Proper Control to Help Get Your Dog in the Car
Leash training is going to play a huge role in getting your dog to get into your car. You want to make sure you start training on a leash away from a vehicle. Practice getting your dog to walk nicely and under control. We utilize heel for this and have an article on how to Teach Your Dog To Heel.
If your dog is pulling you all over, it is going to be tough to get them to go into the car. Once you feel good about heel, use your leash to guide your dog up toward the car door and encourage them to enter calmly. It will be easiest if you have the dog on the side closest to the car door, that way you aren't running into it.
If your dog resists that is when we will start to focus on motivation. We will use control to get the dog close and then motivation to get the pup to jump into the car.
Motivation to Get Your Dog Wanting to Go in the Car
In order to motivate your dog to get into the car we will use a combination of two factors.
The most important being Treats - you want to use something that is really going to motivate your dog. That might mean using hot dog bits, or even cheese. This is something special that they will really want to go for. Make sure to show them the treat and let them sniff it. Then place it in the crate inside of the car. It helps the have a second treat in your hand. You can lead the dog with this treat and throw it into the crate with the other as extra motivation if necessary.
The other factor is Speed - if you stop in front of the car, your dog is going to stop. You want to accelerate as your approach the vehicle and then use the leash to guide your dog into the car and up into the crate.
How do you get a scared dog into a car?
Getting a scared dog into the car is similar to the steps that we have outlined thus far. You never want to force a scared dog up into the car. Instead you want to take things one step at a time. Use the steps above to ensure your dog will jump up into the car.
Now do this over and over again. It is important to start on this at a time you don't need to take your dog somewhere, as this can be a long process. Get your dog up into the car and then take them back out again. This will begin to make them want to get in the car for a treat and forget about the scary ride they might go on.
Once they are getting into the car without a problem you can reintroduce taking them for a ride. Instead of taking them somewhere like the vet or groomer. Take them for a 5 minute ride for a puppacino. This quick ride will ensure they learn the car is not a scary place.
Dog Refusing to Get into Car
If your dog is refusing to get into the car, never force them. I'd assume at this point that you have already followed all the great advice that is included in this article. If you are still struggling, have one of our experienced trainers help you. They have worked on getting dogs in cars hundreds if not thousands of times and have seen it all. Request a training quote today!
Why does my dog pant and shake when riding in the car
Shaking while riding in the car can be caused by fear or by excitement. For either of these two options you should work with your dog to make the car something that doesn't get them so worked up.
Dog Ramp for Car
A ramp or a set of stairs is a great option to get a dog up into a vehicle that is high up off the ground. This can be great for a dog that is larger and too heavy to lift. Here are some great ramp options for Amazon.
- When looking for a ramp/stair option we prefer something light and simple to use.
- These stairs are gently angled making them a combination of stair and ramp.
- They are meant for inside use, however they will work well to get a dog into the back seat of most SUVs and Cars. For the back hatch of an SUV you will likely need the folding ramp below.
- The product size is 23.6 in. L x 15.7 in. W x 15.7 in. H.
- The stairs are made of 30D high-density, high-resilient foam.This means they are light and easy to carry, unlike many folding stairs.
- Made with a non slip fabric.
- If a simple set of stairs like we show above won't work we recommend a foldable ramp like this one.
- Made from aluminum it is overall light weight at 13.5 lbs. The biggest downside is the weight (compared to the foam stairs), but the foldable nature makes storage a breeze.
- The ramp is 63 inches long and 17 inches wide. Which should work even for the biggest dog.
- Has a non-slip gray carpet to provide traction for your pup to get up and into the car.
If your dog is fearful of riding in the car and has an issue jumping up. You should work on using the ramp away from the car first to get your dog comfortable, then introduce the ramp with the car together.
A great way to do this would be putting the ramp or stairs up to something the dog wants to get up on, like the couch.
How to Get a Large Dog Into a Car
The steps we have outlined; using control and motivation will work for your large dog. You might want to consider stairs or ramps to make it easier on their joints. Especially if you drive and SUV or Truck. Crates can be difficult for large dogs, so finding an actually crash tested seat belt restraint is a great option for keeping them safe and secure.
