cheryl4237

Charlie gets very car sick. Within 30 seconds of being in the car, he starts drooling like you wouldn't believe! I mean it. If he is in his crate, he will drool so much, that his entire underside will be soaking wet when we get him out. If he is up front with me, he will soak an entire towel. He just looks so miserable. We had tried everything we could think of. Sometimes just sitting in the back of the van, hanging out and eating yummies, sometimes short trips around the block, or down the street to the park. Nothing was really working. Then about a week ago, we got together with some friends, and brought both dogs. Darby was already in the car when I brought Charlie around, and for the first time ever, he didn't hit the brakes when he saw when we were heading! He actually jumped in by himself. We start moving, and no drool! No, "I'm gonna hurl" face! I guess he was picking up on Darby's "Oh my God I'm in the car, the car is awesome, I love the car, yea car ride" vibes. So we make the trip, and he was totally fine. He didn't get sick at all. He actually looked like he was enjoying himself. So anyway, since then, I've taken him around twice a day (with Darby), and he's been great. This evening, I tried going with just him......and no dice. He looked awful:(
All the drooling and upchuck all over again. Sometimes it's just not practical to bring both dogs with me. Has anyone had any experience with this type of thing? It's obvious Darby makes him feel better in the car, but how can I wean him off his dependency?
Sorry so long=)

CharismaticMillie

Henry was the same way until he was about a year old- drooling and vomiting - but he has been car sick in a while. Hopefully Charlie will grow out of it!

neVar

gravol.. . using it for dog with thunder right now no drooling- works great

flyingduster

can you have Darby in another area of the car to help wean him off... Like, get them both in and perhaps go around the block, then put one or the other in the backseat with the other in the front, go another block... and progress to having one in a crate right in the back and the other in the front seat to try weaning him down that way...

Also you could get a friend in on helping you and have him to the point he can be in the van with Darby, but separated, have them both and take them around the block and meet your friend who can take Darby out quickly and you carry on with Charlie for a wee drive alone, just to help build his confidence a bit, even if you just go along the road and come back to pick up Darby again so he doesn't really even get a chance to fret about Darby being gone (though *hopefully* having progressed to coping with him in another part of the van he wont' be relying too heavily on him any more!)

Fluffyspoos

Vegas was very car sick when I first brought him home too (was a five hour drive home with him, I got thrown up one three times) but I took him EVERYWHERE with me. He wasn't crated in the car, but I threw a blanket over my back seats so he wouldn't throw up on them. He's seven months now, only gets sick in cars with stick shift (or when boyfriend is driving) and now he adores car rides! Sticks his nose out the window (not open wide enough for head) is alert, active.

fjm

I went through this with Sophy. The desensitising worked to some extent, it took several weeks of an hour or two a day but we got to the point where she could go for a short drive in her car harness without drooling or being sick. Once the fear element was reduced, she improved a lot, and then again when she finished teething. She still hates being left alone in the car, even for a few minutes (and only in cold weather, I hasten to add) - she will drool and almost make herself sick again from anxiety. I avoid twisting, bumpy roads, and drive slowly and as smoothly as I can for her (she is regularly sick when one of my neighbours takes her the few miles into the village for a walk - something which does not surprise those of us whp have experienced that neighbour's driving!). All the obvious things helped - don't feed within an hour or two of travelling, go for a long walk first, make sure most car trips are to fun places ... and the ginger tablets/ginger biscuits definitely helped, as well.

Anyone know how to get the water marks from drool off car upholstery?

Feralpudel

Dexter would get mildly car sick as a puppy. He would drool a bit en route to class (~4 miles) and look unhappy when he saw we were headed toward the car. When he was 4 months old, I sold that car and bought a new one (old Accord, new Accord). I walked him out with me to see the new owner off in the old car. He was drooling just standing across the street looking at the old car! But lo and behold, he never had *any* problems with the new car, which was a good thing because we drove all the way across the country in it a week later! The AC worked better and it might have been a little smoother (automatic versus manual), but mostly I think it helped to break all the old associations.

So my joking advice to people with carsick puppies is to just buy a new car! It can also help if you can use a seatbelt harness instead of a crate, so they can face forward and see out the window.

roxy25

Enzo was car sick for months I think it took him until 8 months to become ok with the car. Now he loves it but when he was a puppy he would drool and barf !

Paula rene

Lilha did the exacted things that Charlie dose. She even did better when there was another dog in the car.I put her in my car on the floor with a towel and we went out two times every day. She would drop like crazy. She would start to droop before I could start my car. After about a month of this she finally stopped getting sick. Now she loves the car. I think it will just take time and tons of patience

Poodle Lover

I don't have any experience with car sickness, but my friend uses a rescue remedy for her dog when he gets stressed out. Here's the link:

Bach Rescue Remedy - Natural Stress Reliever