Journey will not load

[Sheila B.]

Need some training advice. Journey has decided that she wants NO part of the car (SUV). I can't get her in. I bought a ramp which the other two use without problem. I tried to be so patient today, spent 30 minutes trying to ease her up the ramp with home baked liver. No go. Then I moved it from the back to the side door and that was another 20 minutes. She slipped her collar twice. I got in the car and tried to coax her in that way. She put on the brakes.

Then while I was trying to get Journey in, Star jumped out! :shocker: But Star reloaded and went back in.

Finally, my husband got in the back seat and encouraged her while I lifted her butt and pushed her in. :grrr: But this was definitely a last resort.

This is completely no good, especially when I'm alone. I want her to look forward to going 'bye bye' like the others. She has always been a little hesitant with this car, but today was pure h--l. :cussing2: I will say she had no problems with the car when I had a Sable wagon. She hates the SUV, but it's the only car we have now so we have to work this out. I'd go back to square one and start from the beginning but I'm not sure I know where square one is anymore.

 

[Bär]

Sorry I am not much help, but I know how you feel.
If she lets you lift her in, go for it. See if she will hold still when she has the front paws in then you can give the rear a boost. We bought a ramp too, Bär never liked it. We returned it.
All I can say is, keep working on it, every change you get. Once in take her to very special places i.e. for ice cream. Make every trip a fun trip. It took as 1 year & a new vehicle to get Bär to love a car again. Now, he loves it to much.

 

[wrknnwf]

Whoops, see below! How did this happen??? LOL

 

[wrknnwf]

My dogs don't like the ramp, so I have steps for them. Piper hates riding in my SUV also, but she will go up the steps with encouragement on my part.
Here are some things you can try. Be patient and don't wait until you HAVE to go somewhere to practice these.

1. If the ramp is bothering her, find a different way for her to get in.


2. Start feeding her right next to the car. Every meal for a few days. Then move the bowl just inside the car, so she has to reach in to get it. You might try putting it on the floor of the back or front seat first. Then the back seat, then the back of the car.

Don't rush the process. If she balks, go back to where she was comfortable for a while before moving it again. It won't hurt her to skip a meal if she is totally refusing to get in. (Just not every meal!) You may try hand feeding her, with you sitting in the car. I would not try to force her unless you have to. Let her get in of her own free will.

3. This is also, an ideal exercise for using a clicker. Click and treat for any forward movement that looks like she is trying. Then up the criteria little by little. If she is sticking her head in the car willingly, then start clicking only if she puts one foot in, then two feet, etc. etc.

4. Also try parking the car elsewhere at home. Often, Piper would balk if the car was in the garage or driveway, but would get right in, if I moved it out to the street. Go figure. She absolutely hates the garage, so I move it out to the driveway at the very least. The whole idea is to make things seem different. I've even parked a driveway or two away, if I'm having real trouble.

5. Do use the other dog(s) as an incentive. If I'm taking both dogs, I put Hugo in first. And a few times, when Piper refused to get in, I simply left her home. She doesn't like that, so tends to get in the car the next time we all go somewhere.

6. If she has a favorite toy or treat she is wild about, put those in the car, too. You might keep a well worn piece of your clothing or other similar item that has your scent in the car.

7. Anytime you do get her in the car, immediately take her for ice cream at the local drive thru. Or get some Frosty Paws to give her when you reach your destination. Make her believe that going in the car means something REALLY good is about to happen. If possible, practice this at least once a day until she is getting in by herself. Then you can drop going for ice cream every time (maybe once a week or so) and just start taking her for a ride around the block and back home for a more healthy goodie (which you should give her while she's still in the car).

8. Or you can take her to play somewhere. It's funny, but many times, they won't get in the car at home, but will when you're away from home. Still, you may want to take someone along to help you, if you're at the park and she doesn't want to get in to go home.

9. Also, you can try Rescue Remedy or DAP, but those don't always help and DAP is very expensive. At least they didn't help Piper. We just had to work on making getting in the car worth her while.

And don't forget to make a HUGE silly fuss ANYTIME she gets in by herself!

 

[Sheila B.]

Thanks Jane. I will try feeding her out there. I've tried moving the car to the street and moving the ramp so she could get in from the side, but that didn't work. You're right about doing this daily. I'd reward her with the moon if she just get in!!! We'll keep at it. We were out of town for a night and I had to get her to the kennel (which they like, her former owner runs it and loves her), but she didn't know where we were going. We picked them up today and both Star and Zeus climbed right in. They had to lift Journey in! Poor thing was so scared. She's home and asleep now, so we'll start training tomorrow.

 

[wrknnwf]

Hmmm. Maybe it's the ramp. Is it steeper with the SUV than it was with the wagon? Is she restless or upset once she's in the car? If not, find some steps or make some and try them out in the house first. Like have her get on the bed or the sofa using the steps.

