# Car Crate Training



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

This thread is meant for INFORMATION ONLY & TIPS ONLY for training dogs in a crate in car. Please post your training and tips, if you have trained your dog in a crate for car trips. 

We are planning a long car trip with both of my boys and I plan on crating my boys in the car. 

We do not use a crate in the house, but we have one. 

My.......1st Day of Training: Less than 5 minutes of training. Get the crate out, put the crate in living area. See if I can get the dogs (boys) into the crate by lures. 

Dexter has no problems in getting into the crate (Treat).........Now, to get Jack into the crate, while Dexter is still inside the crate.....

Lure with High Value Treats..........Lure .......Lure............Lure....... Jack is trying to figure out what do I need to do to get those treats..... I am trying to get my fingers inside the crate from the outside so Jack can get the treat. Jack finally gets inside! Treat! Treat! 

Crate of door is left open. Both boys are inside crate and looking to see what the next command is going to be..... Treat! 

Command "Stay"..........which they do very well..................when they know treats are involved. They stay in the crate with the command of "Stay." Treat! Treat! Treat! 

Training over in less than 5 minutes. 

I am thinking......this training is going very well. 

One hour later......Next Training.... LESS than 5 minutes. Introduce the Crate to the car. Car engine off, crate inside the car. 

Lure the boys inside the crate. Treat! Treat! Treat! Close crate door briefly, with the command "Stay." 

Jack still trying to figure out what to do....to get that treat..... I need to do some one on one training with Jack. 

My Plan.....Train twice a day with crate in house/car.....Less than 5 minutes for each training. 

Neither one of my dogs are showing anxiety with the training....they are pumped up and ready to get that treat. If they were showing any anxiety......This training would be going......................... a lot slower! 

Please post Car Crate Training and Tips on Car Crate Training. Vacations are coming up for everyone and we all need the training, so we can take our dogs on those trips.


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Just a thought maybe you could start getting them comfortable being in the crate in the house. (especially if you will be staying in a hotel)
PS- what do they use now in the car?


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## brookeandcolby (Dec 31, 2009)

I did the crate when I first got Colby but he was always moving around in it and wobbled around too much...he wasn't a big fan. 

Have you thought about a dog car seat instead? I was hesitant about buying a "Snoozer Lookout" car seat and it turned out to be the best purchase ever! Colby jumps right in and loves it! He is strapped in so he can stick his head out of the window without as much danger and he can snuggle and sleep in it when it gets too windy!


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

brookeandcolby said:


> He is strapped in so he can stick his head out of the window without as much danger and he can snuggle and sleep in it when it gets too windy!


Roscoe and Stella each have the Snoozer 3-in-1 car seat. They love them!

However, I wouldn't recommend letting Colby stick his head out the window. He could be hit by debris on the road - things like rocks, etc. - and be seriously injured  I used to let Roscoe poke his head out the window sometimes since he was strapped in, I had never considered the debris issue. Then I heard a really sad story about a pup who was blinded in one eye from a piece of road debris.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kodi is fully crate trained, and EAGER to DIVE into his crate after using Susan Garrett's "Crate Games". I highly recommend them for anyone. He will get in his crate (or even a strange crate that you point him toward) anytime, anywhere. 

However, as someone else mentioned, he doesn't feel stable in the car inside the crate, and MUCH prefers his car harness. We have a big donut bed (made by Pam King... she sells them) that we place on the seat, then his car harness (different than a walking harness because it has a wide padded breast piece to distribute pressure evenly in case of an accident) is buckled into the seat belt. He loves this arrangement, and tries to snuggle down into it even before I've got his harness on.

So you might want to consider another way of restraining them for travel, but if you really WANT to get them to the point where they are not only happy, but EAGER to go into their crates, I'd order Susan Garretts' DVD.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

The boys will sleep a good majority of the trip. Dexter has vomiting problems in car..... so, I really thought a crate in the car would work better than car seats. I would hate to purchase car seats if the boys will not tolerate them. Snoozers would cost over $90.00 x 2, plus shipping. So.....hate to even think about the costs. Thanks for the suggestions on the snoozers!


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

^ You could always get the Snoozer that fits two dogs!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

You've got the right idea, Linda. Crate training if done at an early age,will help when it comes to using it in the car. Everyone has different needs or preferences when they put their dogs in the car. Each one has it's advantages and disadvantages. But I would highly recommend that every dog be used to being crated. It might come to a point where your dog has to be crated ,eg immergency or stay at the vets. I would recommend getting the dog used to it in the home well, before attemping to use it in the car. Too quick a transition might cause the dog to balk at it in the car. Short trips at first and slowly getting longer. Thought you might like this article by ours truly Gillian Ridgeway that talks about travelling as well. http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/gone-holidays


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks Dave! 

