# Excessive Drooling only in the Car



## juicedgr95

I have a 6.5 month old GSD that I got at 4 months old. Since the very first car ride home he has drooled excessively any time he is in the car. When I say excessively I mean it is like a faucet was turned on in his mouth. The vet says its anxiety and should go away. He used to be scared of getting into the car, but now is more willing to get in. He will sit in the back seat and as soon as we leave the driveway, the flood gates let loose. He is soaking wet by the time we get anywhere, and the only time he doesnt do it is if he is tired and sleeping after a few hours at the dog park. 

What we have tried:

Having him in the car with my other dog (6 y/o Boxer)

Having him on the front seat so I can pet/comfort him

Constantly take him on rides to try and show him there is nothing to be anxious of. Usually go for a ride 4 - 5 times a week. even if it is just down to the mailbox or the gas station. 

It really makes me sad because I love having a dog that wants to jump in the truck and go for a ride down the road or out to run short errands. But I'm getting to the point I dont want him in my truck anymore because it always ends with me cleaning the back doors, windows, seats and drying him off.









Any tips you all can offer? I know I'm the new guy here and this is my first post.


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## krystyne73

yes anxiety, my b/t GSD Meika does that and has since 7wks old. first she would vomit in the car, then it was panting, drooling all over my car now she is 6 yrs old and it is excessive whining ( even on a 5 hr drive). I started crating her in the car and that helped. My black GSD is a total car dog, no problems.


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## krystyne73

I tried those dog calm tablets and liquids that my vet suggested but I never saw results. Did your vet offer any advice?


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## MaggieRoseLee

Both my current GSD's did it too and it just eventually went away over time. I just kept taking them out. Making the rides have fun destinations. NOT making a big deal about it and just knowing eventually it would get better.

And it did!


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## Runswithdogs

Regen did this too, but she usually threw up when she was drooling (she drooled on every ride, but lots of drool - barfing dog). 
It was a sign of anxiety, it went away after 4 months. Short car rides to really fun places (hikes, pet store for a treat, etc) really helped, but ginger snaps made of real ginger also seemed to calm her stomach a little at the very beginning, given 10-20 minutes before the ride. 
We also had Regen eat her dinner in the back of the car a couple of times (while the car was still in the garage) and would give her treats with the car running, but parked in the driveway. 
Now she loves the car most of the time, on a bad anxiety day she'll still drool.


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## juicedgr95

good to hear at least someone has had success of them growing out of it. The vet recommended frequent rides. I have not tried the calming pills yet, but have also heard others say they haven't had any luck.... honestly haven't heard anyone say they did work lol. 

Trips are always fun, to the park, friends/family houses where he loves to play. He even loves the vet still after losing his 'manhood' there. I dont think we have had a negative experience after or during a car ride.

I was really hoping the comfort of the other dog being in there with him would have worked. 

I am going to try the ginger snaps, although he has only thrown up once and that was when we left within 30 minutes of him eating. Otherwise he doesnt throw up, just drools.

Unfortunately I really think my next step is going to be a travel crate in the back seat.


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## PaddyD

Frequency helped cure mine. Short trips. Window open. I am guilty of letting my dog put her head out the window. Mine started out VERY afraid and it took a week to get her out of the passenger side footwell, then another week to get her to look up ..... etc. In total it took about a month for her to be comfortable on short rides.
She has been great for about a year but now gets antsy on occasion. Usually she is more calm when going to someplace and gets itchy on the ride home.


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## smdaigle

Ridley does this too . . . he's the first dog we've had that did this. He's also thrown up once in the car - another first. I know he gets anxious about being in the car and we're just trying to help him get used to it by taking frequent short trips with him. I spent 45 minutes the other day just coaxing him into the car. Sometimes he hops right in.

Rex was happiest in the car. He'd jump in every chance he got and you could not get him out without at least a short drive around the cul-de-sac.


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## ZAYDA

I would call your dog into the car and just talk to him or give him some easy commands and give him treats After 6 times of doing that I would drive around the block only 1 time and gradually increase the length of the ride.

He first needs to learn the car can be fun and take it from there. good luck


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## Good_Karma

Well, Rosa still does this some at nearly two years old. But it is better than it used to be and she no longer throws up in the car. I always try to drive carefully (no zooming around corners or braking fast) with her in mind. I try not to feed her for at least an hour before getting in the car, but also not on an empty stomach or she'll throw up bile.


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## vat

Kaycee did this when she was a pup. She never thew up but she did out grow it. Just keep going for rides and keep it positive.


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## juicedgr95

Thanks everyone.

I cant really coax him up into the car with me, it is a truck and too tall for him to jump into. He is at a point now where he will actually walk up to the truck door, and sit and wait to be picked up and put in the back seat. (he used to run at the sight of any car, and on walks if we were passing a parked car he would be sure to take the long way around it) 

The trips are continuing and the drooling is not getting better at all  hope this doesnt last forever.


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## SouthernNdN

Thankfully my girl doesn't drool everywhere, however there have been some pretty nasty smelling upchucks that have happened! Usually it was gone by the time I could stop, since it was all dog food she would gobble it back down! lol I have noticed she does better in my truck then my jeep, I'm assuming because the truck has a much smoother ride.

However last week I put her in the front seat of the truck to run down to the gas station and wow, was that an experience. Her back legs started shaking big time! I wouldn't talk to her or touch her because I didn't want to feed her that being mentally out of her mind was ok, after about 5 mins she ended up lying down and everything was ok. 

I agree that frequent small trips should help. I usually take my girl everywhere. If she throws up thats just something we have to deal with. However while in the jeep I have noticed she stands up a lot more now and looks out the window. Last week she even gave the lady at the drive through a piece of her mind, which almost made me drop my money.

As for long trips if they are needed, I was told per my vet that if the chews or pills don't work then to give the correct amount of benedryl to help calm her down long enough to get where we need to be. Thankfully while in the truck we can usually go about 1.5-2 hrs before we have any kind of and issue, so no chews or pills are needed.


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## ponyfarm

I think some dogs like people are more motion sensitive than others. Tim has gotten much better ..he used to throw up everytime as a puppy. Lots of short trips has certainly helped. But, after a two/three hour drive..he will even throw up during the night..I am guessing due to the motion sickness. Hopefully, it will get better for you..or need to come up with an adaptation...crate..lots of towels, plastic vomit bags!


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## Cassidy's Mom

Halo did that as a puppy too - it was carsickness. She's our first dog that ever had a problem with it, and she would puke EVERY TIME we put her in the car, no matter how short the ride, and lots of drool too. She did grow out of it, fortunately. We used to bring an extra towel or two for her crate when we took her to puppy class so we could put a fresh one in when she puked and drooled all over.


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## patti

Yes, Bo would drool a river just before he threw up all over my foot. He does still drool a little, but no throwing up.


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## cassadee7

Saber sometimes does this, and when she does it is a LOT of drool. I always crate her for car rides. I lay a thick folded towel in the crate, so all the drool gets absorbed, and I have a roll of paper towels in the car. I just wipe her face and legs off when we get wherever, and change the towel when we get home. I think they'll grow out of it.


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