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05-05-2007, 05:17 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 43
| traveling with our lil one i'm so grateful that this forum was created. i posted quite a while ago about our little miko who has serious issues with going in the car. she absolutely panics and it's unhealthy. we have tried crating her in the back and that turned out horribly. she tried to chew on the slats and got her large bottom tooth stuck (i was able to pry it away fortunately) we've tried sitting with her in the car without turning on the engine. today we purchased a booster seat and she panicked then too. so.... we've resolved only the issue of safely driving... but my heart is breaking over her panic and we're not sure what else to do at this point. one time we even tried children's benadryl to help calm her (per our vet) and it did absolutely nothing. on may 19th she's going to beginner puppy classes at petsmart and we have a lot of hope resting in that to clarify the issue, she barks, bites, cries, shakes and seriously panics. it gets much worse if we use the turn signal and it's at its worst when we pull the parking break. when we try to unfasten our seat belts to get out, she barks and tries to bite the seat belt. has anyone dealt with anything similar? did you have success with behavioral training? thanks a lot |
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05-05-2007, 06:35 PM | #2 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| I'm sorry that your baby is having these issues!! What does she do when you just sit in the car without turning on the engine? Is she acting all stressed then too? Have you tried giving her a treat when you get in the car? Something really good, like a little piece of apple (peeled of course) or maybe a piece of banana. That way she'll associate getting in the car with getting a treat. How old is Miko? I have a Miko too but mine is a boy
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
05-05-2007, 07:41 PM | #3 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 43
| funny that they have the same name! that's a great name you chose for your little guy. we've tried giving her favorite treats when in the car and it doesn't stop the panic. she freaks out if we just sit and don't turn the car on too it's very sad and scary. we really hope that the classes at petsmart have an impact. thanks for your reply miko says hi to miko! |
05-05-2007, 07:49 PM | #4 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| I really hope that the classes help with that!! Good luck! And Miko says hi back
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
05-05-2007, 09:30 PM | #5 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 43
| thanks! like i said, we start on may 19th so i'll be sure to post an update after we begin. thanks for your encouragement |
05-05-2007, 10:07 PM | #6 |
Banning Thread Dictator Donating Member | Having a Yorkie who is terrified of thunder and fireworks and other strange sounds, I can sympathize. I tried googling "dog fears driving in car" and came up with several articles that discussed it. Here's the first: http://www.apbc.org.uk/article3.htm If you think this is a learned behavior, i.e., a bad experience in a car the first time, a trainer might be able to help. My guess is it's an unusual behavior and a behaviorist would be better suited. Definitely check out the Web, though. Good luck, and let us know what you think.
__________________ Mike ~ Doting Dad to Jillie, Harper, Molly, Cooper, Eddie (RIP), Lucy (RIP), Rusty (RIP) and Jack (RIP). Check us out on YouTube Last edited by alaskayorkie; 05-05-2007 at 10:09 PM. |
05-06-2007, 08:15 AM | #7 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 43
| thanks so much i really appreciate your research. i hadn't encountered the game technique and we may have to try that. while we're on a very tight budget, i think we'll have to invest in behavior modification but i'll continue to research it. i posted on here wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue they had been able to overcome. i'm so sorry that your yorkie is scared of strange noises. it's awful to watch them panic and not know what to do! i feel like i'm a bad mother |
05-06-2007, 08:24 AM | #8 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 43
| one other thing i don't think this is a learned behavior and i suspect it has to do with separation anxiety (since she's at her worst with the turn signal and parking brake) i tend to agree that a behaviorist may be the way to go, but we're going to try the petsmart classes first. she'll benefit from the socialization for sure. thanks again! |
05-08-2007, 02:56 PM | #9 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 316
| Sorry that you're having these issues. My Abbie isn't crazy about riding in the back seat by herself (that's where her car seat is) but will fall right asleep if she's up front with me or I'm back there with her. That makes me think she just wants to feel safe. Your Miko's fear is amplified when you use the turn signal and parking brake. That kinda says to be that it's the unusual noise that's scareing her. She probably is scared to begin with and those noises just make her more fearful because she doesn't know what they are and if they will hurt her. Maybe if you hold her in your arms while the car is running but not moving and turn the signals on and off every once in awhile, she'll learn not to fear it. Same thing with the brake. How you get her from there to a safer place to ride, I don't know. I really hope you can work it out. You're right. It's awful when they are so frightened.
__________________ I Just LOVE My Girls!!! |
05-11-2007, 08:40 AM | #10 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 43
| good ideas i think she's learned to associate the turn signal and parking brake with one of us getting out of the car though, and so it's related to separation anxiety. she does better on the highway. anyway, we have to travel today (2.5 hours in car with panicked pup) so in desperation we asked our vet to give her something to calm her. he prescribed acepromazine (1/4 tablet so 2.5 mg) and she weighs about 4.5 lbs. we're planning to give it to her about 1/2 hour before we leave. has anyone else here used acepromazine? we're hoping that with the training we have planned, this will be the first and last time we'll have to medicate her to travel. i hate to do it but her panic is so unhealthy. she's going to give herself a heart attack |
05-22-2007, 07:36 PM | #11 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 43
| well some good news miko had her first training session last saturday and she did a great job. the trainer gave us some ideas to try, including having one of us stay in the back seat with her and whenever she has a split second of calm or isn't focused on her panic, to use a clicker and give her a special treat. it may take some time but i think we can do this. if not, we'll be consulting a behavioral specialist. we were very proud of her at her first class though. she was the only dog signed up and so it was just her and the trainer's dog. she socialized well with him and even listened to a few commands once she became familiar with the environment. the trainer was very encouraging and told us we had done a great job with her and that she's really ready for intermediate obedience! we joke that she's skipping first grade and going right to second. thanks to everyone for your kind words and advice. i'll post again (probably in the training forum) when there is more to report! |
05-22-2007, 08:05 PM | #12 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 1,093
| good luck with the lessons, I am going to check in and see Miko's progress .... |
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