Jack is a dream in the crate in the car. Dexter(My First) is the one who will whine, he is getting better, but the last short trip, we had the vomiting issue with Dexter. 

I am rewarding all good behavior in the crate, which they love! The reward periods are slowly getting lengthen. When car trip is over, they only come out of the crate when they are quiet (which they learned very quickly). 

Now....on to read the article! Thanks again Dave!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

HavaneseSoon said:


> Thanks Dave!
> 
> Jack is a dream in the crate in the car. Dexter(My First) is the one who will whine, he is getting better, but the last short trip, we had the vomiting issue with Dexter.
> 
> ...


Yeah you're doing the right things. Here's an article on car sickness.

When dogs are carsick, they feel nauseous which is unpleasant. In fact, in
the unpleasantness sweepstakes, nausea can rank above pain in "wow would
I like to avoid this." Just like we humans, nauseous dogs don't always throw
up, which means we might be missing it. Sometimes they salivate and are
restless and sometimes they just pant and look glassy. Interestingly, it's easy
to mistake this for a primary car-anxiety. Also, it doesn't take many such car
rides for anxiety to be added: "oh no, here comes that place where my tummy
feels bad...pleeeease can I not go in there." The anxiety is also aversive, which
could exacerbate the ill feeling, and so on.
Sometimes even if the carsickness is resolved, the secondary anxiety may remain
alive. If this is the case, your interventions-making positive associations
with approach and the considerable cumulative effect of so many car
rides to enjoyable dog sports-are on the right track and you will probably
continue to make gradual gains. Although it's intuitive to not feed in order to
avoid the product of vomiting, check with your veterinarian about whether
or not this will help reduce nausea, as opposed to a light, bland snack prior
to travel.
Your veterinarian will help sort this out and, if she thinks it's indicated, try a
course of anti-nausea medication to help break the cycle. In the can't-hurtmight-
help department, I've heard that static charges may be implicated in
cases of carsickness in both dogs and humans. Cars can drag lines from their
undercarriage to the road to dissipate charge.
If it's a primary car anxiety, it means he's not as fine as you think once he's in
the car. To firm this up, look very critically for signs of anxiety. Those signs
that can mimic nausea include trembling, a blown-pupil deer in the headlights
look and whining.
If he really, truly is fine once in the car, and not suffering from carsickness,
we need to consider a superstitious fear of some part of the jump-in process.
Dogs acquire these fears all the time. For example, if the first time a dog attends
a baseball game, fireworks go off, he could subsequently fear kids in
baseball uniforms. Likewise, if, twice in a row, a conformation handler steps
on the dog's foot after the rosettes are presented, the dog could get spooky
about ribbons. These are considered "superstitious" because there is no logical,
rational basis-kids in baseball uniforms don't make big booming noises
and rosettes don't hurt feet. The fear remains alive because of the nature of
avoidance learning. Subsequent to the chance association, the dog behaves
fearfully-balks at the end of the leash or growls at the kids, scrambles away
from the rosettes, rushes into the car-and, in his mind, avoids the fearful
stimulus. "See how well my behavior works?" He never finds out that the
scary thing wouldn't have happened anyway.
Try blocking his avoidance response. Mechanically prevent him from rushing
through "something" to get into his crate so he finds out something is
nothing. To facilitate this, separate the crate and car elements. Practice going
slowly into the car as well as slowly into the crate you use in the car. A halter
or plain buckle collar held taut could get you started (keep it taut to avoid his
rushing and getting an inadvertent jerk). Do pauses at the "sticky" point (die
place he needs to rush through) and provide him with treats and praise. The
more you hang out at the spot he thinks is dangerous, the more evidence you
are giving him that there is nothing scary there.


