Hyper in car!!

Chrystie22 · #1 16-05-11, 02:32 PM

Diva is ok in the car as long as she doesnt spot a dog or motorbike outside, then she starts barking. Also when we arrive at the park she goes mental, barking and whining the car down!! We tell her 'quiet' and she does for a sec and then starts again. I know it is very exciting for her coz it means she's gonna have fun in the park but the noise level is so high, cant be good for both our ears and her heart (we think she may end up having a heart attack one day). We have a hatchback and have put the back seats down so she have all the space for herself, she lies down there and I have hold of the other en dof the long lead so can control her if need be. Any advice re the barking and hyper behaviour? Or maybe we need to rethink our travel arrangements?

Su-C · #2 16-05-11, 03:24 PM

Hi,

Can only think that you need to teach her that the car doesnt necessarily mean a walk. Perhaps you should try putting her in the car and driving somewhere - but not let her out for a walk. Take her back home!! She will then learn not to expect lots of fun.

Regarding the barking at other dogs etc, I saw a Victoria Stillwell programme where they had dogs that barked a lot when other dogs were spotted - she blacked out all of the windows with a cloth, then after they had travelled quietly like that she would take the curtain down. Any bad behaviour and they would resort to blackout again!! Probably not practical in your case. I've never really had a problem with this so I'm sure someone else may be able to help. Perhaps a water spray if really bad????

Sue
x

Bonniesmummy · #3 16-05-11, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Su-C

Hi,

Can only think that you need to teach her that the car doesnt necessarily mean a walk. Perhaps you should try putting her in the car and driving somewhere - but not let her out for a walk. Take her back home!! She will then learn not to expect lots of fun.

Regarding the barking at other dogs etc, I saw a Victoria Stillwell programme where they had dogs that barked a lot when other dogs were spotted - she blacked out all of the windows with a cloth, then after they had travelled quietly like that she would take the curtain down. Any bad behaviour and they would resort to blackout again!! Probably not practical in your case. I've never really had a problem with this so I'm sure someone else may be able to help. Perhaps a water spray if really bad????

Sue
x

I saw that one

I think to do this you need to spend time going over and over it and having a helper! Obviously someone to drive and another person to put up the blackout if the barking starts so its immediate and to take it off again when quiet. It looks a great way to go if you have the time to do it

Bonnie barks too but she does quiet really quickly now and it's really just been 'time' that has done it TBH, she just seems to be 'getting used to it' now. As for the excitment when you get to the park, well what to do is NOT open the boot till they are quiet, when they are open it up, if they try to jump out then close it again.... repeat repeat repeat until they get the message that it doesnt get opened up till they are quiet and sitting still

Sully Monster · #4 16-05-11, 04:40 PM

I have a barker as well altho he starts as soon as the ignition key is turned so you do have my sympathies. As for the barking at the part I would agree with the above post. I would just sit in the car until she calms down regardless of the amount of time it takes.

I have blacked out all of my back windows as this does help but he still barks with them blacked out but his is pure excitment so we have started trying the numerous boring trips in the car to see if this helps. I know what you mean about your hearing tho, I hate my kids being in the car because I am sure it is going to damage their hearing

Chrystie22 · #5 17-05-11, 08:19 AM

Thanks for all the good advice, very much appreciated! When we get to the park, we actually wait until she goes totally quiet (and it can take up to 10mn sometimes

) before we open the boot and let her out; it is tiring but we think it's worth being persistent and will be rewarding in the long run...well we live in hope anyway

!!!

She also starts barking and gets agitated when we near home, not sure why..Same thing we wait until she is quiet before letting her out.

I saw the programme with V Stilwell about blacking the windows out, may be a good idea but it is not practical really; guess we may try driving her round but not actually going to the park, see how it goes!

Chrystie22 · #6 16-08-11, 03:24 PM

Update on this thread:

Diva is still excited and barking/ whining in the car and it is getting very frustrating!! She cannot sit still. As soon as we are off, thats it, it all starts..and on the way back too!! We have tried to tell her 'quiet' and use treats but it works only occasionally. She seems to be working herself into some sort of frenzied state and it's like she cant hear us!
When we get to our destination, whether it is the park or just a stop somewhere, she goes mental. We never let her out until she is quiet and it can take up to 10mn but we are consistent and hoping that with age she will mellow a bit and eventually go quieter but in the meantime, it's training, training, training!!

Stuart · #7 16-08-11, 07:45 PM

I dont suppose you could put a crate in the back of the car,.. that would be very easy to cover up each time she barks, and easy to whip off when she is quiet.

Or even leave covered while traveling,... get her out of the bad habit, and she may travel better

Su-C · #8 16-08-11, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart

I dont suppose you could put a crate in the back of the car,.. that would be very easy to cover up each time she barks, and easy to whip off when she is quiet.

Or even leave covered while traveling,... get her out of the bad habit, and she may travel better

Thats exactly what I was going to suggest Stuart. It's fast getting to the stage when I will be doing the same for Mason - although he only barks when the car is stationary in traffic and he can see people around. He doesnt bark on arrival at destination, thank heavens.

If you dont have a crate that you can use, you can get hold of travel crates cheaper than the traditional metal ones (which might not fit in the car anyway!)

Sue
x

mackico · #9 17-08-11, 05:24 AM

Archie yowls and whines when he's in the car on the way to some place. Doesn't bark much, unless we play jazz music, and then he barks a lot.

Once he's had his walk or training, he's dead quiet in the back on the way home again.

I can't help, I'm afraid. I usually just ignore it, unless he starts really yelling at which point he gets told to "shush!"

Sully Monster · #10 18-08-11, 09:27 PM

My lad is 2.5 now and still a pain in the rear if we allow him to. For the past several months we have been really working on this with him. We turn the ignition on and then just sit there until he calms down and stops barking and then we start to drive, the instant he starts we pull over and sit and wait til he shuts up. This is how it goes all the way there. Obviously once we are on the main road we cant do this but as soon as we are off it and can pull over again then we do. I read several books during the course of this training!!!

Now we only have to pull over maybe twice and his settling time is a lot shorter (about 30sec as apossed to 20mins). It is very frustrating and boring but is working but has taken this long to work. Also we find if he is standing he is a lot worse and so tell him to either sit or lay down and this also helps.

We have a crate in the back for him. We did try covering it but he pulled the vover through the bars and destroyed it during him hyperness!

Good luck with it all