Does anyone else have the same problem as me. When Murphy was small, he was terrified of the car, he used to shake violently, saliva and be sick. This took a good year to rectify, mainly with persistance and valerian tablets. He would know what part of the golf course we were on, that the car would be nearby and refuse to come near us, staying 50 yards or so behind us! It was comical, but it stopped. However what he still does is:
The routine starts, I get certain trainers or wellies out, bum bag goes on, coat on, leads out. The Border terrier skips about waiting for his lead, Murphy lies down, usually somewhere up the garden, I walk towards him with lead in hand and he barks at me excitedly and runs off round the garden, I have to chase him, if I say "see you then Murph" and pretend to take the other dog out, he doesn't fall for it. So off we go, playing chase, then I get cross and say lie down which he does, but is shaking badly. He tries to pull me up the drive, away from the van. Do any of the readers on this forum ever experience this? or do I own the silliest Deerhound ever. He loves to go for a walk, he just doesn't like getting there!

Hi Helen, Ben again. He hated the car as well. I took him for walks that involved a car ride and others that did not. He was fine going out, used to let me put his collar and lead on and then as we approached the car just pulled as hard as he could away from it. Once we eventually got out and arrived at the location for walking he jumped out but when it came to going home and he realised we were heading for the car just refused to go in that direction and would sit down and refuse to budge. I always got him in eventually but it involved a real performance. On several occasions I had to get somebody to hold him while I got the car and drove it to him.

He did improve as he got older and would get in without too much hastle on the way out but often refused to get in to go home. I have a hatch back and used to lift his front legs into the back and then lift his back end by putting my arms under his bum and lifting him in. One day I let him get in through the drivers door with the seat forward and let him climb into the back himself, he did seem to get in much better then. I wonder if lifting him in caused him discomfort in some way. I know that you have to be very careful when lifting large dogs but I was very gentle but maybe he did feel discomfort.

He was often sick in the car when he was quite young. I gave him travel sickness pills (Sea Legs which were recommended by somebody in the Deerhound Club) for longer journeys and that seemed tgo help a lot.

He still doesn't like the car very much but can now be persuaded much easier now but If I offer him the choice of going somewhere in the car or walking somewhere from home he will always choose the latter.

I'd like to add that our Terrier absolutely hates going in a van or a Mazda 5 but loves to go in my car which is a hatchback. It is a quiet, smooth car whilst the van is very noisy as is the Mazda with wind noise. Just wondering if the van is noisy and if that could be a factor.

No the van is carpeted out. He's not that bad and never sick anymore. He hates the car, even though it is an estate, it's a small estate, when I first had him I had a Corsa:woohoo: and as it is a company car, it wasn't due to be renewed until he was 9 months old, the back seat had to come out to get him in!!! It was a funny sight.
It's just to lead thing and the games we have to play to get him on the lead, it must be habit from when he hated going in the car as a puppy! What a dog he is!!!

Hi Lurch, sometimes Bree can play silly games like this. Bath time can be fun so what we do is make sure that the gates are closed so she can't get to open spaces and that the bedroom door is shut so she can't crawl under the bed. Maybe you need to keep her indoors before going out so you don't chase her round the garden. Also keep treats on hand to praise and treat when she allows you to put the lead on, getting in the car etc etc

You could also try giving all meals in the back of the van, that way Murphy associates it with something immediately good. You know that getting in the car = eventual fun walk, but he probably thinks.. getting in the car = yuk memories of feeling sick, getting out of the car at the other end = fun walk. He probably also see's the chase me around the garden game as just as fun as a walk, so Sam is right, restricting his movement before a walk so he can't get into that pattern might be a good idea.

Yes I do normally catch him in he kitchen so he has no access or escape before we put the lead on! As for eating in the van, he won't eat anything in there, when we are at shows and I usually get a bacon buttie, he won't even have none of that, yet he'll nick anything off you when at home! No he gets in the van ok, though I know he would much prefer to walk somewhere! He hops in and out fine, much better than he ever was in the var, probably because he has more room, but its the chase thing, if someone says walkies before I have a chance to put him in the house, that is it, we have to play chase!

