By Kendall and Chandler Brown
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Dear Kendall,
I am at my wits end with Harlem, my 185-pound English mastiff. It begins as soon as I turn on the car engine, with a torrent of drool and a crazed panting. He starts to whine as we leave our driveway.
By the time we hit the first stop light he is howling and running back and forth across my now-soaked backseat and the entire car is shaking and the windows are fogging. It was bearable when we were going to the dog park just down the block, but we have a four-hour road trip planned for this summer and I cringe at the thought of my in-laws’ expressions as I buckle them into the back seat next to Harlem and head south. Help!
Sincerely,
Drool Zone
Dear Drool Zone,
A cross-country experience with your in-laws sounds stressful enough, but what you are describing would drive a man to drink. Rather than turning to the bottle, I would suggest a daily routine of desensitizing the excitement of the vehicle combined with some safety strategies.
The first step would be to rule out any medical problems and discuss Harlem’s car behavior to your veterinarian. Drooling in dogs can be a sign of motion illness and your veterinarian may be able to provide some relief and help Harlem feel more comfortable.
Begin Operation Car Desensitization by sitting inside your vehicle with Harlem in your driveway. Don’t drive anywhere. Don’t even turn on the engine. Simply sit and wait for him to calm down.
The first few sessions it will take a little while for him to relax, so I suggest bringing a good book or listening to music. When he has laid down and is calm, then open the car door and go back inside your house. Repeat up to three times a day until he no longer gets so excited simply by being in the car. Then start the engine and remain in your driveway, waiting until he is relaxed and then returning home. Progress gradually until you are able to leave your driveway and explore the open road.
Aside from daily desensitization of the car itself, you can also give him tasty, long-lasting chews or feed him his meals in your back seat. This will help him make a positive association with the sights, sounds and sensations of the experience. You can also experiment with window shades; some dogs are hyper sensitive to the movement outside of the car and the covers help diffuse their excitement. I would also suggest you invest in some sturdy, waterproof seat-covers to give Harlem less sliding potential and protect your seat upholstery.
A safety addition you can easily incorporate is a harness that clips into a seatbelt, a barrier that you can install between your rows of seats, or a sling that cradles him securely. These not only prevent him from jumping into your lap while driving, but also keep him safer in the event of an accident.
My final piece of advice is for when you are standing in your driveway this summer, car keys clenched in your hand and visions of the upcoming road-trip flashing in your mind’s eye. If you have spent the last few months working with your veterinarian, systematically desensitizing Harlem to the car via training and have a method to safely secure him, then all will be well. If not, well, next year go for a cruise.
Happy Trails!
Kendall and Chandler Brown are owners of Custom K-9 Service Dogs, a dog training business serving Minden/Gardnerville, Carson and Reno. For information go to customk9servicedogs.com or email customk9servicedogs@gmail.com.
