Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Jun 29

Can’t take your dogs on your local holidays? We’ll soon solve that…..

If you are travelling locally for your next vacation and want to take your dogs - then lets make sure that they are going to enjoy it with you. A large percentage of dogs are ‘travel sick’ or do not enjoy the journey at all.

Maybe they bark the whole time, maybe they jump about all over the place or maybe they just won’t get in in the first place!

Lets Get Started:
You need to find out what part of the journey is upsetting the dogs and start from there - so you need to observe their behaviour.

Basically anything from the sight of the car (scared of the actual car), to associations with the car (only go in it to the vets) to the actual movement of the car (travel sickness) can be the issue - along of course with just lack of proper training (you let it be disruptive)!

So lets examine these briefly to show you the way forward from here.

Won’t Get In The Vehicle.
If you dogs show an aversion to the vehicle itself, then you need to spend a little time getting them used to it. Dogs respond to how the humans react, so if you ignore the dog (don’t pet it) throughout the desensitisation process it will work a treat.

Ideally get you vehicle off the road first, but start to play or sit around the vehicle. Don’t make the dog come to you just look happy and the dog will soon wander closer. Over a few days, open the boot or door depending on where you want the dog to enter and sit on the vehicle yourself - maybe have some treats with you that you give occasionally.

Make sure the dog can get in to the vehicle itself and then leave treats inside it, then hopefully it will become relaxed. Only when it is relaxed can you try pulling the door to. And when it is used to this then start the engine for a short while, then when it is used to that, go for a short drive…..

Scared Of The Vets?
Most people only drive their dogs to the vets - and most dogs don’t like this! Therefore, you need to make up some short journeys that are to somewhere nice and possibly take a vets appointment (on foot or bus if possible) that is going to be lovely - ie just a nice check up with treats to match! Then drive your dog home - which will be a nice thing!

Try some short drives to your dogs favorite park or woods - or even to someone’s house that has some great toys or great food! If possible gradually start to drive in the direction of the vets, but pull off after a minute or 2, next time go a bit closer before pulling off - then when your dog doesn’t seem too bothered - drive right by the vets and off to somewhere nice!

Make sure with this and the first example, that you don’t move to fast - otherwise you can undo everything. Only when the dog is totally relaxed should you move on to the next step.

Your Dog Is Travel Sick.
Travel sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting messages from the balance organ in the body and the eyes. Therefore using the eyes to show a level horizon or shutting them completely usually relieves the symptoms. And as you cannot really ask a dog to stare at the horizon or go to sleep - it may help to have them travel in a crate with limited views of the outside of the car.

Nausea can also be caused by stress - so the best way to relieve the symptoms is as we would do for ourselves. Limit the movement of the dog and/or offer it something to calm it down - such as a relaxant or mild sedative. Make sure that there is a steady flow of fresh air to the car, and that they have an empty tummy!

You Have A Naughty Dog!
A car crate of car harness are the main ways to control your dog in your vehicle - and are also recommended anyway to keep yourself safe - and other drivers on the road! If you have your dog leaping about while you drive - you could cause an accident!

A barking dog, a howling dog, a bounding-all-over-the-place dog can all be resolved with some basic training. Read up on the basics yourself and go from there. Obviously you can’t drive the vehicle and train your dog at the same time, so make sure that you have an assistant to make things safer!

And happy holidays!