Dear Barfing: There are two main reasons for carsickness in dogs: either motion sickness affecting balance or car-related anxiety caused by some fearful aspect of traveling in the car. Regardless of the reason for your pup’s problems, the main remedy to address the issue is the same, a good desensitization program.

Before we start with the desensitization program, there are a few other steps to take since you don’t know whether the pup suffers from motion sickness or car-related anxiety. One reason for motion sickness in young pups is the lack of early handling by humans. Since she is just 10-weeks-old you can still get in some quality handling that will accustom her to motion. Try cuddling her upside down in your lap, picking her up in the air, or rolling her around on the ground like a log. These small motions a few times a day will mimic what she is exposed to in the car.

With motion sickness having you puppy in the backseat of the car can also make her sicker. The rear of the car has more motion. That’s why as kids we loved to sit in the way back, especially when going over big bumps. That’s where your head would hit the roof! In addition, in the backseat pups can only see out the side windows. A whizzing blur of objects creates a fuzzy visual that causes or compounds motion sickness. By moving her up front and having her look out the front window she sees less movement. Another option is to place her in a Vari-Kennel® crate which has solid sides to limit her visibility to motion.

As for car-related anxiety, the pup has associated the car and travel with bad things happening to her. As a very young pup she might have been taken away from her mother and thrown into a car to go to the pound or the vet to get shots and vaccines that wasn’t pleasant. At such a young age a few bad trips can ruin a dog’s appeal to a car ride. But with a desensitization program you can reverse the motion sickness and the anxiety.

 

Going For A Ride

Start with putting the pup in the front seat of the car with you for a few minutes a day. Don’t turn on the car or drive anywhere, just sit quietly giving praise and gently petting. Another good idea is not to feed the pup six to 12 hours before any planned travel or even sitting in the car. Feed her after the exercise or travel back in the house. Don’t use treats to reward her in the car. This will only stimulate an already off-balance digestive system.

After a few days sitting in the car, try staring the car and letting it run for a few minutes with her in it. Bring a toy and play with her in the front seat. Make it a happy time. Then shut off the car and exit. Do this for a few days until she shows great enthusiasm for going to the car. The trick here is to progress slowly after she shows no sign of sickness. The next step is to drive up and down the driveway once then stop and exit. Do this for a few days and then maybe try up and down the street. You get the picture. Increase the amount of travel time each time she reaches a plateau of not getting sick. If she gets sick then move the process backwards until she is not sick again. By taking one step back to move two steps forward you will progress.

One of the most important things you can do is be a strong pack leader for her. Show her that being in the car is fun and trouble free. Another tactic you can do is to not make a big deal when she does vomit in the car. Do not pull over to clean it up, as this signals her that puking will stop the car. By ignoring her and the mess until you are at your destination she will not think anything about it. Then take her out of the car and go back and clean up the mess without the dog in sight. If you get emotionally upset when she is sick in the car, such as yelling, she will begin to associate your emotional unbalance with something being “wrong” with the car.

If she still has problems, or is overly excited in the car, then you may want to ask your vet about a mild sedative for car rides. Dogs can use Dramamine® for motion sickness, but ask your vet about proper dosages. Unfortunately, some dogs never do get over carsickness. But with a young pup and being vigilant about her program you are more than likely to have a successful outcome.

Lisa Peterson, a breeder and exhibitor of Norwegian Elkhounds, is a Delegate to the American Kennel Club and the owner of Peterson Pet Sitting. Ask Lisa questions at elvemel@aol.com or P.O. Box 197, Newtown, CT 06470.