I've had a puppy for a few months now...a failed foster. He spent the first few months of his life in a crate with no socialization. His first ever car ride was when some stranger grabbed him, wrestled him into a van and brought him to live with complete strangers. He warmed up to us in a week or so, but has not warmed up to riding in a car. He starts drooling and getting obviously stressed before the car even starts moving. The vet recommended ginger snaps before a trip and that did make his vomit smell better. :)I have just bought a Roadtrek. We're trying to introduce him slowly. So far he loves it, but he doesn't yet know that it will turn on and move.Any suggestions on deal I g with a very carsick dog?

The vet should be able to give you some meds to help aleviate the problem.

Introduce very short trips in the car, just a couple minutes at first then stop and do something he likes like playing ball, petting, tug of war, etc for awhile. Load up and go home and repeat the fun.. If it looks like its working gradually expand the radius/ time and then include multiple stops. Not sure if its anxiety or motion induced at this point. He will associate fun with the vehicle, has worked for me in the past. Something to try.

You could try introducing car travel slowly. A trip around the block, a short drive to the park, etc. Find his comfort zone, then slowly increase the length of time. Dogs often adjust to travel as they get more comfortable. A thunder shirt might also help.

K-9 HANDLER wrote:Introduce very short trips in the car, just a couple minutes at first then stop and do something he likes like playing ball, petting, tug of war, etc for awhile. Load up and go home and repeat the fun.. If it looks like its working gradually expand the radius/ time and then include multiple stops. Not sure if its anxiety or motion induced at this point. He will associate fun with the vehicle, has worked for me in the past. Something to try.X2. I had a foster dog who got carsick like that. She could not ride in the car without throwing up. I had worked with her and she wasn't getting nervous in the car anymore, but still got carsick. I adopted her out to a nice man who drove her everyday to his local park and played with her. After two years, they were full-timing in a truck and 5er (she had her spot in the backseat of the truck and never got sick). He had said it took about a year for her to stop throwing up completely. Don't give up, keep working with her.

I would get some motion sickness medication from the vet or use one of the OTC products for humans that are safe for dogs. I would combine that with attempting to desensitize him to car travel by making short trips (after medicating him). To attempt to desensitize while he continues to get sick is likely just making the problem worse.How old is he? IME some puppies, just like some human kids, eventually outgrow car sickness. But I wouldn't count on that happening, and I'd do everything I could to keep it from becoming sort of a learned behavior. So . . . no riding w/o medication first for a good long while.

Carsick dog | Good Sam Community

dturm
Moderator
Jul 24, 2016
This is probably more likely anxiety than motion sickness. Gradual acclimation can work, but I'd urge you to talk to your vet about anti-anxiety medication. It makes the leaning of calm and relax, don't be afraid, this will be a fun car ride SO-O-O-O much easier and faster.

Doug, DVM
TexasShadow
Explorer II
Jul 24, 2016
at home, we feed our Lhasa in the evening when we eat our supper. so we do the same on the road. we wait until we have stopped before we feed him.
otherwise, he gets sick, even from a light snack.
you might try training him to a cage and use that as a comfort den while you're on the road.
and, as stated, the vet may have something to give him.
brewjaz
Explorer
Jul 24, 2016
Please let us know how you made out in a few days/weeks. :)
brewjaz
Explorer
Jul 24, 2016
I'd say start even slower ONLY because he's as frightened as you say.

Before I drove him around the block I would start by sitting with him in the car and letting it idle a few times. Once used to the engine noise, I'd move the car about 5 or 10 ft. on the driveway a few times. THEN after he's okay with that--maybe drive a little further---then around the block.

I would only use drugs if that doesn't work.

AND as K-9Handler said above---do something fun after he gets out of the car.
Pawz4me
Explorer
Jul 24, 2016
I would get some motion sickness medication from the vet or use one of the OTC products for humans that are safe for dogs. I would combine that with attempting to desensitize him to car travel by making short trips (after medicating him). To attempt to desensitize while he continues to get sick is likely just making the problem worse.

How old is he? IME some puppies, just like some human kids, eventually outgrow car sickness. But I wouldn't count on that happening, and I'd do everything I could to keep it from becoming sort of a learned behavior. So . . . no riding w/o medication first for a good long while.
toedtoes
Explorer III
Jul 24, 2016
K-9 HANDLER wrote:
Introduce very short trips in the car, just a couple minutes at first then stop and do something he likes like playing ball, petting, tug of war, etc for awhile. Load up and go home and repeat the fun.. If it looks like its working gradually expand the radius/ time and then include multiple stops. Not sure if its anxiety or motion induced at this point. He will associate fun with the vehicle, has worked for me in the past. Something to try.

X2. I had a foster dog who got carsick like that. She could not ride in the car without throwing up. I had worked with her and she wasn't getting nervous in the car anymore, but still got carsick. I adopted her out to a nice man who drove her everyday to his local park and played with her. After two years, they were full-timing in a truck and 5er (she had her spot in the backseat of the truck and never got sick). He had said it took about a year for her to stop throwing up completely. Don't give up, keep working with her.
kmbernstein
Explorer
Jul 24, 2016
You could try introducing car travel slowly. A trip around the block, a short drive to the park, etc. Find his comfort zone, then slowly increase the length of time. Dogs often adjust to travel as they get more comfortable. A thunder shirt might also help.
K-9_HANDLER
Explorer
Jul 24, 2016
Introduce very short trips in the car, just a couple minutes at first then stop and do something he likes like playing ball, petting, tug of war, etc for awhile. Load up and go home and repeat the fun.. If it looks like its working gradually expand the radius/ time and then include multiple stops. Not sure if its anxiety or motion induced at this point. He will associate fun with the vehicle, has worked for me in the past. Something to try.
donn0128
Explorer II
Jul 24, 2016
The vet should be able to give you some meds to help aleviate the problem.

Forum Discussion

Carsick dog

About Pet Owners

Related Content

dog food for old dog

Dog Crap

Dog to dog aggression while camping

Dogs in RV parks

Dogs in TT's