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patricemichellei · Nov 12, 2007, 09:08 PM

Our 3 month old Australian Shephard is awesome! My concern is that since 7 weeks of age when we brought him home, he does not like getting in and out of the car. I want him to enjoy going for a ride, but he sees the car door open and pulls or turns away. He does the same when getting out of the car. We have to pick him up to put him in and sometimes to get him out (other times he will hop down by himself). Is this because he's too young or small to get in and out and the height scares him? What can we do to have him enjoy "going for a ride"? We did try once to place the crate in the back seat to see if he'd go inside feeling safer, but he stayed outside the crate. Nowadays he enjoys the windows being down, but again he's afraid to get in and out. Any information or ideas are greatly appreciated.

N0help4u · Nov 12, 2007, 09:17 PM

I have a Pit Bull and she is about 50 pounds I have to lift her in and out of my van.
I think it might be something to do with their perception and balance like they are afraid of looking down or pulling themselves up because I have seen dogs act the same way with stairs. Until he is comfortable getting in and out himself open the door without him seeing it since it seems to scare him and keep helping him up and down. I bend down and 'help' my dog up so that she gets use to the idea. Picking her up she isn't getting use to the actual process. Eventually he should look forward to the ride enough that he jumps in and out on his own.

labman · Nov 13, 2007, 11:10 AM

At 3 months he is still fairly small, and it is a long ways up to the Jeep. I would just keep picking him up. Do not coddle him. If he has a fear problem, that will only reinforce it. He will see it as praising him for his fear. Just be positive and excited yourself. Some puppies are much more quick than other to make the jump. At that age, the less jumping, the better, less strain on the joints

Make sure at least some of the car rides are to fun places, not just the vet's office. Show a little care where you take him. Even the best shot problems leave a window where a puppy can catch a life threatening disease such as parvo. Avoid taking him places frequented by dogs of unknown care.

macksmom · Nov 13, 2007, 11:21 AM

Ava and Lennox are night and day.
Ava loves to ride in the car, she jumps right in and goes back and forth along the back seat until I roll down the window so she can stick her head out. Thankfully she likes car rides because like N0help4u, I have a pit and she is 55lbs, a little to big for me to pick up and put in the car.

Now Lennox, likes car rides, but hates getting in the car. Once I can get him in, he just lays down and enjoys the ride, and he jumps rights out.
But he is only 25lbs so I just pick him up and put him in, and he is fine. And if Ava is with us, he follows her lead and jumps in.

You could try using a treat. Let him see that you have a treat, then put the treat in the car. If he wants it, he will go in to get it. Once he gets in the car a few times, he should realize there is nothing to be scared of.

labman · Nov 13, 2007, 01:14 PM

Letting the dog stick its head out the window is a very poor practice. Too easy to get something in its eye. The newer ones are better, but I am afraid some of the electric windows could be deadly.

macksmom · Nov 13, 2007, 01:24 PM

I have window locks, so I am the only one to control the window going up and down.

And she doesn't do it every car ride, but she loves it :)

froggy7 · Nov 13, 2007, 07:45 PM

If I'm reading the OP correctly, the dog doesn't dislike the car and car rides, it's just the getting in and out part. That may change with time, as he gets bigger. So far now I'd go with continuing to pick the puppy up to get him in and out of the car. If he still doesn't seem to like the idea of jumping in and out, you might want to think about a step of some sort, and see if that helps.

Just an fyi: My Trink had a terrible time with the car, initially. Poor girl was scared to death to get in and out of the car. It took some time, treats, and a lot of patience, but she now LOVES to go for rides! I do have the advantage that my car's floor is practically at curb level, so it's fairly easy on her to get in and out. But she will stop sometimes when the exit looks "funny", which I think is just to size up the gap and figure out what's the best way to get out (stretch for the curb, step down and then up, that sort of thing).

So there's hope for your pup!

bushg · Nov 13, 2007, 07:53 PM

Adding to Labmans warning, last spring we had a report of a dog jumping out of someone's car on I 71 during rush hour, the owner was frantically running up and down the emergency lane trying to get him... not sure of the outcome.

patricemichellei · Nov 13, 2007, 10:15 PM

Thanks everybody. Fortunately he doesn't stick his head out the window and we do take him to fun places like the pet store and to visit/socialize with people & his siblings. I guess I can just relax and know that he'll grow into it... and yes there's always a step stool if needed!:)

RubyPitbull · Nov 14, 2007, 09:56 AM

Cute pup patrice. Yes, as labman states, just relax and ignore his "misgivings" or you will be feeding into his fear or nervousness. I would just add that you may want to place his favorite toy on the car seat right in his line of vision, or a favorite treat. It might help to ease the nervousness for him to focus on something that has a positive connection for him. When he does jump up into the car, every time he does it, praise him excitedly and tell him he is a "Good Boy." You may want to give him a small treat the first few times he doesn't show any fear and attempts to jump up into the car on his own.