Does Your Dog Like To Ride In The Car?

rufftie

twitch, on the other hand, tolerates the car. he doesn't particularly enjoy it

This is exactly how Max is.  He's not afraid of it, he gets in willingly, but he's not one of those "yippee!  I'm in the car.  Let me hang my head out the window" kind of dogs.

Joyce

 The car is the best place! She goes everywhere with me. She even goes through the car wash and once she rode in the car while it was being towed. She would happily spend the night in the car.

tiffy

 The car is the best place! She goes everywhere with me. She even goes through the car wash and once she rode in the car while it was being towed. She would happily spend the night in the car.

 I think Luke likes it because he knows that we're going to somewhere good. He can't see where we're going generally because he rides in a crate, which is how he prefers it. When he rides out in his harness, it tends to freak him out a bit. He's been riding in the car since the day I got him, actually, I guess before too since he went to the vet before I got him.

He loves places, except Petsmart. He never wants to go in there. But,  he goes to Lowe's, Home Depot, the office supply stores, with me to the office to see clients, to  his classes, the park, wherever. He really gets excited about his Friday night rides, because on Friday nights, he rides to fly ball. I usually don't say where we're going, but he seems to know from what we take probably and that usually, our other regular night activity, with the walking group, we don't take things. Once he's in the car,he knows because it takes a long time. A few weeks ago, I took him to a new training place where we will be going to training with a flyball team. He got so excited when I told him we were going to "different fly ball." His other favorite place is to drop off paperwork in the office. I said the name of one of the people once while I was getting ready to go somewhere,and he wasn't coming with. He shot over to the door, and plopped his butt down. He cried when I told him to go get in his crate,and he knew it meant he was staying home, so I took him to ride to wherever I was going. 

Yes, mine love the van and take turns coming to work with me.  My van is basically a kennel.  I picked it specifically for transporting dogs to various training and dog events and also as a safe place of confinement when we are traveling.  It has crates for every dog (each crate has padding/pedding, a water pail, and appropriate cover for either shade, warmth, or privacy).  I also keep all my training supplies out there, extra dog bedding, dog food, cartons of water, tracking/muck boots, first aid, tools, etc.  I clean it out often (when we have regular training, it gets vacuumed and cleaned once a week).  No dogs ride unconfined, against the rules and not safe.

Lies, that looks like an awesome set up in your van!  And (off-topic), from what little I can see of both houses in that photo, I love the looks of your neighborhood.  Lots of character in the homes, I bet.

I'm not sure yet how Ruby feels about riding.  She rarely rides in my car since we take DH's truck when we all go somewhere.  She gets in willingly (in the back seat -- it's a crew cab).  But once we're in motion, she often starts this pathetic whine.  She doesn't seem to distinguish between a ride to the store, a ride to training class, or any other destination, so we can't tell if it's because she upset or excited.  99% of our car rides are just a few minutes long, but every few weeks she rides for nearly 2 hours when DH takes her to a friend's house near Mt. Hood.  Eventually she quiets down on that journey, but whines periodically.  On the way home, she sleeps a lot because she's worn out from hiking and playing!

Tonka was a world-class passenger.  He sat perfectly still in the back seat, gazing out the window, never made a peep.  Sometimes his eyes would get heavy and he'd start to nod off like a person sitting on the subway.  We drove across country with him twice, and he was completely relaxed and cooperative, despite multiple stops and strange hotels, etc. 

I love Heidi's Doggles!  What a great photo! 

My first dog April and my second dog Bonnie both got car sick and hated the car. Ava likes the car but I only take her for her grooming and to the vet.  I do not like seeing dogs in cars sitting there waiting for people to come out of stores or restaurants, to take them for rides and then bring them home is fine, but not something I do.

All my dogs love to go in the car.  Twister got carsick as a puppy but he grew out of it quickly.  I've never owned a dog that didn't like to ride in the car but that's probably because all of my dogs have always associated getting in the car or truck as fun.  I had a dog that would jump in anyone's car or truck if the door was left open.  I thought I'd lost her once when she turned up missing after a training session while we were standing around talking. We looked all over the training property calling for her.  She was inside a client's truck laying on the front floorboard. :)

tacran

Lies, that looks like an awesome set up in your van!  And (off-topic), from what little I can see of both houses in that photo, I love the looks of your neighborhood.  Lots of character in the homes, I bet.

Thanks!  My usual setup is two crates that load out the back hatch and one crate in the middle row behind the driver that loads out the side.  Then there's space behind the passenger for a captain's chair or left empty for gear.  Right now it's empty since my friend and I were hauling a large cooler and several day's worth of clothes and supplies for recent dog trials.  I got a van that lets me roll down the rear windows and has separate rear heat/cool vents and controls since the dogs like it cooler than I do.  I made a platform in the back so the two crates fit (otherwise the seatbelt anchors are in the way) and have baskets of dog gear that slide inside the platform.  Nice thing is I can get three full size male GSDs, two people, and several days worth of gear and supplies and still easily see out the back.

Our new neighborhood is great!  I chose a "mature" neighborhood - our house is about 75 years old.  I like neighborhoods where all the houses are a bit different and there are huge, old trees.  We don't have as much space but the dogs tend to make do with as much or as little space.  I think we'd still feel cramped in a mansion on an acreage!

Liesje

Nice thing is I can get three full size male GSDs, two people, and several days worth of gear and supplies and still easily see out the back.

Okay, back to the original topic.  Sorry!

 My Jessi loves the car so much...