# How do I teach my shepherd to jump into the car



## Chelsea and bandit (Feb 12, 2014)

I have an 1 year 8 months old male desexed shepherd (Bandit) who cannot jump into the back of our ute tray or into the backseat of the car. How can I train him to do this? Iv tried putting treats in there but that hasn't worked. At the moment he puts his front paws up on the side and I have to lift his back legs up. He's getting quite heavy for this to continue. We haven't aloud him to jump down from anything from a young age due to the breeders recommendation. 


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## lisgje (Sep 3, 2010)

At nearly two yrs old your dog is old enough to be able to jump out of a vehicle. unless there is some sort of underlying issue. I understand the breeder not wanting a puppy to jump out of a vehicle, but your dog is mature enough to handle that now. If he won't get in the vehicle by himself, I would have his hips checked. (if he is not in pain, forgo the hip check and realize it may be because you have been enabling him to use you) You could try a small step stool. My dog is severely cowhocked and needs help getting into my sportage, up stairs, etc. Since you have been doing this for your dog since a very young age, he has not been able to develop the confidence to do it himself. He knows you will help him. Once they do it for themselves with lots of praise, he will do it again. Step stool to start would be helpful. Hope this helps.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

This clastrophobic reaction can have a history starting back in time when your dog was separated from his mother, and a sheer smell of the car may revive emotional state. Get a trainer with his dog assisting him in training. The assistant will jump into your car and your dog will follow him without any problem. Leave all detailes to the trainer. Many dogs enter water, train, etc without fear being led by another dog with ease, they stop chasing joggers, reacting on naughty children, looking at cats, they learn from another dog much faster all good and bad habits which we, humans, may try to install in their brains for days and months without much success.


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## boomer11 (Jun 9, 2013)

i'd definitely check hips. unless you clearly see fear there shouldnt be any reason your dog cant jump into a car (being an overweight 120 shepherd who gets tired just looking at other dogs run doesnt count).

my old dog only jumped into the back of the suv when he was hyper and really really wanted to and had a running start. other than that he'd put his front paws up on the seat like you described. he had hd + he was fat. my healthy dog could jump in the back of a pick up at 6 months old.


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## Bequavious (Mar 9, 2013)

Chelsea and bandit said:


> I have an 1 year 8 months old male desexed shepherd (Bandit) who cannot jump into the back of our ute tray or into the backseat of the car. How can I train him to do this? Iv tried putting treats in there but that hasn't worked. At the moment he puts his front paws up on the side and I have to lift his back legs up. He's getting quite heavy for this to continue. We haven't aloud him to jump down from anything from a young age due to the breeders recommendation.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Assuming your dog is healthy, I know where you're coming from! We took both dogs on numerous car rides when they were little pups, so they got used to being lifted into the car and lifted out. For my husband's lab, it took walking off with him in the back of the car (in a safe area of course!) for him to finally jump out on his own. To get him to jump in, DH had to climb in the back and call to him excitedly. Thankfully he's of the sort, where once he realizes he can do something he repeats it readily and we had no more issues with him.

My GSD pup had no problems jumping out of the car (it's a Mazda hatchback) as soon as I allowed it, but she wouldn't jump in even with me (or the lab) in the back calling to her. I knew she was capable because she could jump the agility jump at the park at a higher setting and once when she was really amped up at visiting the in-laws (they live in the country  ) I was able to give the same 'hup' command to get her to jump in.

Of course that command didn't translate to her getting in under normal circumstances, so she started getting her meals in the back of my car. She wouldn't do it for treats or toys, but dinner is a powerful motivator. She whined a lot the first time and eventually scrambled in with a lot of encouragement from me. We repeated this for three or four days, and she was jumping in readily. When I had to take her somewhere, I used a small handful of food to transition, and now she gets in and out with no problems


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Get your dog ramped up with a game of fetch and when he is showing some drive, toss the toy into the car. My 5 month old jumps in the back of my Rav4 with no problem. Your adult dog shouldn't have any problems. You just need to teach him that he can do it.


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Check hips, but he may also not quite be understanding that he's allowed to jump in. I give a command for this (I say "hup hup!")

I'm not sure what your rules are for jumping up on the couch, but if he's not allowed on the couch in the house, he might be thinking he's not allowed up in the car too?

