Anxiety and Sickness in cars is actually quite common, despite popular belief these behaviours are generally not caused through motion sickness or balance problems. It is my belief that this debilitating problem is caused through anxiety and fear.

I believe that carsickness and anxiety cases are initially, caused on that first journey when the puppy is taken from the litter to your home. We tend to get our puppies right at the start of the first fear period, which is between eight to ten and a half weeks.

This has to be one of the most traumatic times in a dog’s life, when it is separated from its littermates and its birth mother. Suddenly on it’s own without the comfort of those it knows the most.

The first thing we do is put it in a car and drive often dozens if not hundreds of miles. Therefore is it any surprise that future car journeys can induce fear and stress, sometimes resulting in the dog being sick or anxious. And occasionally, causing other problems-such as just getting the dog into the car in the first place.

Case History 1: I have had a recent spate of cases where dogs are refusing to approach or get into the car, especially with large dogs that are almost impossible to manhandle. Take the case of Glanton, a beautiful looking Irish Wolfhound, owned by Michael and Sarah More-Molyneux who live and run the stunningly beautiful Loseley House near Guildford, which is open to the public.

Built between 1562 and 1568. This house was a favourite of Elizabeth the 1st of England, the grounds are also the Venue for the Richmond dog show, one of the largest dog shows in Europe

Glanton was not exactly enamoured with cars, in fact he had steadfastly refused to even approach one since that first journey, given he was now 16 months old and enormous, he was proving to be a real handful and incredibly strong.

I first gently approached the back of Sarah’s car with the tailgate already open. I ended up being dragged some hundred yards down the road by a dog that was having none of it. I weigh 15 stone and still struggled to hold him. Sarah weighs probably eight and half stone, so how she coped I will never know.

After being dragged down the road I decided it was time to change tack and asked Sarah to get into the back of her car with some very special treats. I used venison heart and venison tongue, available as a special treat from one of the leading dog food suppliers. For some reason dogs go mad for it.

If all else fails try these as a lure and a treat. I had tested them out earlier on Glanton and he was already a fan.

I managed to manoeuvre him to within 10 yards of the back of the car and with Sarah encouraging, ran with him on a lead to the rear of the vehicle, Glanton sailed in and was immediately rewarded with the venison treats.

We repeated this until I could let Glanton go and with Sarah’s excellent encouragement he began jumping in on his own.

To reinforce this over the next few weeks I asked Sarah to only feed Glanton in the car, but not to start the engine until he appeared comfortable. Treats were liberally spread in the back of the car, which he found each time he got in. At the time of going to press he was happily eating in the vehicle and the car had been started and moved around the estate and he had been on short forays to the nearest village.

As a footnote he appears more nervous when Sarah drives. Of course it was Sarah who initially picked him up from the breeder during that dreaded first fear period at eight to ten and a half weeks. When so many phobias can arise

I feel confident that Glanton will overcome most of his car anxiety and phobias. He will never be totally confident in a vehicle but he is vastly improved, and at least they can now travel with Glanton and take him to places like the Vets.

Case History 2 : Paddy is a very large and very heavy Male Newfoundland with the Worlds longest tongue, that could slime you at ten paces. Paddy had been prescribed numerous medical remedies and had visited a well known behaviourist, unfortunately to no avail. His owner Louise was at her wits end, it took four people to try and manhandle him into her car; he would then immediately jump out.

Paddy is a somewhat nervous dog, after discussing Paddy with Louise his owner it became apparent that he was frightened during his second fear period at about 12 months of age, by a large man who loomed over him. He now barks at all strangers and especially men.

He had never ever jumped into a car since his first journey at that magical fear period at 8 weeks. We also take our dogs to the Vet, and the first thing the Vet does is stick a needle in them for their initial vaccination.

Is it any wonder they often end up with a lifelong fear of the surgery? Try taking them a few times so that the nurses can treat and fuss them, before having that first vaccination, they should hopefully not see the visit in such a negative light after that.

Paddy really did not like the car one bit, but he did love Louise and more importantly other dogs. I had four of my dogs with me, the one Paddy really took a shine too was Guinness, my 6 month old working Cocker. I really should have named him Billy Whizz he is seriously fast and I may enter him for gundog competitions in the future.

