Car Travel with Your Dog

Here are some reasons why your dog might not enjoy travelling in a car or on a bus

2nd January is "National Pet Travel Safety Day" which means that early in January there'll be lots of information around the internet on transporting pets safely in cars and on buses.

But what if your dog won't get in the car?

What if your dog has a meltdown every time you go near a bus?

What then?

Maybe your dog will happily get into the car to go to the park, but won't get in to come home again. Is that stubbornness? Probably not.

Reluctance to get into the car can be for one of the following reasons.

It marks the end of playtime. A reluctance to get in the car can be because your dog isn't ready to go home yet. Try winding down after play with some sniffing and slow walking, resetting expectations before heading back to the car.

It makes them feel sick. Puppies and adolescents are developing their sense of balance all the time, and car travel can make them feel really unwell. Keep journeys short and try travelling your dog in a covered crate to minimise the difference between what the eyes see and what the ears feel. If you've already tried this, maybe try it the other way around and make sure that your dog can see out of the window. Meanwhile, offer your dog lots of safe climbing opportunities to help them to develop their sense of balance, and if it's really bad, speak to your vet about short-term car sickness medication.

It hurts. This is the biggest reason behind a reluctance to get into the car. Imagine you've got a sore hip, or your back hurts, and you're being driven around in the back of the car. Every time you turn a corner, or you go over a bump, you brace to stop yourself falling over. And every time you brace, your sore back or your sore hip hurts even more. You can't win - brace and it hurts, don't brace and it hurts. And then there's the condition of the roads - if you live in the UK you'll know all about potholes. A surprising number of dogs are hiding pain and not telling their vet or owners about it. No wonder some dogs don't like car travel!

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Stephie is a dog behaviourist specialising in shouty-barky dogs and separation anxiety.

Join her free facebook community for shouty-barky dogs here: www.facebook.com/groups/theshoutybarkydoggroup

Browse her website here www.CalmerCanines.co.uk