Why does my pup show agression in the car?

Question

My 3 month old puppy, was going to the vet for the last time 6 days ago for his last set of shots. I noticed other time previous to that trip, he was starting to become more crazy in the car. I took him in my lap, and took a toy for him. Once i put my hand on him, he would bite bark and would show major agression. He tried to bite very very hard. Then once we got to the vet, he was my good little boy, on the ride back home, again the biting, it was terrible (he was in my lap during both trips), we got home and he acts as if nothing happend and all is well. So i came to the conclusion that he is not a car dog. Is that the case, he just has fear in the car? I decided next time he has to go into the car, he will be put in his crate, which he loves. will that help?

Answer 1

First - it's a really bad idea to put a dog in your lap while driving. It's a hazard to everyone else on the road, to your self and the dog. The dog - even one that isn't going crazy is a major distraction.

Put the dog in the back and keep him there while driving. When he's showing aggression don't show him any attention. If you coddle, sooth, pet, coax, etc you're just egging him on. You're telling him that behavior is acceptable. If you scold, swat, or hit your dog your showing him negative attention and aggression breeds aggression.

Put him in the car give a treat. Give him a toy that will keep him occupied - a kong full of treats and thats it. There are crates you can purchase for you car and that would be a great option too.

Keep him off your lap, and only show him attention when he's behaving.

Good Luck

Answer 2

Smart to put him in the crate - that hard biting is a big red flag. Have you been working on bite inhibition? If not, time to start!
http://www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1/bitestop.htm

A question - does this pup also bite out of the car, when he's sitting on your lap? With a toy? Without a toy? I can't tell from your question if the pup is behaving this way because he's fearful, or because he's resource-guarding the toy, or both.
If you give more info, I will try my best to help.

Answer 3

I have a theory that vehicles stress dogs out. When they catagorize things in their brain into 'good', 'bad', 'familiar', and 'unfamiliar', cars just can't fit well into those catagories. Example would be that cars take their people away (bad), but can also bring them home (good). They can bring home their people (familiar), but can also bring strangers too (unfamiliar). If the dog gets into the car, he doesn't know where he'll end up. It could be the park(good), obedience class(good), groomers(bad), vets office(very bad), and there's times when it's none of those places.
Plus I don't think they understand the motion very well when they're inside a car. Like the dog can sense they are moving, but it doesn't make sense to them because they themselves are not moving. Maybe that's why so many dogs feel as if they have to hang their heads out the window or plaster their noses to the glass... it helps them understand that they are in something that is moving very fast and they really aren't being magically transported by one place to another.

My previous dog couldn't wait to get in the car. I'd tell him we were going to 'school' (his obedience class) and he'd flip out. He'd run to the basement and wait for me to go get his crate, then he'd run to the door, then run and wait by the car. Unless I sit/stayed him, he'd forget to wait until I put the crate in the car and try and jump in while I was loaded it up. But as soon as the car was in motion he'd whine and howl the entire way there. As soon as the car would stop, I'd hear his tail going thump, thump, thump against the crate. The only way I was ever able to get him to stop whining on the long drive to shows was to give him a tranquilizer with his food the night before so he'd sleep the next day.

Long story short, crate your dog for safety. Take him on practice drives going to fun places. I didn't take my last dog on many car rides when he was a little puppy, but I think if I had, that would have stopped that horrible whining habit he had in the car when he was older.

Answer 4

This will help tremendously! It sounds like he's terrified of the car, especially since the only time you take him on car rides is to go to the vet (negative effect) he thinks 'I go in this car... i go to vet'.... Its alot safer for him to ride in a crate or wear a doggy harness that goes with the seat belt... i know sounds stupid, but it works... think about it ... if you got in an accident, which heaven forbids that to happen, but if it did where would your pooch end up?! So to play it safe I would put him in his crate... that way he feels safe and he is safe! I hope this was helpful!!