A dog that misbehaves in the car is a danger to itself, you, and others on the road. This can include a dog that runs around, climbs into the front seat, climbs onto the driver, or is continuously noisy. These are all highly distracting behaviors that can force a driver to take their eyes off the road. If there is an accident, a dog that is moving around could be sent flying and risk injury.
Keeping your dog calm, relatively quiet, and stationary in the car is safest for all involved. But this is not always every dog’s natural inclination. You can take certain steps to encourage your dog to behave on car rides.
How your dog behaves in the car can be due to a variety of reasons. Being in the car is extremely exciting for many dogs and your dog may be hyperactive from an inability to contain themselves. Some dogs can also be extremely nervous or suffer from motion sickness that makes it difficult to sit still. Additionally, sitting in the car for long periods of time can be boring without any activity to break it up. These tips can help no matter what keeps your dog active in the car:
For some dogs, sitting in the car will always be too much and long trips will be out of the question. It may be motion sickness, anxiety, an inability to sit still, or another problem, but it can result in any car ride being a nightmare for both you and your dog. Instead of forcing it which will likely only make the problem worse, it is better to leave these dogs behind with a pet sitter and take trips on your own.