My puppy gets car sick every time we go out. What can I do?Car sickness in any dog can be a genuine motion sickness problem, or more often, it is associated with fear and stress. All too often a puppy’s first journey in a car is when he is taken from his mum and litter brothers and sisters and the home he knows, to your home. The next time he goes in the car is to the vets where he is poked, prodded and examined by a stranger and has an injection. The next time he goes in the car is for his second vaccination where he is poked, prodded and examined by another stranger and has another injection! As a result, the puppy becomes traumatised going anywhere in the car because he associates the car journey with something scary happening at the destination. We therefore need the puppy to associate the car with “good” experiences. Try putting the puppy in the car, and just sit and pet him while the car is on the driveway, without the engine even turned on – reward him with a treat and encouraging words. Then move on to starting the engine – again, rewarding him with a treat and encouraging words. Drive round the block, rewarding him when you get back home. Don’t go too far. Drive to a nearby park where he can be let off. Gradually he will begin to associate the car with good experiences and won’t be sick through fear and/or stress. If the puppy is still sick even on short journeys in the car, then your vet should be able to prescribe motion sickness medication. |
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