Dog stressed while travelling

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GinaB

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How can I make going in the car a more enjoyable experience for Jess? She seems stressed, reluctant to get into the boot (she has a bed in it and a dog guard) and pants excessively.
I don't think it helped that she was in the carwhen I went into the back of someone but she seems to be getting worse and that happened in August.
 
I'd see if you could get her a travel box to enclose her/make her feel more secure. I picked up a very cheap crate off Gumtree or if your flush you could try Plastic Promotions for a made to measure yoke, a lot of the gundog boys are using them.

In the meantime, feed her in the car, go for short positive journeys (mine comes with just if I fancy going to the shop for crisps) and eliminate a pain issue - B's reluctance to get in the car was linked to his back pain. He was yoinking himself every time he got in and out, so understandably, didn't want to do either.
 
You could try feeding her in the car. Sit in it for a while with the radio on without driving anywhere, build it up to just going a couple of miles, let her out and take her for a walk, play with her, make it fun. If she still gets distressed, you could try putting a bandana on her, sprayed with DAP, or give her a few drops of rescue remedy before going anywhere. Would she travel with another dog as company perhaps, just to help her get used to it? If she s toy or all orientated, try throwing the ball into the boot and let her jump in after it. Then take the ball and have a game with her, keep doing this, occasionally closing the boot for a few seconds, then having can other game with her, so she never knows when you're finally going to close the boot and drive off.
 
Car is the older shaped Focus, she panics in small spaces hence my reluctance to try a crate CC.

Journeys we do include going to the yard (15 minutes each way) which is new to her or for walks. Usually no longer than 20 minutes. Depends where we're going. I give her lots of praise when she gets in, then tell her to lie down while I close the boot.

Our road is quite bumpy as its back roads, so this may be an issue?

She loves her ball, not so much food but I could try cooking off chicken to feed to her while in it. I threw her ball in earlier and she didn't want to bounce in to get it.

As for other dogs, she's socially awkward! Bit like her mummy :p and really needs more work socialising before I could consider that.

Thank you for your replies :)
 
Don't laugh but I am a good traveller but even I used to feel sick as a dog (pardon the pun) in the back of my Mum's old focus! If she doesn't even want to chase her ball in I would just pop her to the vets for a once-over just in case x
 
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