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Car Sickness
and Dogs
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Some puppies get car sick just the
same as many small children do. If you depend on a car for most of your
transportation, you will want to help your puppy overcome carsickness as
quickly and easily as possible. You can do a number of things to help
your puppy avoid or overcome carsickness.
From the start, help your puppy form a positive association with the
car. Without starting the engine, sit in the car with your puppy on your
lap for a few minutes every day. Praise and pet your pup. After a week
of this, start the motor. Place your pup on the seat next to you. Pet
and praise him, making the experience agreeable. After a week of
repeating this once a day, get a friend or relative to go in the car
with you for a daily ride. Be sure that your puppy has an empty stomach
and has had the chance to eliminate before getting into the car. Have
your helper sit the dog on his or her lap. The helper must not allow the
pup to squirm and wiggle around.
Take a short ride around the block. Each week increase slightly the
distance that you travel. (One-week intervals for each of these steps
are not cast in stone. Shorten or lengthen the time depending on your
pup's reaction.) Be sure that when you ride with your puppy, you have
someone in the car to help control him. If that's not possible, put the
puppy in a crate in the car.
Do not let your puppy ride on the driver's lap or crawl under his or her
legs. This can become a bad habit and is very dangerous. Once your puppy
begins obedience training and understands to lie down and stay, employ
this exercise in the car when traveling. Associate trips in the car with
fun. Every car ride should not end up at the veterinarian, groomer, or
boarding kennel. Use the car to take your dog to the beach, park, or
woods.
Most puppies, like most children, outgrow carsickness. In the interim,
doing the right things can minimize messes, limit nervousness, and
shorten the time it takes for your dog to learn that car rides can be a
lot of fun. If none of the above steps seems to help, contact your
veterinarian. He or she can provide medical solutions, such as mild
tranquilizers, that will help avert sickness when the dog must travel in
the car.
This Pets article is provided by
Articleteller - The Free Article
Directory http://www.articleteller.com
Author: John Edwards For
information and tips on
dog eye discharge, visit
www.dogcaretraining.com, a website that specializes in providing
tips, advice and resources on dog care, training and health.
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