Maybe try stinkier treats, or a toy, as was suggested?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Do you have him jumping onto other things? Like a table or bench? He may not have enough awareness of where is paws are to be comfortable with it and is being cautious.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

I'm curious if he jumps on anything else? When Titan was about a year I started teaching him to climb/jump barrels of hay.. honestly I just saw someone else doing and thought Titan could do it to, lol.. but that actually taught him how to jump into my car (an over a short fence and on the couch... oh the list,  ) I started with his ball actually. Like Jax08 said, I was getting him ramped up and threw it up top and it took him a minute to figure out how to get it, but he did.. then it was easy peasy for him.. for us "up" is if I want his front paws on something and "go up" is specific to the car.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I don't think this has anything to do with being separated from their mother, unless of course maybe 'mom' left him in a car alone for an extended period of time which traumatized him (I AM KIDDING!)

I actually teach all my dogs to put their front feet 'on' the back of my blazer, the back seat floor etc...It's a good thing to teach for when they get into those senior years and have difficulty getting into my vehicle (which again, I have a blazer

I like the toy idea, or if you can have someone help you, how about one of you getting into the back seat, while both of you prompt him to get in??

I would check out his hips, just to be on the safe side...


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## Waldi (Jun 14, 2013)

I was going to say "teach"?, I just open tailgate and she is in, no need to invite, but that is to sahllow, absulutely agree with previous posts that there might be underlaying issue; one, simply being affraid, second perhaps health. Usually dogs love going for drive and will jump on command, perhaps you need to use box or slightly elevated platform to teach dog command jump. It is very handy and we have started this in training class and practiced by teling our puppy to jump on variety of different objects. You have to start on small and once they know meaning of the command - jump, you can use that to give command to jump into the car.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

David Taggart said:


> Get a trainer with his dog assisting him in training. The assistant will jump into your car and your dog will follow him without any problem.


Would like to see video of this!


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Bequavious said:


> ... but she wouldn't jump in even with me (or the lab) in the back calling to her.


What, your lab couldn't train your pup instantly to overcome the claustrophobic fear that the smell of the car instilled in the pup after being separated from its mother? 

I like to teach dogs to jump up using a picnic table. The seats are low and wide enough that the dog can get a stable purchase when landing, then you can move up to the top from the seat, then to the top from the ground.

The dog will learn the command, learn body awareness, and learn to trust you.

After you are solid on a picnic table, generalize the behavior on other low objects, being careful to only have safe and fun experiences with the dog. Then you can up the ante with taller objects and tighter spaces.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Think about training this behavior as you would any other 'trick'. Pick a word, I use 'load'. I use a high value treat and have the dog 'load' (or jump onto) a low object, like a park bench. It is VERY important that what ever object your pup is jumping up on is stable with a rough surface. (You don't want to ask him to load on top of a vari kennel only to have it become unbalanced and flip, or for the dog to jump up on and slide across.) 

Also use a command for 'off'. Use that and reward too. 

I've gone into TSC and had my dog 'load' onto feed bags and walk across. Anything that is fun and safe (and doesn't ruin the merchandise). Just keep it fun and rewarding. 

Go out to your car and ask your pup to load & reward. Off and reward. I wouldn't go anywhere, just play the load game. 

IMO - You've taught your dog that the current way you are putting your dog into the car is the way it should get into your car. Teach a command so it understands what behavior you are asking for.

How you are putting your dog into your car is exactly how I load all my dogs into their kennels in the back of my truck until they are two. They never jump into the truck. After they are two I have already taught the 'load' command and they'll jump into the bed. But for the first few times they'll stand there with their front paws on the tailgate looking at me like I've lost my mind.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

You should get him checked to make sure he is physically sound. If he is allowed on the furniture, telling him up for the couch would be a good move.

If he is allowed on the furniture and he can't do that then you might have a physical issue?


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

lol mine came built with natural car jumping abilities, they love the car, they also can find a kitchen anywere.

Our friends dog got her head stuck in the power window, she has a problem with the car now, our friends tried everything but they did not get far, now they just pick her up plop her in and do not make a big deal outta it.


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## Bequavious (Mar 9, 2013)

David Winners said:


> What, your lab couldn't train your pup instantly to overcome the claustrophobic fear that the smell of the car instilled in the pup after being separated from its mother?


Hey I figured I'd throw that out there before the OP went through a lot of trouble finding a strange dog to jump into her car


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## Chelsea and bandit (Feb 12, 2014)

Thanks everyone, he's a healthy weight we run with him a lot and very active. He doesn't fetch but will sometimes chase toys just not bring them back so I'll try this with him. He's fine jumping out just not in. We had a Dalmatian staying with us for about 5 months and she would happily jump in (hoping this would teach him) I give him the command up and **** just place his paws up. He attempted only once to jump in but didn't make it, and seemed like he was a little embarrassed. I'm having his hips checked on Monday just to be sure as I have notice when he runs, he runs his backend to the right it's not really noticeable unless you look for it. I think I have enabled him, he knows he's not aloud on the furniture so he doesn't try to jump on there. Thanks again for the all the advice very helpful! 


