UrbanAnimal

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Dear UrbanAnimal,

My 16-month-old golden retriever suffers from motion sickness. He starts salivating as soon as he gets into the car and vomits within a minute or so. I've tried holistic cures and anti-anxiety medications supplied by my veterinarian when faced with long car trips but holistic remedies don't work and the anti-anxiety medications make him overly woozy. Any suggestions?

Ursula

Dear Ursula,

Not every dog thinks that a car ride is a wonderful idea.

Some dogs can't wait to go while others, like your dog, react with fear and apprehension that may translate into salivating, shivering, vomiting, barking and whining, stressful panting and general "Get me outta here!" symptoms.

True motion sickness in a human being is generally due to an inner ear problem or, back in the bad old days, rusty cars with punctured floorboards and leaky exhaust systems that often induced "the whoopsies".

With today's strict vehicle safety codes, it's a safe bet that your car isn't causing the problem. However, just like people, dogs can suffer true motion sickness.

Your veterinarian has prescribed medication but I'm hoping your dog's problem is mostly behavioural and can be alleviated with the handy-dandy four-step exercise I've described below.

Animals tend to hang on to dramatic events, positive and negative, for a lifetime. Your dog may have fallen onto the floor when you applied the brakes too harshly. Or maybe you passed a fireworks display that was too close for comfort. You may not even remember the event but there's a good chance your dog did.

Step 1: Re-introduce him to the car as a happy place. Toss his favourite toy or treats into the back seat and leave the door open. Don't get into the driver's seat, don't jingle the keys and don't start the engine as these may be triggers, giving him the heads-up that it's time to vomit.

Stand beside the open door and, using a happy voice, encourage him to climb onto the back seat to find the toy or treats. If he gets in right away, congratulations. If not, keep trying every day for five or 10 minutes per session. When he complies, give more treats and lots of praise for staying in the car.

Then call him out of the car and back in again. Repeat this step over the next few days but remain standing beside the open the door and don't jingle those keys.

Step 2: Close the car door. Repeat the exercise above a few times then, with your dog in the back seat, close the door and get into the driver's seat. Pass more treats into the back seat and give lots of praise. After a few minutes, open the back door and call your dog out with lots of happy talk. Repeat daily until you're sure he's mastered this step with no sign of fear.

Step 3: Start the engine. While he happily munches on treats or plays with his toy, close the door, open the windows a crack, get into the driver's seat and start the engine. Don't move the car out the driveway yet. Continue offering treats and encouragement while you turn the ignition off and on but remain stationary. A little fear or apprehension is to be expected so don't be hasty in moving the car just yet. Repeat this step as many times as possible over the next day or two.

Step 4: Movin' out. Take your dog on short drives around the neighbourhood, slowly increasing the distance, speed and variety of road surfaces.

If any of these steps results in salivating or vomiting, go back to Step 1 and start again.

Try to remain calm and optimistic during the exercise. Any sign of apprehension or impatience on your part, even if you're sure you're hiding your feelings well, may escalate your dog's fears.

It's possible your dog will always feel insecure in the car and his comfort level may require the use of a crate or dog safety harness. These harnesses are available at most pet supply stores and are similar in appearance to a regular leash but include a metal device that snaps into a regular seatbelt.

Bonus: these harnesses also prevent dogs from becoming projectiles if the car brakes abruptly and stops hasty escapes when the door is opened.

If you are still having difficulties, consult with your veterinarian or professional dog trainer for more advice or ask at your pet supply store for alternate holistic calming products such as Rescue Remedy, Pet Calm and others.

E-mail jacque-newman@rogers.com with a question, comment or suggestion.