If you don't think it's the ramp, try to figure out what's different between this car and the old one. Do you know anyone with a wagon that's comparable to your old one, that you can "test" her with? Or even just another car. If you can narrow it down by finding out if she hates all cars or just hates the SUV, maybe we can come up with a reason why she is upset and fix it.

There may be something about the SUV that disturbs her, like the carpeting smells funny or feels different, or maybe it sounds different. On my SUV, there is a kayak carrier on top and the wind rushing through it causes a low roaring noise. And sometimes I wonder if they can feel the heat of the car through the floor of the cargo area or if they are disturbed by riding up so much higher than a regular passenger car.

I had no trouble getting Piper into my son's Monte Carlo, but she rode on the floor of the back seat. Could be that all the passing sights causes her to be car sick, but she never drooled or threw up in the car. She does sit (won't lie down) in the back drivers side corner of my SUV with her head hanging and facing into the corner post like a naughty child in time out. But she sure loves getting to our destination.

Anyway, I'm just throwing some food for thought out there.

I know how frustrating this is, having been there, but I think you can work it out with patience and some super sleuthing.

 

[KodysGrandma]

Try the other side if you haven't. Thunder HATES to get in on the drivers side. Also, with the SUV try pulling the front seats up so there is more space on the floor. That worked for Thunder with the Expediion we rented for Newfstock.

 

[Sheila B.]

Will keep at it. She cowers in the car, so I think there is something about this one that really upsets her but I haven't a clue what it is or how to change it.

 

[wrknnwf]

OK, if she is cowering in the car, then try getting her in, but not going anywhere. Play a game, like the shell game or "hide a treat" in the car with her. Feed meals or really yummy treats in the car. Or present her with a brand new toy in the car and play with that. That could be her all time car toy that just lives in the car waiting for her.

If she responds to playing in the car, then try turning the car on, but don't go anywhere. Just crawl in the back and play with the car running. If she relaxes and seems to enjoy that, then drive the car onto the street, keep it running, get in the back, play, etc. If that works, then drive a block, park and do it all again. Not all in the same day of course. Work up to it based on her comfort level.

As for the car itself, there are some things you could try to make it seem different. Try putting a bed in there for her. You can try a battery operated fan or maybe you can ride around in the back with her while someone else drives.

Also, it could be car sickness. Try some of those suction cup glare screens to put on the back windows so she isn't watching as much of the world whiz by. Keep some gingersnap cookies or gingerbread men on hand to give her in the car. Ginger is supposed to help ease car sickness.

Poor gal. I just want to hug her and tell her it's alright. Going in the car should be a fun thing, not something they dread. Anyway, just keep at it. It's important, for obvious reasons with a big dog, that they get in and out of the car easily.

I do think she can lick this with a lot of practice, but if you think it's car sickness, you can also get the vet to recommend a motion sickness pill. I think I've heard that dogs can take Dramamine, but ask your vet to be sure.

 

[Sheila B.]

We will keep at it. I love the bed idea and will put her bed in there. It's all about getting her in. Once she's there I can work on comfort and reducing fear, etc. I just can't get her in yet.

 

[BoundlessNewfs]

Have you had her hips/spine checked? Our Maggie was seriously balking at getting in and out of the vehicles, and it turned out that she had horrible hips and spondylosis in her neck/spine. The vet said that it was painful for her to load and unload. If your dog is associating pain with the car, then that could explain it.

We also had a Shepherd who could only ride in the car if he was lying flat in the floorboards where he couldn't see anything. If he could see out the window, he always vomited. Motion sickness was the culprit there.

 

[Sheila B.]

Thanks, Laurel. I hadn't even considered pain anywhere since she is normally very playful and her behavior in the house has not changed. Another good suggestion!

 

[plafleursr]

Here is a Web site on how to make steps http://spuds.agron.ksu.edu/dogstep.htm

 

[R Taft]

And then there is the start somewhere else system.............Don't concentrate on the car. And if she has no injury issues, start doing some "plank" work with her.
Put some low stable Planks/ramps in an area away from the car and start a fun agility course. teach the dog "plank" and encourage her to walk the plank. intitially only brick height and make it higher and more challenging as she gets the fun of it all. We started this way with Annabelle. We did agility, where it was all fun and exitement and no car at the end. We went up ramps onto tables and onto planks and across ditches and all sorts of ramps. Ramps, which we called "planks", became Annabelle's and now katy's aim in life. it was all such fun. And later when she was really happy to do all these different planks/ramps/bridges, we did the car, with short drives to Macca's for ice cream, just like Jane said. Sometimes we focus to much on where we want to be. but we need to break it down in what we want the dog to do. We want the dog to walk a plank/ramp. It is also great teaching to be able to get your dog into boats or anywhere else. So teach the plank/ramp. So now we just say "plank" and the dogs take the plank/ramp to anywhere ............Good luck

 

[Sheila B.]

Great, Ronnie! Plank it is. I'll let you know.

 

[Sheila B.]

Pete and Jeanne, thank you! That foam step may work and I will try it. I really appreciate the link and everyone's suggestions.