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Cool let us know, him not following another dog in says a lot but maybe he's just a dork!


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## mego (Jan 27, 2013)

my dog does this too, but it's mainly because I laugh and tell her she needs to learn how to lift up her big butt. I think she does it intentionally to make me smile. She does it with the bed too, but if I'm laying on my bed or I seem in a grumpy mood she jumps up herself perfectly fine  She was never allowed on furniture as a puppy either, I think that has something to do with it.


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## HOBY (Aug 12, 2013)

You may think this is nutz but have you tried both sides and every door?


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## Chelsea and bandit (Feb 12, 2014)

Yep every side every door every angle. He'll climb into the back seat, one back leg at a time almost like a person. I got in the back of the ute today he seemed like he wanted to get up but just couldn't work out how. I'm going to park on a hill tomorrow so the distance is shorter and see if he can do it that way. He's never jumped on anything so well start small and work on it. He can be very stubborn sometimes and treats don't always work. Tried playing a ramped up game of tug and threw the rope in the back, he just put his front paws on the tray looked at it, looked at me and then got down as if to say "well that's over". Defiantly gonna try feeding him in there too. 


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Do you have any dog parks that have an A frame on their grounds? Not a dog park advocate but if there is one you could see if he could climb it?


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## Bequavious (Mar 9, 2013)

Chelsea and bandit said:


> Yep every side every door every angle. He'll climb into the back seat, one back leg at a time almost like a person. I got in the back of the ute today he seemed like he wanted to get up but just couldn't work out how. I'm going to park on a hill tomorrow so the distance is shorter and see if he can do it that way. He's never jumped on anything so well start small and work on it. He can be very stubborn sometimes and treats don't always work. Tried playing a ramped up game of tug and threw the rope in the back, he just put his front paws on the tray looked at it, looked at me and then got down as if to say "well that's over". Defiantly gonna try feeding him in there too.
> 
> 
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Haha yeah mine's ball crazy, but she wouldn't even jump in for a ball. Dinner was the only thing that worked for us, but I can see practicing jumping on other things like a couple people suggested being helpful as well.


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## Chelsea and bandit (Feb 12, 2014)

So an update on bandit. He went and seen the vet on Monday. The vet said he couldn't feel any damage but bandit was hard to examine as he was very playful. (Pretty sure my dog has ADHD sometimes) 

The vet said he is however favouring his left hind leg, and this is why the right is weaker. The vet said he is no pain so he doesn't think it's an on set of hip dysphasia. He has given us a natural substance to mix into his good that will help strengthen the muscle on that side. He advised us to keep running him as we normally would but to watch him if he gets too tired or seems sore.

As for the jumping he said he can't be too bad as he does put his weight on his back legs when he gets up on benches etc with his front paws. He may just have a fear of jumping. He's suggested a ramp to get him in the car and eventually he will get there. 
After he has finished his supplement stuff if we are still worried he will X-ray him but doesn't think it's necessary at the moment. 


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## Deno (Apr 3, 2013)

Chelsea, 

I had the same problem with Dex when he was younger. This should be the easiest thing in the world to teach Bandit, assuming there are no medical factors. When I was in the early stages of teacing Dex to go off lead in public places, it was embarassing to have to help him up in the truck, not to mention my poor old back. Anyway, I have a Ford F-150, the seats are very high. The way I did it was to have the truck in an area where there was enough room for him to get a running start and jump up in the passengers seat. Open the passenger door as wide as it will go, sit Bandit down about 10' or so away facing the door opening and make him stay. Make sure he has a good clear 
route to the front seat "If you can't make him stay, you can have someone hold him" Now you go around and get in your car and lean over the seat at him and you excitedly call and coax him with all you got. Good luck to you both.


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## Knucklehead (Apr 11, 2013)

I taught my dog "hup" to get on or over benches, tables and other obstacles, using treats as a reward. It was a natural transition to get him into the back of the car. And I use "out" for him to go through any door, which also translated well to getting him to exit the car. He was a little wary at first at jumping into a small enclosed space, but he got it... especially when he figured out that getting into the car meant maybe going to the park.


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