By Hook Or By Crook! Or By Wheel Or On Foot...

[SpotTheDog]

Oh so happy...

/happydance

Gus and I have been pounding the pavements around the block for any walks we take so far. He has been phobic of the car - guaranteed to lose either his breakfast or his bowels in the car whenever driven anywhere. The drive to and from puppy class for the last few weeks has been punctuated with either sudden pull-overs to the roadside, or much swearing when I don't quite make it. The number of times I've had to take my dog out of the car and wash his own crap off him - let's put it this way, I travel with bottles of water and rolls of kitchen towel and can clean a dog up in record time. (Thank my stars for his extremely short coat.)

I *detest* walking around the block with the dog - other people's dogs charging the fence lines and barking furiously, other people walking their dogs get skittish when they see us - Gus isn't about to win a beauty contest, bless him, but I think he's adorable. Other people may not agree. He's EXTREMELY dog-friendly - but that level of interest intimidates some other walkers. Plus walking along the road, avoiding cars, breathing in traffic fumes etc - not my idea of a 'nice' walk.

Just finished a week of car-de-phobing with Gus, including driving the car into the back yard and leaving it there for the day with all the doors and the boot hatch open, so he could investigate it, both accompanied and unaccompanied. The best he's done so far is voluntarily put one paw into the footwell of the back seats, but that's as far as he'll go of his own accord. He still has to be lifted into the car - but him approaching it at all is serious progress.

The work we did with the car during the week has paid off today. While he's still not happy about getting into the car, he doesn't stress so much while he's in it. No puking and no crapping last trip or this trip and this trip the incessant nervous drooling and licking were absent!!

This meant that on the way back from puppy class I was able to take a detour to investigate a walk I'd been told about - which is up Monument Hill in Kilmore. Quiet dirt road, plenty of bush surrounding, with bush noises, the road is a gentle incline, there's a large 'lake' beside the golf course, and lots of things to sniff - I'm so happy. (So was Gus.) Next stop, the saddlery for a lunge rein so he can have a long lead on his walks. Will keep an eye out for snakes, and I'm not about to head up there on a fire danger day, but basically I'm stoked! And here's hoping a regular short drive to this walking destination will help even more with the car.

[GeckoTree]

Thats great Gus is starting to get used to the car, I hope his nerves settle for your cars sake!

I reckon the more fun places the car drives him to he just might start getting in when you say 'we're going for a drive'. Thats how it was with my dog, though she wasn't as nervous about the car as yours sounds like. But she loves the car as it goes to all these great places.

All the best with Gus i'm sure he will keep getting better and better with this

[tez]

Thanks to all your efforts, its great that Gus is making progress with 'The Car'!

My Gus (such a great name ) was also abit woosey about cars when we first got him from the RSPCA but he is great now. I used to have to allow about 15 minutes extra just to entice him into the car but I found that giving him a chewy treat each time he was in the back seat has helped him enjoy his car rides...mind you, I was lucky as my Gus would sell his soul for a treat!

Looks like you will soon be able to go to lots of exciting places together! Well done!

[helen]

Great that he is improving with the car so much. My girl Tilly used to hate the car and drool the whole time she was in there but has overcome it. Always great to have a special, enjoyable place to walk too