# How to teach my dog to stay calm in a car ride?



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

Hi there. My 13 month Cooper gets over excited everytime we go for a car ride, I would say he is happy to go. The way we do it is I would be driving and my husband sits at the back seat with him. He would start jumping when he sees the car door open and he just wants to get in. We get him to sit and he does not go in till he stops the jumping. I forgot to say he usually plays before going out and we get him out of the hyper state. Once he is in with my husband he jumps on my husband and starts nipping his hand. My husband would get him to sit on the floor and keep him in place by stepping on the leash. When he calms down, he can look out of the window, but sometimes that takes like 10 minutes or so. He does not nip my arm so should I be sitting with him? What are your thoughts and what would you do. Ah sometimes I give him a bone or toy to chew on instead of the nipping. Thank you all.


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## QballK (Nov 2, 2014)

Crate him in the car and practice crate games.


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## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

Natalilove what do you mean go to doctor? and Oballk I will try that, thanks


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

take him on more car rides. we're nuts and take our dogs everywhere we go. our dogs prolly been on 1000 car rides in the last year. the more rides they go on the less exciting it becomes.


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## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

Scarfish thanks I will take him more but I get anxious about the nipping any tips?


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

i dunno never experienced that. make sure your core trining is tight then put the dog in a down stay on the back seat. put an ecollar on and correct it if it fails to listen.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

You should crate him in the car Nivonice. I know some dogs can ride loose in some cases, but he doesnt sound like one. Try mixing things up a little, so he isnt anticipating the car ride so much. Heel him to the car, but just have him lay down for a minute, then heel him calmly away. Put him in the car, in a crate. But don't go anywhere. Drive around for a while but just park without letting him out, or come back home.

When you do take him somewhere, don't let him out till he settles down, in the crate. You can accomplish a lot more, easier, with the crate.


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## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

Thanks Steve Strom for your advice, I will try and see what happens.


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## HOBY (Aug 12, 2013)

One of my sheps gave me a hard time in the car like no other. He was just a car riddin' yahoo junky. Well no dog likes being off his feet and out of control so I found a nice quiet huge parking lot [or side street] and did some maneuvers that put him off his feet and out of control. It may sound rough but knock it off and hold on worked like a charm. Became one of the best rear shotgun riders I ever had. Sometimes you gotta get physical.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

Buy a Variocage ?


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

Mine has been on MANY rides. He never really settles down. Whines, pants, circles, adjusts his position. I'm trying to figure out if he is excited or nervous. I have tried a few things, but can't get him to be a good traveler. I have a sedan and putting a crate in the back is not an option...

Good luck with your dog, I have come to the conclusion that I'm stuck with the way he is in the car...but wont stop me from taking him everywhere.


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

Crating is the best thing. I'm always amazed at how people will put up with chaos, lunging, barking, scratching and unsafe driving conditions with a loose dog. Crating tends to calm a pup and the driver can focus on being a safe driver.


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

i don't know what's wrong with your dogs. this is how we roll. driving home from BK earlier. sorry for the cursing.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

scarfish said:


> take him on more car rides. we're nuts and take our dogs everywhere we go. our dogs prolly been on 1000 car rides in the last year. the more rides they go on the less exciting it becomes.



This makes sense...I take my bitch for car rides all the time....we used to just take her when we were going somewhere with a purpose...dog park, swimming, different places to walk, parks, camping etc....all FUN things...the dog was always jacked in the vehicle because ( I assume ) when we stopped and got out it was a place for her to have fun. She was a royal pain in the vehicle at times and she certainly knew the routes to certain areas..so the closer we got, the more of a jackass she was.

So, I decided...she's going to ride with me much more and many times never get out...just guard the vehicle and observe. After numerous cruises to places she had never been and did not get out and have the normal fun, she has become a wonderfully well mannered passenger...she still enjoys the heck out of riding with me and has learned to brace herself when I say "hang on"...it's amusing how quickly she learned to counter the G forces when turning, accelerating and stopping. She still rides shotgun as she has trouble reaching the brake and gas pedals.

SuperG


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

Extra car rides might help and logically speaking should help but.... it doesn't always help.
Gus goes crazy when it's time to go into the car which equates to work day. He is well traveled, in the car daily and still goes crazy. He is now well behaved in the car in his Variocage....just a fancy crate he can't escape.


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## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

Thank you all so much


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## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

I am soooooooooooooooo happy, thanks to all of you and your advice. We took Cooper yesterday for a car ride. I sat next to him at the back seat while my husband did the driving. Of course he was extremly excited to come in but my husband would not let him until he sat and was calmer. I got him a bone to chew on. He started chewing on it and i told him to sit and he sat on his four then off we went. After a few minutes he came and sat next to me looking at me then back to the window and it was great. He did not even try to jump on me or nip me.


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