Terrible behaviour in the car

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silverbreeze

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I have had my dog for a year now, he came from a rescue home at 8months old so not sure what happened beforeI got him but he is soo frustrating in the car.
Whilst it is stationary he never utters a sound or moves a muscle but the minute it starts moving he goes insane. He squeeks, wines, barks, runs around in circles, makes noises I didn't know where possible and generally drives me insane. I initially bought a cover so that I could put the back seats down and he could have access to the back of the car with a guard up behind the front seats but he ran around like a loon! making a racket.
I now have him in the boot with a guard and there is very little room (corsa) and he still creates merry hell. He is also terrible in the passenger foot well, he tries to crawl all over me so not condusive to safe driving and he still whinges!
I spoke to someone who said to just ignore him rather than react but after a year of ignoring him my patience is wearing a little thin. I alos tried the stop the car when he makes a noise then carry on routine but when I am doing a 45min journey with him at weekends that can become more than a little tedious and I also can't pull up on the motorway.
He doesn't appear stressed, more like he is excited but it is stange how he stops the min the car stops.. I would expect him to be worse if it was anticipation of walks etc. Any ideas? He has improved a bit but still pretty trying
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can't remember the answer but Victoria Stillwell dealt with this on the programme 'It's me or the dog' Try the internet to find out what she did. I do remember it involved blacking out the windows to start with!
 
Just had a quick look at that seems to apply more to dogs barking at something.. he isn't.. He barks etc when he is rummaging around in the boot and circling.. The only time I can see him is when he is just looking at me in the mirror or looking out the window but not making a noise! It is very strange
 
He isn't scared, he can't wait to jump in... if a boot is open (no matter whos it is!), he is straight in there.. It's like an impatience thing.. I opened the tack locker in the waggon the other day and the fact it opens like a boot.. he jump straight in only to confronted by 3 saddles and a load of bridles and no room for a springer!!
I could try covering the boot window and the view he has into the back though and see if that makes a difference, I don't want to buy a crate in case makes no diff and the one my mum has is probably bigger than my little car!
If the covering his view works though, how do I progress from there? Do I have to keep him shrouded forever or will this break the cycle?
At least I will know if it is the motion or the view.
He s worse when I'm singing or on the phone (handsfree
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) !!! Could it be an attention thing? He is craves it terribly, if my OH gives me a cuddle he cries and licks and jumps all over us!! That is improving though with ignoring him..
 
Don't take my word as gospel as luckily all my dogs have been great with cars (I know what you mean about jumping in, my old bitch used to jump into random cars in our village if she saw a door lying open
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TBH it does sound like nervousness/excitement...

He may not really have been in a car when he came to you, did you fuss him when he did it at the start, or really gee him up when you were going somewhere? Not criticising, but sometimes that can be a trigger for them that it is a 'big deal' and something to get hot and bothered about or seek attention or reassurance from yourself.

You could maybe get a cheap crate off eBay or classified ads or borrow one to try? I think the idea is to remove the cover when he is being silent and throw it back on if he starts messing about. Although you would need help if the problem only arises when the car is moving!
Not sure how you would progress from there though...I know CALA is always good with advice on dogs/cars!
 
I have a crate (it's actually a proper car dog box) and TBH I wouldn't be without it! I doubt my dog would be half as good as he is if we didn't have one. He cannot physically jump around when he is in it, so he has little option but to a)lie down and sleep, or b) sit still!

Do you take him out in the car even if he isn't going anywhere, or does he always get out at the end (for a walk, run, something he enjoys)?
 
He is very excitable in general when he knows he is going out, he is obsessed (sp) with running. He will run and run and run all day if he could so I think it is anticipation. He isn't a nervous dog, but I suppose he could be described as highly strung at times. I have worked hard on getting him to sit when I am getting my shoes on etc as , now I think about it he does exactly the same thing in the hall before we go out. (only just twigged that.. doh) Easier to deal with as I don't have to concentrate on driving.. Now he sits and wriggles frantically on the mat and does his best to contain himself..

When he first started in the car I tried to get him to sit.. I will admit I lost my temper a few times and shouted as when he had full run of the car he chose my ear as the best place to be as loud as possible and it drove me maaad!!
I used the corrector spray from time to time and that worked for a while but he has become desensitised (sp) to that now and only briefly stops his crazy little routine! I am tempted to tie him up in a ball with a blind fold right now
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I am only joking btw!
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He always gets out and runs around or plays with my mums dogs..
My only reservation about the crate is I don't think it would restrain him much more than my boot.. it is tiny; he folds himself in half to turn around, he should be a contortionist!! Thats why i spent a fortune on the seat cover for my back seats lying flat.. He has to sit sideways to sit in it, thats how small it is..??
 
Are you getting wound up by him?

I only ask since my female is very exciteable and neurotic and when I get highly strung and annoyed with her, I am actually mirroring her behaviour and intensifying it.
I have finally cracked her insane yipping and running in circles by just staying very calm, avoiding eye contact, n sudden movements, talking in a low, firm voice if at all, as it calms her down as well as me.

Agree with Hen, a proper dog box woud probably be better than a crate (I actually forgot about those, all this newfangled crate chat has turned my head
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I hope you dont mind me posting this here, but i am having the same problem with my dog, she is in a crate. She makes like a high pitched squeeling noise for the entire journey and when i am getting her out of the car. People look at me like im a murderer.
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Any ideas please
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I can't find a clip of the program but found a reference to it and it said they had a curtain arrangement which was closed when barking and open when quiet. You'd probably have to enlist someones help with training to do this!!
 
I did to begin with, it drove me insane but that was when he had full range of the back.. now he is in the boot I just ignore him but I just find it so strange that he isn't improving.
I have made such great progress with his other highly strung behaviour but not this one.. I guess I struggle as I can't interact with him properly from the front of the car whilst I am driving. It's not like I can tach him that he can only come out when he is quiet either as he stops the min the car stops
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Why would the crate or dog box be any different from the small boot?
 
Because it is closed on three sides, not open, the door facing towards the car boot so he won't be able to see you.
You can also get them tailor made.

Google them, maybe try 'Lintran' - not putting link here as I don't want to be accused of advertising, they used to have an ad in the magazine I used to write for, first thing that springs to mind.
 
I agree with HH, u need an enclosed crate, if for nothing but teaching him to travel within a contained space, the smaller the crate the better and try obstructing his view of you and his sorroundings, you could also, leave him in the car, boot open and in the crate when u get out to he does not always assosiate the end of the journey or the car stopping with going somewhere exciting or getting out, and also do this at home, when stationary on the drive, I know u say he stops when the car stops, but thats possibly because he thinks he is getting out ans anticipating his departure from the car, so the more u leave him in stationary the more confused he will become.

I have up to 6 of mine in my doggy van at once, and they all know it's walk time, apart from excited panting, they are all very calm, and they where all started off in a crate when travelling, and literally travelling around with me, not neccesarily for a walk, jsut to get them used to travelling.

It would also be a good idea to burn some of that exciting energy off him b4 u take him in the car, I know u prob put him in the car to take him for a walk, but if he is full of energy his energy/excitement level need to be lowered to place him in a calmer state of mind and physically tire him.

Also try a DAP collar (releases a synthetic appeasing pheromone) they are designed to help calm aswell as destress.
But burning some energy would really be key.
 
Thanks for all your input everyone; I shall try one thing at a time and find out what works on him.. I think he must've heard me talking about him though as he started it in the car this morning and I told him to sit and he sat still and never made a sound!
 
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