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## herrick51 (Mar 4, 2008)

Dave, I always so appreciate reading your advice - Brody was a terrific traveler when we first got him - slept on a pillow in a harness in the back seat of our truck all the way from Florida to Oregon when he was about 6 months old. Continued to do well in the car until one afternoon when he was sleeping in the back seat (about one year old) - I had several large bins of glass going to recycling- went around a curve, they all fell over in the trunk with huge, loud crash- Brody went nuts - I had to stop, he literally shook and panted so hard I was afraid he was having a seizure - I had to hold him in my lap in order to get home (very short trip), and he has been anxious with lots of panting and shaking in the car ever since - somewhat improved by crating him with lots of treats - he hops right into his crate when we get in the car, but still nothing like he used to be - I'd love to somehow break his anxiety, but can't figure out how . . (BTW, he goes ballistic if we drive over any cattle guards - common in our part of the West). Any suggestions much appreciated!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

herrick51 said:


> Dave, I always so appreciate reading your advice - Brody was a terrific traveler when we first got him - slept on a pillow in a harness in the back seat of our truck all the way from Florida to Oregon when he was about 6 months old. Continued to do well in the car until one afternoon when he was sleeping in the back seat (about one year old) - I had several large bins of glass going to recycling- went around a curve, they all fell over in the trunk with huge, loud crash- Brody went nuts - I had to stop, he literally shook and panted so hard I was afraid he was having a seizure - I had to hold him in my lap in order to get home (very short trip), and he has been anxious with lots of panting and shaking in the car ever since - somewhat improved by crating him with lots of treats - he hops right into his crate when we get in the car, but still nothing like he used to be - I'd love to somehow break his anxiety, but can't figure out how . . (BTW, he goes ballistic if we drive over any cattle guards - common in our part of the West). Any suggestions much appreciated!


Hi Mary. you might want to start at square one. He probably is beginning to stress earlier than you think. Here's a desensitization proceedure from Norma Jean our founder and president. Make the cattle guards a rewarding experience after you start seeing improvements. If you can avoid them for awhile ,it might help. 
Leave both the driver's side and passenger doors open. Place a trail of small healthy
treats from the door of the house, into the car and out the other door. The treats
should get bigger as you get closer to the car, largest and tastiest in the car and
smaller on the way out. Use a long life line for safety purposes when necessary and
let the dog set the pace. If you push him. you'll slow down your progress.
When this step is successful, close the passenger door and allow the dog to follow
the trail of treats in and out of the car with one door closed.
Next, stand beside the driver's door as the dog follows the trail in and out of the car.
Now you can place a special treat on the seat where the dog will sit, using
something that will take more time for the dog to eat. When he gets into his seat,
slip in beside him and close the door. As soon as the dog finishes his special treat,
open the door and allow him to get out.
Now you can begin to desensitize the dog to the moving vehicle.
Get in the car beside the dog, feed him a few small healthy treats and get out.
Get in the car beside the dog, turn on the engine, feed him a few treats, turn off the
engine and get out.
Next leave the engine on for five minutes, slowly feeding him treats and get out.
Get in the car beside the dog, turn on the engine, back down the driveway, drive
back up, feed the dog a few treats and get out.
• Next go to the end of the block and follow the same pattern.
Now, go around the block and follow the same pattern.
If the dog drools or vomits, you've moved too quickly. Pretend it did not happen,
take a break, go back to your last point of success and proceed more slowly. If you
get upset, you'll add to the negativity of the experience. If you comfort the dog,
you're rewarding his behavior.
At this point you'll want to make the destination of your first trip special tor the
dog, to create a positive association with the car. Take the dog to the park for a
game of 'fetch/ or to visit his favorite friend.
A dog that gets sick ever}' time he gets into a car is conditioned to get sick, and we
have to change this conditioning. After spending time in the car again and again, the
dog will no longer associate the car with feeling sick. It's crucial to increase time
and distance gradually, but the more repetitions you can fit in, the quicker you'll
solve the problem. Praise and reward the dog for each step of progress and ignore
any negative behavior.
In some cases "Gravol" can help but only use it at the advice of your veterinarian. In
other cases, putting newspaper on the dog's seat can help due to the charcoal in the
paper. In all cases, it's important to set the dog up to succeed by moving slowly,
keep the excitement level low and eliminate all negativity.

Sounds like a slow tedious process , but that's how Desensitization and Counter Conditoning works. If the dog is stressing at any point , you're moving to quickly. The idea is to keep him below threshold. Patience is a virtue. LOL


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## herrick51 (Mar 4, 2008)

Thanks, Dave,
I've actually done quite a bit of what you suggest - he loves to hop into the car or truck when the doors are open in the garage or driveway- when we go for rides, he hops right into his crate, gets a small piece of his favorite treat, and does ride in the crate - but often lots of panting, and pure panic over cattle grates - he literally clawed a hole in the mesh door of his crate when I was driving alone with him and had to cross several grates. We try to avoid them now - I guess I'll just keep working with him - I just feel so badly that he developed such a problem, after being so happy to ride in the car as a pup.
thanks again!


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