How to stop dog panting in car

bluejelly

Hi, my dog is constantly panting when she travels in the car....... going somewhere only though, she is absolutely fine coming home. She travels in the back seat & I have tried sitting in the back with her, giving her treats, fav toys, windows down etc but nothing works. She willingly gets into the car & it's not heat related or anything so im assuming its anxiety as to where we are going. Has anyone else experienced this by any chance? She is fine when travelling in an old commercial jeep.

doubter

bluejelly wrote: »

Hi, my dog is constantly panting when she travels in the car....... going somewhere only though, she is absolutely fine coming home. She travels in the back seat & I have tried sitting in the back with her, giving her treats, fav toys, windows down etc but nothing works. She willingly gets into the car & it's not heat related or anything so im assuming its anxiety as to where we are going. Has anyone else experienced this by any chance? She is fine when travelling in an old commercial jeep.

Thats an odd one.Espacially if she's fine in an old jeep. Maybe the space in the other car(what kind of car is it) is to cramped for her? In the commercial jeep, has she a view outside?

tk123

doubter wrote: »

In the commercial jeep, has she a view outside?

+1 that's what I was about to ask. Have you tried crating him OP or even putting shades on the windows if you can't fit a crate so she can't see outside?

My friend's dog is/was like this. Much to my amusement and her OH's annoyance because he's fine in my car but not in theirs lol - It took him 30 mins to get him into their car one time but he hops into mine delighted :P The difference is that they have an estate and I have a jeep/suv - my old one was a lot bigger but even with the new one he's able to settle down and doesn't see what's outside. When we started out I'd have to coax him in but after a few trips he jumps in - btw when I say coax it was "up up up!! Jump in and lets go!!" in an excited voice compared the OH kissing and pandering to him
He's moved to my back seat now that I have my 2 in the boot (Lucy would go alseep in the back seat and wouldn't budge - she got to heavy to lift out lol).. But I have the "hammock" seat cover set up for him and he seems to love it - he usually lies down but will sometimes peak over the top of it

aonb

If she is FINE coming back from the the outing, but panting only when GOING on the outing, it sounds like either a bit of anxiety or maybe just plain excitement that she is GOING for an outing?

If she WILLINGLY gets into the car, it sounds like she is not anxious about it, therefore using my sherlock-holmes-like-deduction-skills it sounds like she is just panting in anticipation/excitement that she is being taken for an outing?

The spanner in the logic works here though is that she is fine going and returning in an old jeep... could there be an air freshener or some smell or rug or something in your car that gets her going before the outing, but that she is used to on the way back???

My own stress-head dog is always a bit nutty going on an outing in the car, but tired and relaxes on the way home...

boomerang

Some Adaptil pheromone spray in the car ten or fifteen minutes before ye travel?

bluejelly

Thanks for all the responses. I drive a golf & she stands in the back/centre with 2 front paws on arm rest, same position as in jeep so only difference is she doesn't have side views in jeep but she does like to look out front window. She pants when in the passat too so it's just not a problem with my car. I haven't tried blacking out the side windows so ill give it a go on next trip. She is an anxious dog & the first trip she ever made in my car was to the vet so maybe it's an association she has, even tho 99% of trips now are to the beach, woods etc maybe she just hasn't forgotten that first trip?!

How does the adaptil spray work?

hollytrees

My dog does this too but I think excitement as 99 per cent of the time it means a trip to the beach. She is always more relaxed coming home after her swim and run around

nancicreedon IAABC

Panting (when not post exercise) is a sign that your dogs sympathetic nervous system has been activated - this is the flight or fight system.

If she's panting, I'd bet my life on it that it's stress.

One trial learning is where the first experience of a stimulus has such a strong impact with you that the association remains long term.

It sounds like her first experience in the car was very frightening for her so the association has stuck.

I'd imagine on the route home she's had a run around and is tired, and her body has returned to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest - normality).

To overcome this I would advise the following



Calm Before Walk

Its important that your dog is relatively calm and in control of their behaviour before beginning walks, especially if you plan on changing their behaviour.

1) Pretend you are going for a walk and put on your dogs leash. Then sit back down. Repeat this.

2) Once your dog has stopped dancing about, put the leash on and go out the front door. Stay put. Perhaps sit on the step, and just wait for your dog to calm down.

3) Open the car door. Sit into the back seat but allow your dog to remain outside the car. Wait until she calms, then go back into the house. Repeat this several times until she is calm and relaxed (and not panting) each time you get into the back seat.

4) Bring her out to the car and put her into her normal travelling position. Get into the drivers seat. Sit and read a book / check emails for 3 minutes. Go back into the house with your dog. Repeat several times until no panting.

5) Copy step 4, but turn on the engine while you are reading your book.

5) Copy step 5, after 2 minutes drive up and down the driveway just before returning to the house.


6) Get into the car. Give your dog a chance to settle while you read your book (with the engine on). After 3 minutes drive around the block, then go back into the house with your dog.

At this stage you should be able to drive with your dog calm and feeling in control.

If this doesn't work it would be advisable to get a behaviour consultant on board.

Let me know how it goes!

bluejelly

Thanks nanci, I'll def give these steps a go. I'm pretty sure it's stress related too and I think the main reason this first ever trip affected her so badly was bc she was separated from my older lab for the first time. I'll keep you updated.