Dog bad traveller

IrishHomer

My rescue dog is now a 2yrs old maleBorder Collie.

Over the past year I tried to acclimatise him to travelling in the car but he keeps getting very sick travelling. It's an ordeal even just taking him to the vets or to the local kennels.

Does anyone know if this can be cured or will I just have to accept that I cannot take him on unnecessary journeys?

ekevosu

Where and how does he normally travel in the car - in the back, in a crate, on a cushion, seatbelt / free etc?

You need to practice him in the car and not go anywhere and then slowly build it up. Make him as comfy as possible so maybe a cushion he sleeps on at home? Someone to sit beside him at the start and comfort him etc....you probably tried all this already

cocker5

where does he sit when he is in the car?
Boot, back seat etc?

IrishHomer

ekevosu wrote: »

Where and how does he normally travel in the car - in the back, in a crate, on a cushion, seatbelt / free etc?

You need to practice him in the car and not go anywhere and then slowly build it up. Make him as comfy as possible so maybe a cushion he sleeps on at home? Someone to sit beside him at the start and comfort him etc....you probably tried all this already

I have tried all of that before.

He sometimes sits on front seat tied with a dog harness of course.

Sometimes in the rear of a van in a dog travel crate.

He loves to travel and gets all excited to travel but within 5 minutes on the road he starts drooling ftom the mouth heavily and shortly after that starts to get sick, i usually leave him hungry but he will then be sick without much food coming up, i would dearly love if i could take him places.

DBB

How long did you spend building up the length of time he spends in the moving car?
Have you tried medicating him?

I'd also suggest sticking with the crate, but pack loads of blankets into it to prop him up: wait for him to lie down, then shove more blankets around him. A thundershirt may also help.

IrishHomer

I tried him with short 1km trips and progressing to 5km over two months but no luck.

I never tried medication, I don't know anything about medication perhaps medication would be good for essential trips to the vet and kennels.

I really wish I could take him anywhere in the car as he is missing out

DBB

IrishHomer wrote: »

I tried him with short 1km trips and progressing to 5km over two months but no luck.

Ah! This may be one of the reasons what you've tried hasn't worked.
1km is too long, by a long shot!
You need to build it up much, much more gradually. So, you'd start off by putting him in the car to eat his dinner, and to rest for a short while. You want to promote happy, but calm behaviour in the car.
You'll probably make quick progress here as he enjoys travelling, which is half the battle.
Next, with him in the car, drive to the bottom of the driveway, and back again (presumably, one of these will be in reverse... no matter!).
After 2-3 days of this, preferably doing it several times a day, then go a small bit further. Again, repeat this for a few days, several times a day (this does not mean you should do it several times in a row... this defeats the purpose. You should try to have a good break out of the car in between). Gradually, slowly, make your way up to longer journeys.
I would strongly suggest that you get travel tablets from your vet, they're not terribly expensive, and administer them at the required time prior to your daily training. It's unlikely you'll get a successful result without them, but in conjunction with the above training, they tend to be very effective.
Adaptil (previously DAP) spray has been shown to help dogs with travel sickness, if sprayed inside the car, onto his bedding in the car, before your training sessions.

IrishHomer

DBB wrote: »

Ah! This may be one of the reasons what you've tried hasn't worked.
1km is too long, by a long shot!
You need to build it up much, much more gradually. So, you'd start off by putting him in the car to eat his dinner, and to rest for a short while. You want to promote happy, but calm behaviour in the car.
You'll probably make quick progress here as he enjoys travelling, which is half the battle.
Next, with him in the car, drive to the bottom of the driveway, and back again (presumably, one of these will be in reverse... no matter!).
After 2-3 days of this, preferably doing it several times a day, then go a small bit further. Again, repeat this for a few days, several times a day (this does not mean you should do it several times in a row... this defeats the purpose. You should try to have a good break out of the car in between). Gradually, slowly, make your way up to longer journeys.
I would strongly suggest that you get travel tablets from your vet, they're not terribly expensive, and administer them at the required time prior to your daily training. It's unlikely you'll get a successful result without them, but in conjunction with the above training, they tend to be very effective.
Adaptil (previously DAP) spray has been shown to help dogs with travel sickness, if sprayed inside the car, onto his bedding in the car, before your training sessions.

Thanks a million can't wait to follow your advice feeling optimistic

ZiabR

IrishHomer wrote: »

Thanks a million can't wait to follow your advice feeling optimistic

Keep us posted, would love to know if this works for you!

tk123

Do you have a friend/family member with a dog that could go along with you? My friend's dog hated going in the car so we started going off in the car at the weekend with the 2 dogs in the back. At first it'd take us ages to even get him in the car and no chance of taking a treat - when we finally got him in he just sat there miserable. Now he jumps in beside my guy, takes his treat and is much happier and more relaxed.