READY How to Help Your Dog Get Over Car Anxiety

Many people can't wait to get a dog and take him or her everywhere. They envision going to parks and hiking together. They imagine getting together with their friends and their puppies and letting all the puppies play together.

However, you may find out that your dog isn't quite comfortable riding in the car. If so, you don't have to worry. You can work with him or her and may find that before you know it, riding in the car may be something that you can enjoy together. Here are some tips to start.

Start with a parked car that is turned off. You should just start getting your dog in and out of the car. Decide where you want him or her to ride and sit there with your dog. Make it a good experience by giving plenty of pets and treats as your dog sits where you want him or her.

If this is too much, you may just want to play with your dog around your car. Don't even make a move toward the car. You just want your dog to be fine around the car, before you try putting him or her in it! You may find that you have to do this if your dog is already scared of the car. You don't want to force him or her into the car. Just work on the comfort of your pet first.

After your dog is good with sitting in the car with you, you may want to get behind the wheel and leave your dog where you want him or her. You should continue to praise your dog and give him or her a few treats to make this a good experience.

If this goes well, you may start the car a few times so that your dog gets used to the sound of the car without worrying about it driving away. Continue praising your dog and giving him or her treats so that he or she doesn't mind the engine running.

Then, you can take short trips around the block. As time goes on, you can keep taking longer trips until your dog no longer cares that you are going for a ride!

Many dogs do not like the car, which can make life challenging if you want to share your life with your dog. However, even if your dog is petrified of the car, you can work with him or her and make it better. In fact, in a few weeks, you may notice that he or she doesn't mind the car ride at all!

That being said, there are many dogs that get sick in the car, no matter how many short trips you do. Even if you are only in the car for a few minutes, you may notice that your favorite dog isn't looking so good.

Want to help your beloved dog stop getting sick in the car? Here are some tips to help.

Make sure that the temperature is good. You don't want to blare the heat, because your dog can overheat, which will only make him or her feel sicker.

It may also help to lower the windows to give your dog plenty of fresh air. This will also help to keep the inside of the car cooler for your dog.

If you know that your dog is likely to get sick in the car, you may want to take away his or her food and water before leaving. If you are leaving in the morning, you may just want to skip breakfast. If you are leaving in the afternoon, you might want to feed breakfast early and then take away any leftover food to make sure that your dog has plenty of time to digest it before you leave.

If you think that your dog gets sick due to anxiety, you may want to look into pheromones. There are diffusers and sprays that you may be able to use in the car. Others prefer to use a collar. I personally use the Adaptil collar, and I highly recommend it. My anxious dog seems much calmer when she is wearing her collar.

If you would like to try an Adaptil collar, I got mine at Amazon. You can check it out right here.

Please note, this is an affiliate link where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

You may even want to talk to your veterinarian if it continues to be a problem. He or she may be able to help you find some medications for motion sickness or even anti-anxiety medications. Please note that medications aren't always cut and dried. You and your veterinarian may need to play around with different medications and dosages until you find something that works best for your dog!

There might be nothing worse than your dog getting sick in the car, every time that you try to take him or her somewhere! However, with a little patience, training, and even some medications, your dog may learn to love riding in the car with you. You may have some success just by opening the window and letting in some fresh air, though you may also need to talk to your veterinarian to find a medication (or combination of medications) that can help.

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Previously published on Medium and/or Newsbreak.