CURING THE CAR-SICK DOG

Having a car sick dog takes the fun out of travelling with your pooch. Doing good  training is a great first step to build a better bond and trust with your four-legged friend. Here are a few more steps that you can take to quell the car sickness cycle. As always, before you train, rule out any underlying medical conditions.

Crate train your dog. The use of a crate will not only make house breaking and potty training easier on you, but it will show your dog that he has a safe place to go and be calm

Use the crate in the car.

If you already have done crate training, put the crate inside the car securely and follow the rest of the steps. If you have not crate trained your dog, see rule number 1, or try the next steps without it.

1. Break everything down into small, digestible steps for the dog to understand and retain.
2. Start by just getting the dog acquainted with being in the vehicle. Lead the dog inside the back of the vehicle and praise him. If he is too reluctant, wait until he is hungry and throw a tasty treat or two in the vehicle. Make sure that he sees the treat.
3. Once he is comfortable with being in the car, get in the car with him (like you were going to go for a ride) and just sit there for a minute or two. Repeat until the dog doesn't react.
4. Next step is to turn the car on. When you do this, don't go anywhere, just turn the car on and sit in the driveway for a minute or two.
5. When all of the above steps can be done without any hesitation or reaction from the dog, its time to take a spin. Just go a short distance, maybe around the block. Repeat this process and increase the distance GRADUALLY.

A couple of things to remember: Be patient. Don't rush it. If you see a reaction from your dog on step 6, for example, GO BACK A STEP. There are no penalties for going back steps. Fortify the previous step until there is NO REACTION and then move on.

You can open a window slightly for some fresh air if so desired, but it is not necessary. Also, it may be easier for you if you do this training when the dog has an empty stomach.

These are the basic steps to help you cure your car sick dog.​