Dog refuses to enter car?
Hi. I have a problem with my siberian husky dog. He is 1 year old male. My husky refuses to enter the car, when i'm going somewhere and want to take him with me. Somehow he will resist a lot when i try to put him in the car. I'd open the door and point him towards the seat, but he would try to change direction and escape. I then have to lift him up, and forcibly put him on the back seat. Once i drive he starts making uncomfortable gestures and looks very scared. He would keep on changing positions in the back seat -- from the right window to the left window. The car is clean and its not even been one year since i bought it (its 2007 toyota corolla). Why my husky is uneasy with my car?
Comments
Try going a little slower. Toss a couple treats on the seat to encourage him. Sit in the back seat with his leash in your hand and some treats and encourage him to jump in and sit with you. Give him the treats when he gets in and praise him. Then get out without driving. Once you have him doing this, go for short drives - maybe just around the block. Give him treats when you return. Or take him to a park to play just a few blocks away. Gradually increase your distance as he becomes more comfortable.
3 decades ago I had a 7 year old male rescue dog. He was a nightmare in the car, I had to have help getting him to the vet. Had I known better I would have crated him, but I didn't. Now both my dogs are put in the car, the male does well, he'll sit on the passenger seat, the female pants, chews and is all over, it isn't safe to have her loose while driving - I crate her. Both jump into the car, one on the front seat, one in the back seat crate. You might try just letting him sit on the back seat and not leave the driveway, spend 15 minutes talking to him and reassuring him, do this for a week and then take short trips. Otherwise crate him - as you know, it isn't safe to have this going while you're driving. Good luck.
Could be the smells? New cars have that 'new car smell' which they've actually found to be toxic---it's all polymer based.
You can get him used to it a lot more by opening all the doors, setting him inside it and letting him come out. With the doors open it won't seem as scary, especially as he can come out under his own power. Make a game of it, tossing his toys in, putting a piece of dry food on the edge of the seat where he can get it before entering the car, etc.
In, out, in, out, then keep two doors closed (if it's a 4 door), or close one door (if it's a 2 door) and keep it as a game. the more you do this, the calmer he'll be. When he's calm, close the extra door and sit with him for 2 minutes in the back seat, then open the door to let him out. Do this till he's calm. Then try starting the engine and turning it off right away.
It's the small steps that get the dog used to the car.
You're making the problem worse by forcing him in. If your dog doesn't naturally take well to the car then you have to introduce it like you do a crate. First allow him to be around the car without having to go in it. Give him treats just for being near it without resisting. After doing this for a week or two, open the door and don't force him in. When he's comfortable being around the car, you can invite him in. Try showing him a treat or a favorite toy and put it in the back seat. If he goes in to get it, don't force him to stay in. Let him come out if he tries to. After he is comfortable with this step, close the door for a few seconds and let him out. Gradually increase the amount of time you do this. After he calms down, try taking a very short drive. Start out just pulling out of the driveway and then back in. Let him out after this. Gradually increase the duration of the drive, based on his reactions. Each time he is in the car and is calm, give him a treat and praise him. This process will take a while since he's already been conditioned to be scared of the car.
hi
i have a siberian who was like that too. pehaps if you had a dog seatbelt fitted so the dog is safely restrained he may feel more at ease and just sit him in the car while its not going anywhere and you sit in the car with him he may get used to being in the car then slowly try idleing the engine then slowly drive the car .. eventually you should get him used to it...or maybe the dog would rather you walk hoim to where you want him to go ...yes i know it may be miles from where are but if it make the dog less scared it might have to be the way its done...
regards
kathy
perhaps the vehicle became undesirable information at one think approximately time. have you ever appeared into useful reinforcement training? i discover it helps with training situations and reassuring the dogs. Take time once you do no longer would desire to head someplace with Sam. Take her out to the vehicle. are not getting in or maybe open the door, purely carry out for a 2d. Say "good lady!" or "confident!" or something while she's calm. Take toddler steps from there. try beginning the door and praising her while she's calm. forget approximately her while she refuses or gets frightened, and nicely suited her for working away. at last get her interior the vehicle and compliment, then try going someplace. you do no longer would desire to try this all in a single day; practice it! you will get it. good success!
maybe to make him more comfortable put his favorite toy in it or put treats. or even if you have to roll down the window a little but so much that he can get out do that. that might ease him. also pratice driving around the block a couple times to get him comfortable with being in the car.
If you adopt it or bought it might be because he had something bad in the past with the old owner he use to have it is not that natural for him to do that try talking to the person who you bought it from or take him to the vet... might be because he dosen't know you the well yet?
Use treats to lure him in and take him on a short trip every day. He will get over it quick.
Also try taking him to petsmart and perhaps he will start liking the car.
Perhaps he's afraid that he's going somewhere he doesn't want to go. Did you take him to the vet recently? Or somewhere else that he hated? (perhaps somewhere with other pets he didn't like or kids that roughhoused with him)? I'd guess he's afraid to go in the car cause he doesn't want to go back to where ever you might have taken him before.