After doing a number of exercises, including getting Paddy to walk to heel and stop barking at people, by using the Jingler, a technique I devised and developed that uses sound therapy. We opened the back of the dreaded car.
Paddy looked very stressed and nervous. But instead of putting Paddy in I put Louise and Guinness in. Then Louise cuddled and treated Guinness with the Venison, which we had introduced to Paddy earlier. Initially he refused to take treats but came round after gentle handling.

Paddy I could see was feeling a bit left out, so I put a little rope slip lead over his head and we set off at a trot to the back of the car with Louise encouraging him.

I was expecting that Paddy would come to a screeching halt, but instead he sailed in the back and promptly sat on both Louise and Guinness. To be honest he did not take the Venison at that time, but he did not look overly stressed, and more importantly he did not jump back out. In fact I had to encourage him back out.

We repeated this until I could let Paddy go and with lots of encouragement from Louise and Guinness he lumbered up to and into the car. I think it was quite an emotional moment for all, including Louise’s parents who were there to observe, as they looked after Paddy if Louise was away, and of course the car was a serious bone of contention (pun intended) for them as well.

For those who are having serious difficulty than I would suggest attempting the above however try not to force or push the dog into the car this only makes it worse.

Once you have managed to get the dog into the back of the car, you need to desensitise him. With the engine switched off feed the dog it’s meals in there, you can sit in with him during this time, after a day or so feed the dog with the engine running then run the car round the block a day or two after that

If the dog is carsick, calculate how long it takes for the dog to become sick and find a place to exercise the dog that you can drive to it before he becomes physically sick.

If possible have someone in the car that can feed titbits to the dog if they will take them. (Dogs will not eat if stressed). But do not sympathise with the dog as this will only fuel the fear, keep him distracted by titbits, toys or play during the journey to the park or wherever you are going. Then do all the things you normally do play ball, run, hide etc. You don’t have to stay long just long enough for the dog to enjoy itself. On the journey home do the same things, distracting the dog from the journey itself.

If possible repeat several times a day. Once the dog is happy and even eager to go in the car then lengthen the journey to approaching the time when the dog was normally sick, then gradually increase the journey to 35/40 minute.
if there are no signs of distress or anxiety, then you probably have the problem sorted.

Repetition is the key to these types of problems, overcoming the dogs initial stress and fear little by little, until it takes away the original concern that was causing the sickness/anxiety.

You can also use a DAP diffuser in the house and a DAP spray in the car and sometimes natural ginger can help. Dr Bach’s rescue remedy may also help, they come in both spray and drops along with Scullcap and Valerian, always discuss any treatments whether Herbal or otherwise with your Vet.

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Obedience Trainer
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161
Visit My Website on:
www.doglistener.co.uk

© Copyright: Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener) one of the leading Dog Behaviourists and Obedience Trainers in the UK. Who has owned and worked dogs for over 30 years, starting with Gundogs then moving on to the behavioural and obedience side of Pet Dogs. He now has a successful practice covering London, Surrey and Middlesex. Visit his Web Site for more information and details of his work. www.doglistener.co.uk

© 2009 – 2010, Dog Service Network. All rights reserved. Republished articles have been reprinted with permission. For permission to reprint these articles, please contact the author.

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Dr. Jo Ann Eurell knows what it’s like to have a dog with separation anxiety. “My son’s Lab, Mandy, had serious separation anxiety which escalated whenever we took her to strange surroundings. Mandy would work herself up salivating and drooling when we tried to leave. And she was capable of barking for a very long time,” recalls the professor and veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana.

Separation anxiety can be defined as increased fearfulness of the dog after the departure of the owner. For example, after their owners leave for work, anxious dogs might bark or howl, have bowel or bladder “accidents,” or destroy things. Dogs that form intense attachments with their owners, as Labradors do, are more likely candidates for separation anxiety.

You can start preventing separation anxiety even before you get your puppy. First of all, do not take the puppy away from its mother until it is 8 weeks old. “There is a greater likelihood that your dog will develop separation anxiety if it is taken any earlier,” says Dr. Eurell. “Mandy, was taken at 6 weeks, and this may have contributed to her anxiety disorder.”

Anti-separation anxiety training can begin when you first bring your puppy home. “When you leave them, don’t make a big deal about leaving. Don’t prolong your departure by talking to them a lot and arousing their anxiety. Leave them for short periods initially. When you come back, again, don’t make it a big deal. Just say ‘nice puppy’ and go on with your routine,” suggests Dr. Eurell.

