Dog cries in the car-how to help him

[Insidelaurashead]

I'm wondering if any of you have successfully helped a dog with this as we'd like to make our boy happier. He will cheerfully jump in the car and is fine to sit in it when stationary, but when we are going somewhere he cries. We have someone in the back with him (he sits on their knee as he would at home, he's got his seat belt for safety) and he never cries on the way BACK from wherever we've been. We also don't take him for no reason, he goes in the car if we are going somewhere he will enjoy being walked

Has anyone had a dog who was upset about being in the car and found ways to help them?

Is he upset? Ours does it but I always thought it’s because he’s so excited.

my boys 15 and still barks and cries in the car, its excitment imo

It sounds like excitement to me!

You need to take him out for no reason, so he doesn’t associate the car with an exciting walk. Really short journeys at first, really short, boring ones.

I never thought of it being excitement, I always thought he was sad. To be fair his car journeys are mostly to the groomer or the vet, with the odd walk thrown in. Maybe I'm projecting and he's absolutely happy and I'm just worried about the furry dope for no reason! Thanks everyone for that perspective, I'd rather he be happy for sure

Our "sings" but I'm sure it is excitement not fear or anxiety. He never does it on the way back, or on motorways, but slow roads - like to the park!

Ours used to bark out of excitement. What stopped her was stopping the car asap once she started & not continuing until she stopped. Rinse and repeat. It worked after 2 looooong trips. I say long as we were constantly stopping & starting.

How old is your dog? With our pup I took her out for a 15min drive everyday for 2 weeks before she could walk so we didn’t go anywhere. She’s super chilled in the car now

Also on someone’s lap probably isn’t the safest plus won’t allow them to balance so you could try a booster seat or just have them on the seat next to the person?

Before she could go on walks… she could walk haha

You're very right about someone's lap not being the safest. He is strapped in first as is the human, but then he just climbs onto your lap or as close as he can get. He's one of those dogs that is midway to jumping onto your lap before you've finished sitting down, we often have to catch him midair

It's actually illegal to not use restraints op.

Crate or belt/harness.

Our ddog used to whine. Sharply told her to stfu as my head was hurting!! She did stop!! We do 2 long drives a year and she has been great..

I originally thought excitement too, but then you followed up by saying that car journeys often result in him going to the vet or the groomers. How does he feel about the vet and groomers?

If he's upset (about going to the vet and the groomers), then I would do more car journeys that the end result isn't to the vet or groomers. Could you groom at home for a while? And walk to the vet?

If he's excited, then I agree with PP and I'd do 5 minute boring journeys and then just go home.

Have you thought about putting the dog in the boot?

My puppy used to cry but seems much much improved, barely squeaks now.

What I did:
Put I'm in his carrier at home a lot, treats & toys
Put a toy in with him
Put my hand on him whilst husband drive, no noise or fussing - just hand
Gradually stopped the hand
Lots and lots of boring short journeys, and some longer ones

Good luck.

Out of interest, how does the dog know you are driving home?

Is it only ever a single trip to and from the vet/groomers etc? What happens if the trip includes a park, vet, shops etc? Maybe try with shorter trips that include something exciting that isn't the groomers or vet- park, beach, dog play park etc? Then build up the time in the car, or vary the trip so its not always seen as a negative.

I think he knows because we go from home to the place and back to home, so it's likely he thinks okay journey 2 is to home. Obviously that's just my suspicion, he may not know but we have noticed a pattern.

He likes the groomer. He's always gone to the same one, runs in to her happily, jumping at her for her to stroke him/pick him up. Doesn't love the vet. He's not terrified, he will walk into the room on his lead, happily let the vet stroke him etc. Doesn't love being lifted onto the table. But I have tried lifting him onto our table at home and he doesn't like that either (I think he feels too high up)

To the poster who mentioned it's illegal not to have them restrained, you're absolutely right and we do know this. He has a dog seat belt that clips on to his harness and clips in to the seat belt fastener in the car. When he is in the back he goes in the middle seat belt fastener, the person goes on the drivers side, so his little bit of room let's him sit with the person, as his belt is secured in about a centimetre or so away from where they are sitting.

I think the advice to use the car more, for short trips and making most of them ultra fun trips is definitely worth trying. We can take him to see grandma a few times, both her and him will be thrilled at more time together, and he could definitely go to slightly too far to walk parks more often too.

Thanks for the help everyone. I love how much this forum cares about everyone's beloved pets. It's so nice

We took it for a drive twice a day from day one, dog in the boot behind bars and off we go. It took about two weeks before it got entirely comfortable with it.