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Car Wash- any experiences? Last night was so scary!! My Fiancé & I were headed to the VW dealership for him to get a new car. He was trading in his current car, and spur of the moment decided to run it through a $5 car wash real quick on the way. Eva was with us in the car. As soon as the water started coming down- she FREAKED OUT. She was shaking so uncontrollably & breathing so heavy it sounded like a train!! I was terrified for her.. and she did this for the whole 20 minutes to the dealership. Once we got there, I calmed her down outside, got her a treat & water, etc and she was fine while we were there for a while. Once we went to go home in the new car, she started the shaking & breathing heavy again. It was such a sin- I was honestly terrified she was going to have a heart attack. I hope I did not scar her for life in the car- she actually liked the car before this!! Has anyone else had a traumatizing experience with their dogs in the car wash???? |
Oh my goodness! Bless her heart! :( I've never experienced this but I do recall reading someone had a similar experience a few months ago. I'm going to remember this and steer clear of car washes when my pups are in the car. |
Something like that will often panic a dog. I've heard of it happening to several dogs. If your next car trip finds her remembering those last two trips and panic sets in again, start to desensitize her to the new car. Just open the doors to the car on both sides so it's all open and not closed and scary and toss one of her toys or a treat in it and let her get it out and jump right back out. If she won't, just pick her up and go sit in the car for a second and get right back out and then treat her and play with her and then grab her up, sit back in the car for another second, out to play and treats. Keep sitting in the car with her followed by a payoff she likes and after the first day or two, sit there a little longer with her and she will begin to see that being in the new car is just short and sweet and nothing bad is happening and she gets treats and playing afterward. After a while, she should retrieve treats or toys of her out of it on her own. In time, she should accept the new car and you can take a very short trip around the block and after a few of those, she should no longer remember just that scary episode in the old car. |
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I did the same thing.....went to wash my car, not thinking it would bother my yorkies....WRONG! They freaked out so bad, too! I have never done it again! My car doesn't get washed very often because they are always with me. When I take it in to get serviced, they wash it for free & without my pups! :) |
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She probably is tramatized but after you put her in the car a couple times and she realizes shes not going back to that scary place she will be fine. For future reference yorkies can be scared by change and loud noises. You may find she doesnt do well during fireworks or thunder |
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One thing you could do is drive her to Sonic in the new car and order something that smells really good. Let her see that food coming in the window of the car and scent all that odor of french fries and corny dogs, etc. Maybe she can get a bite of the bread only from the bun or something. Than all the way home in the new car with the food smelling so good should get her keen on the idea of a car ride being okay. It ought to change her association in the car from fear to good food and anticipation! :icecream::beermug::cupcake3::2pizza::2popkorn: |
Haha I LOVE this idea!! They actually JUST opened a sonic about 15 minutes from us!! :D:) I should tell Hubs that's where we need to take Eva this weekend to break in his new car! |
Maybe a few trips to order good food and have it come in the car window and ride all the way home with her will have her like the car again soon. Overpowering smell of food can flood a dog with good sensations. |
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The place where I go to wash my car, has car washing bays and they also have a dog washing area. ZoE gets bathed in the tub at home :p But, she's been through the DIY car wash around 100 times (I like to keep my ride purty ;)) |
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