Helping an elderly dog into the car

[Allfurcoatandnoknickers]

Our elderly JRT cross has vestibular disease, and is struggling to jump in and out of our car boot now.
We do short local walks as we also have a reactive rescue dog, so car journeys have become part of our life now to get to these quieter locations.
She hates having her lead on now, and harnesses aren't an option as she has become fearful of being touched, and certainly won't let me pick her up very easily.
I'm not sure that she would use a ramp, but I know it's illegal to have a dog in a footwell, which would be ideal, but not really an option either.
Anyone got round this - it's a real conundrum! 😑

https://amzn.eu/d/0fvqnvRp

perhaps something like this?

How about using a travel carrier? Once she is in, you could lift her and it into the car. But if you haven't already, I'd want to investigate her fear at being touched as it could be pain related.

My cocker spaniel is 13 and with arthritis, so he hates being handled in any way. We've got a foam step that we put next to the back door, and he can then hop into the footwell then up onto the seat. Same in reverse. He hasn't got the strength in his back legs to go up a ramp but he will happily come down one so we've got one of those next to the sofa.

She’s been checked over and vet doesn’t think she’s in pain but more cognitive related - it got really bad after her vestibular issues last year.
We’ve started her on anti anxiety meds a week ago so early days.
Because of her issues I don’t think she would entertain a ramp.
Are they allowed in the passenger seat? As
i say, I won’t be able to get her into a harness ☹️

I meant something like this
Ferplast Clipper Pet Travel Carrier | Pets
You wouldn't need a harness with it but I don't know if it would work.
Let her get in on the ground and lift it and her into the car.
Glad to hear she is not in pain and hope the meds work.

If she was my dog, I wouldn’t want to cause her to be distressed.
I would not be taking her anywhere.
I’d just let her potter about in the garden, if and when she wanted to.

My JRT has back issues and we use a travel bag. He hops into it no problem and then we lift him into the car. He also has ramps inside the house for the sofas/beds which he uses, so a ramp could be an option.

An elderly dog with vestibular disease needs as little stress as possible. Walk the dogs separately and don't keep trying to put her in the car.

We have this with our elderly lab/springer x. She gets into the footwell, the onto the back seat, the I drop one of the seat backs and she goes through to the boot and I put the seat back back.

She actually loves her walks it’s just the car that’s the issue really.
Having another reactive dog means that I have to go to quiet areas and this unfortunately means driving due to the increase in number of dogs in our area

I'm going to see if I can borrow a ramp to see if she will go up it. Failing that I will walk them separately.
I want to point out that there is no element of force involved here - she loves going out with our other dog and is spritely enough to chase a ball for a few throws. I just wondered if anyone else had experienced this as dog owners. I've been a dog owner for 20 plus years and it's not something that I've experienced before.

Defo try a ramp. Really worked for my friend and her elderly collie. If not then walk separately. My rescues have a myriad of issues and get walked separately as it’s the only thing that keeps them unstressed.

This. Jrt can potter locally and reactive job can then go in the car and have a walk. I get it’s a pain but I frequently have to do 4 walks a day due to two dogs with different requirements

So go to quiet areas with your reactive dog and keep your elderly girl on local walks.