I had the same problem with Mac when he was younger. He didn't like getting in the car, and on occasion , he would run off and hide in his kennel as soon as he knew we were going somewhere. Even once he was in, he would salivate like mad , and it was always touch and go as to whether he was sick or not.

Thankfully he has grown out of it now, and I can actually call him over to the car and he will jump in of his own accord. Sorry I can't say what precipitated this change. I think he just got more and more confident , but it was a very gradual change. Keep practicing, take him every time you go out if you can. Round the corner to the shops, or to the park. If he gets used to it being part of his daily routine, it probably won't bother him so much. Good luck !

Our Issy was the same - one rattle of the car keys and she tried to pretend she wasn't there (a bit difficult when you're a Deerhound!).
Eventually she came to tolerate the car, probably for the reward of the walk when we got there, but would rarely get in of her own accord, opting instead for a policy of passive resistance. We had many "witty" comments from passers by watching us heaving her into the car.
Persevere, make it worth his while and I'm sure he will get used to it in the end.

Orrin was a terrible car traveller as a youngster. I didn't think we would ever get her to a show. I used to line the car with several layers on newspaper. Just starting the car up would set her off drooling and by the time we had got down in to our local village (Just under 2 miles) we had to make our fist stop to get out the first layer of soiled and sicked newspaper. She was a nightmare and was about 9 months old before she actually could travel in the car without throwing up.

thank you for Sat

That is why I never showed Murphy as a puppy, he didn't do his first show till he was nearly 18 months old, it was horrendous, and like you, we only travelled a mile or so before he chucked up! We never thought he would grow out of it, he did though, after about a year, that is why, I think, he plays this little game before we go out. He barks when I am putting on my trainers, runs about the garden all excited when he hears the leads rattling, but hides from me at the same time! Strange boy.

suerose wrote:


You're welcome. We had a lovely day didn't we? It's a shame Tain was so upset by the accident. He is a lovely dog and such a sweetie.

I had a litter of pups last year and from the age of 6 weeks they were taken out every day in my van for about 6 miles then let out of the van for a free run in fields that I had access to. I kept 2 of the pups and it has taken him months to get used to going out in the van but he now loves it you just have to keep taking your dog out small journeys every day and try to make the journey as calm as poss also you should try DAP it worked for me
Good Luck

I will email you in the morning

Maybe its something to do with their carbon footprint.
With our dogs, it seems to be a case of practice as they will all(7) jump in the back of the land-rover despite the noise and rattles. The older ones know that something exciting is afoot and this seems to encourage the youngsters. It does take a bit of persuasion to start with and the bonus with a l.rover is that you can,t see if they are being sick.

I think you hit the nail on the head there Alan, you say all 7 of yours jump in happily, I only had Murphy, he had no one to learn from, the first time he went in a car, his breeder took him for jabs, the 2nd time, he travelled from Derby to Watford (and threw up dozens of times!!) hubby's car, ha ha.
When we got the terrier, he was hesitant, probably copying Murphy but the terrier instinct was too strong and he is fine.
They copy their older buddies I think, my terrier thinks he is a Deerhound!

When I got my first Deerhound puppy, he was sick all the way home from Forres to Haddington and never travelled happily in Phil's car after that. However, he was perfectly OK in my car and quite happy to get in. Go figure!

I've told you that Ben hated cars, a Jeep and BMW Hatchback, both have plenty of space in the back. He was sick a few times when a puppy but not that much. He is still to this day, at the age of 4, relunctant to get in my car but can be persuaded much easier. The Terrier hates most cars and also narrowboats but gets into the BMW Hatchback quite happily. If the Terrier is going out as well then Ben gets in without any fuss at all. He won't jump in the back for some reason and has to get in through the front doors and climb into the back. However on one occasion, when we visited a lady with 3 female Hounds and introduced Ben, He was extremely intimidated by the females and when we left jumped into the back of my car with no trouble at all, presumably because it represented safety.

I also think that having more than one helps. When Bree was a wee pup she was sick and salivated in the car, and it wasn't until we got Xena that she stopped. Now they all come running when the leads come out. Bree and Lockie get leaded so they don't play silly games but Xena always just hops in unaided.