How do you get a dog to mellow out in the car?

Question

My Border Collie barks and is just a looney in the car especially when a car goes by. Even on the short rides.

Answer 1

My Border Collie has similiar issues but he vomitted rather then barking. What we did was take him for lots and lots of short rides, litterally a two minute round trip ride and land up right back at home so he knew nothing bad was going to happen and we continued to do this untill he was totally calm and continued to make the trips longer. We eventually took him on a two hour one way trip and get sedatives from the vet to ensure he would be o.k. We ended up using it to get there but he was fine on the way home.
It is most likely your dog is anxious and nervous being in the car so you need to just do everything in your power to relax him. So when he barks be sure not to yell at hime but rather talk gently and try to quiet him by soothing him.
Good luck

Answer 2

Start by putting the dog in the car/van (appropriately secured) and driving down the driveway and back. Next step, take a ride around the block.d try to get in more than two a day until the dog is showing eagerness to go for a ride. The next stages involve going for longer and longer rides with your dog. Some dogs never get comfortable riding in a car.

Answer 3

The question WE should be asking is "why is this dog lose in the car, acting stupid?Get a crate THAT IS NOT TOO BIG for him, and put him in it. A word about crates, and please do not lose it over this, crates are meant to contain a dog comfortably. They are not meant to be a laxury suite at the Hilton with a 3 bedroom and 6 bathroom accomodations. The crate should be big enough for the dog to stand, turn around and lay in, that's it. Otherwise the idiotic behavior in the car will persist. My own work dog has the same habit of losing his mind whenever anyone approaches our car, but, he is in a containment area in the back seat and can act like a total idiot in that space without injuring himself or anyone else. GET A CRATE AND PUT HIM IN IT, EVERY TIME HE GETS IN THE CAR.

Answer 4

You should put him/her in a kennel/cage in the car, one its safer, two he wont be able to disturb you while your driving to cause an accident, three he wont be able to see the cars drive by. Maybe after he calms down you can let him back in the car without the cage but as soon as he acts up put him back in the cage. Eventually he will know that acting up is not the right way to behave on a car ride.

Answer 5

take your dog for a really long walk before you take her in the car. For shorter rides, you might want to get her a really yummy bone to distract her.

A good idea might also be to take practice rides (when you don't have anywhere to be) and just train her not to bark or get excited. Reward for good behaivor not bad.

Answer 6

You need to have repetitive action. Dogs learn by repetition. Be firm and say NO..when the dog is acting up, you will have to do this def more than once....be sure to look at the dog with a firm face to let them know who is boss. Also....the dog might still act up a few times, but if you keep the firm face the dog will eventually remember that you will not let up until they relax, eventually it will become habit.

Answer 7

You may just need to get him used to it. Take a short ride every day or two around the block, until he gets the idea that it's not nearly as exciting as he thought.

Answer 8

Make it keep up with the car for half the journey by tethering it to the camper hook, believe me, you won't hear a peep from that dog for the remainder of the journey.

Answer 9

stop taking it in the car, it probably doesnt like it. Does it do those things normally? probably not, meaning theres something about being in the car that makes your dog flip out

Answer 10

what about a pet carrier, we got a really nice one at walmart that has a bed in it, so my dog just lays down and goes to sleep.