If your dog already has unwanted separation behavior, training may be more difficult but is definitely worth your effort. A high percentage of older dogs with separation anxiety were shelter dogs or strays at some point in their life. Up to half of these dogs will improve with training, but you may need to modify your routine to desensitize them to your leaving.

Dogs quickly learn your routine. “My dogs know that the last things I do in the morning are spray perfume and brush my teeth. Both of these personal behaviors escalate their ‘asking to go along’ behavior,” says Dr. Eurell. “They also know that the last thing I do before we go out for a walk at night is to turn off the computer. At least this time they know for sure that they get to go along.” Your dog figures out your routine in a very short time and may respond with these ‘can-I go-can-I-go-can-I-go’ routines, which may be a prelude to more destructive behavior.

With these dogs, your first effort is to assess the situation and eliminate cues. As with puppy training, don’t make a big deal out of leaving. Desensitize the dogs by leaving for a short time and gradually work up to longer periods.

Another approach is to leave something to distract your pet. Video studies have shown that separation anxiety behavior usually occurs within 10 to 30 minutes of your departure; after that, dogs calm down. Kong toys make good distractions. Kongs are hollow rubber cone-shaped toys. You can fill the center with kibble or cheese. It takes the dog awhile to get to the treat, and meanwhile they are distracted from their separation anxiety.

Crate training is another good option. I used to crate my dog Maxie when I first moved to an apartment with new roommates. Even though she’d shown destructive behavior only when she was younger, I had nightmares about her getting into one of my roommate’s rooms and eating a new stethoscope or goose-down comforter. So until my roommates and I felt comfortable with Maxie loose in the house by herself, the crate was her home while we were away.

I fed her in her crate and never punished her by putting her in the crate when she was bad, so it became something she associated with positive things … sleep and food. Finally the day came where we let her roam free while we were gone. I was a bit anxious myself while we were away that day, hoping that when we came back from vet school there wouldn’t be a disaster. And I became more worried when Maxie didn’t greet us at the door. And guess
where we found her … downstairs asleep in her crate with the crate door open.

“Dogs are den animals, and the crate is a place they can call their own. If you crate from an early age, you always use the crate as a positive experience, and you have a crate large enough for the dog to comfortably stand, turn around, and lie down, then crates can be a great training tool,” explains Dr. Eurell. “Crates can also give you peace of mind that your dog isn’t able to destroy something or potentially injure themself while you’re gone.”

Seek out a veterinarian or professional trainer for other training ideas, but remember that because of the circumstances when separation anxiety arises, most of the training will require changes in your own behavior. It’s not something a trainer can do for you. Veterinary prescribed drugs are an option as well, but try training first.

Good luck and keep having fun with your devoted dog.

© 2008 – 2009, Dog Service Network. All rights reserved. Republished articles have been reprinted with permission. For permission to reprint these articles, please contact the author.

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Is your dog is scared from the sounds of thunderstorms, traffic, house guests, etc.?   According to veterinarian Sue Wagner, music and sounds can be used as a technique for your dog’s behavioral issues. 

Wagner believes that understanding how different noise levels influence the degree of anxiety your dog may experience will help you to reduce their stress levels.  Any type of clatter noises such as buzzing from the clothes dryer or a door slamming can trigger stress.  Recognizing that intense noises from both inside and outside where you live are also influencers will help you to reduce your dog’s anxiety.  If you have no control over the noises, calming music can be used to help – and there is no need for the music to be play loudly.

Guidelines should be taken to ensure your dog has a positive association when using music as a technique for calming your dog.

• Play soothing music when your dog is not feeling anxious, so that when they hear this music, it will remind them of being in a positive state of mind
• After doing this process, apply it when your dog is faced with anxious situations
• If you find your dog is still anxious, stop playing the music and go back to only playing it when your dog is in a positive state and then try at a later point
• Learn the behaviors your dog exhibits when afraid – Ask a dog trainer for help identifying these behaviors (i.e. panting, whining, restless, or pawing at you, etc.)
• When you see that your dog’s fearful behaviors are gone from the music being played, you may then continue using the technique

This process can be applied in several situations to prevent your dog from having anxiety such as:

• Separation anxiety
• Aggression
• Thunderstorms
• Fireworks
• Excitement
• Visitors
• Stressful moments that people near your dog may have
• Boarding
• Driving with your dog

© 2008, Dog Service Network. All rights reserved. Republished articles have been reprinted with permission. For permission to reprint these articles, please contact the author.

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