats and chew toys on the back seat that had failed to entice him to load up. He appeared to tip the scale closer to eighty rather than seventy pounds. At the age of one year, it had been a long while since his owner, who was scheduled for back surgery, had comfortably picked him up and placed him in the car. So here he was, paws planted, as if deeply rooted into the ground. No cuing, cursing, luring, prompting, promising, pushing, pulling or prodding had convinced him to hop into the vehicle- all failed to budge the unpersuadable poodle
A good number of young dogs suffer from motion sickness. Most will outgrow it but in the meanwhile, a stressed, vocal, vomiting, puppy with diarrhea in the backseat of your car is not a premonition for a pleasant day. Additionally, some pups will develop serious anxiety at the prospect approaching a vehicle, well before taking a spin. In these cases, some serious behavior modification is required with the possible addition of various remedies or medications including ginger, cbd, benadryl, dramamine and prescription meds for anti-nausea and/or anti-anxiety. Get the OK from your veterinarian before proceeding to avoid any contraindication. (See links below for information on motion sickness and anxiety and the aforementioned remedies). Charley had no history of motion sickness in his early travel accounts. There was no recorded anxiety from an automobile accident, a trip to the vet for surgery or any other cause to dread a car ride. In fact, once in the SUV, he had been quite content to be chauffeured about.
There are a number of reasons a dog may have difficulty hopping into a car, aside from car sickness or anxiety. As a tiny puppy, he is obviously incapable of making the leap, so we place him in the car. This goes on for weeks or months and a puppy learns to wait and be levitated by his human. Another pup may find the height or angle of the leap daunting. Not seeing where or what she would be landing on could be a deterrent for another dog. A number of pups have yet to learn to coordinate the back end with the front end. Some pups have attempted the leap but stumbled and now lacking confidence say, “No way, dude!” Some may have been discouraged or corrected for jumping in another context, such as bounding onto furniture. Yet another group will put front paws up in the car but keep rear paws solidly on terra firma. A member of this latter faction often turns her head back to her owner with a grin that says, “Hurry up, get on with it, I’ve done my part.”
It is frustrating to vainly urge a puppy into your car, especially when you are running behind time. Much easier to expedite matters by hoisting the hesitant little bugger into the car and being on your way. While this gets you on the road, it serves to reinforce the pup to become dependent on you for a lift. He needs to be taught what it is you want him to do. For the pup with two on and two off, if you place your hands palm up under his paws and gently raise his hind feet, he will often figure out what you want quickly. As he starts to push off with his back legs on his own, begin keeping your hands lower until he understands he has the power and coordination to launch himself without help. Be ready to guide and encourage him until he is confident of his footing. If he is jumping onto the floor board it may help to start him off by placing him on it and luring him off with a treat. With a bit of luck and better yet, a modicum of practice, he should be happily hopping into and out of his vehicle in short shrift.
If the puppy is comfortable cavorting about, ascending onto furniture or other lofty places and is plucky enough going up and down stairs, try luring her into the car with a novel treat or favorite toy or ball. If the leap is not too high and there is a straight shot to the floorboard, place a treat on the door frame and other treats further in, to “Hansel and Gretel” her into the car. Make a fun game of it and express genuine approval for any efforts on the puppy’s part. Again, placing the dog in the car and teaching it to jump out first, can be helpful in some cases. Positioning the owner or a favorite family member at the door opposite or in the seat at the far side to encourage a dog to load up may work. Also, attempt having the pup follow another household dog or buddy, if available, who will readily vault into a car. Sometimes, a walking or running start is a good option.
A puppy that has bruised his confidence with a stumble, been reprimanded for jumping, or simply needs to coordinate bow with stern, must be taught to jump. Often, to avoid setbacks from a miscalculation or a misstep, this is best accomplished away from the vehicle. Instruct the pup to step over, onto and off low objects, ideally on cue. Flat rocks or low benches in a park, an improvised agility jump with bricks and a broom stick, a low grooming /training table, perhaps one legal piece of furniture. Whatever is available will work well enough. Educating a dog to mount and descend stairs is a wonderful way to develop coordination.A sizable number of pups are apprehensive gazing from the formidable summit of a staircase. These anxious pups resolutely apply the brakes. If this is the case, begin the training by mounting and dismounting a curb.Next find a stairway with few and preferably wide steps. Or, in lieu of wheedling a pup to no avail from the top stair, place her on the bottom step. Once she can confidently dismount the lowest step with panache,encourage or lure her to return onto and off the first step, repeatedly. Proceed to the second step and so on,working her way down and up to the top
A ramp, portable steps or even a single step can provide safe accessibility for a pup to enter and exit an elevated vehicle. The use of such a physical aid will prevent years of recurrent impact on joints and future orthopedic problems. It is a rude jolt to see your once nimble athlete hesitate to leap into the car for the first time. A ramp or step(s) will prolong his confidence and independence. It will keep him in his rightful place traveling with you. Older dogs and those with medical issues such as arthritis or hip dysplasia, who have been contesting both gravity and age, obviously benefit from the use of a ramp or step(s).
Charley’s owner had a folding ramp which he had refused to place a paw upon. The ramp was placed flat on the ground. Luring him onto it by holding a treat and then strewing a trail of tidbits, failed to advance him. Luring or strewing will often get a dog comfortable on a flat ramp. Not so with Charley. His tail was tucked well below half mast. He was not comfortable with a stranger. What to do? His owner sat in a chair to rest her back, at a bit of a distance.. Charley strained to get closer to her. All right, then! Charley was taken a short distance from his person and the ramp placed width wise in his path to her. As he headed to her he stepped on the ramp. This was repeated several times and then the ramp was placed directly in front of her chair so he had no choice but to stand on it to get a pet from his person. Next step was to prevent Charley’s access to his owner unless he proceeded the entire length of the ramp. After this was accomplished, we moved to a set of five or six stairs leading up to a small porch and the back door. We moved the owner’s chair up onto the porch and placed the ramp on the bottom step. Charley strode up the ramp and remaining steps when called. After a number of repetitions and he was completely comfortable and confident, we proceeded to work him on the second and then third steps, raising the angle of the ramp.
Charley’s tail had also risen and began to wag as he repeatedly cruised up the ramp at a dignified trot. He began to accept treats along with our enthusiastic encouragement. The ramp was moved to the front door of the SUV and the owner slipped behind the wheel. Charley filed up the incline to the front seat without a hitch. At first he did not want to hang out in the front seat and headed back down the ramp almost immediately. We allowed him do this several times to let him know he could proceed at his own pace. Before long he was quite comfortable in the passenger’s perch. He sagely discerned that more good stuff happened in the front seat than outside his car. In a second session, the ramp was moved to the back seat and finally, Charley was easily instructed to exit via the low floorboard. Next up will be exiting and entering on cue. While John Steinbeck is no longer with us to chronicle a Travels With Charley Redux, this Charley and his owner are good to get back on the road again.
Motion Sickness in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospital
Dog Car Sickness | Innovet Pet cbd
Dimenhydrinate | VCA Animal Hospital dramamine
What To Do If Your Dog Gets Motion Sickness - Whole Dog Journal