Live to Ride, Ride to Live

[group6]

Nicky is a neutered male 3 1/2 year old APBT X. Very sweet, sensitive, smart boy. Lives for tennis balls. Can "see" a tennis ball in a closed tupperware container in a closed cabinet 7 feet off the floor and lets me know it. Lives for chasing tennis balls at any number of parks or lots we frequent. Of course, most dogs get excited when they realize they are in close proximity to one of these spots. But recently, Nicky started doing this every time we go for a ride, regardless of destination or duration. From the minute I put it in drive to when I put in park, he strains to get a better view out of the windshield, trying to push his way into the front seat. The dogs are prevented from doing this (theoretically) by the nylon webbing "cargo net" I installed behind the front seats. Nicky is small enough to squeeze between the net and the door post when I get out of the car. (I've stopped leaving the keys in the car because he steps on the front arm rest, hits the button and locks me out.) All the while vocalizing his anxiety about what, Im not sure. He calms somewhat at highway speeds, but cranks back up when he notices the car slowing. He also stops understanding english, not responding to "sit" "down" or "stay".

I find it to be quite exasperating. It takes my attention off the road. He usually listens quite well. It's become a real problem, made worse by the mystery of why he started acting this way.

Any useful comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!

[group6]

Wow! I thought somebody would have something to offer.

[Cassiepeia]

I have absolutely no idea why he might have started to do this, but my advice is to crate him in the back so that he can't see where he's going or what's going on out the windows of the car. If it's anxiety he's feeling it will probably make him feel safer, all cosy in his crate.

Have you ever left him in the car for long periods of time (not talking hours neccessarily, just longer than usual)? It could be that he started to worry when you didn't come back or that he was harrassed by people when you weren't around and it freaked him out.
Has he ever been comforted by anyone in the car when he started to get a little nervy or anxious? That can encourage him to continue and increase the behaviour (saying "Yes, you should be worried, good boy").

It's very difficult to tell without being there, but I definitely recommend crating him in the back of your car from now on.

Cass.

[Dogsareme]

I think it sounds like he is just getting overly excited thinking you are going to take him some where fun to play ball or walk.

What I would suggest doing is for the next while to go play ball walk hiim to the destination (doing this for about a month to two months depending on progress). Then take him for as many car rides as possible. Going to the store to pick up something? Take him with you. Picking up your kids? Take him with you. Going to rent a movie? Take him with you. And any other time you can. Never let him out or the car during these trips as that is all they are going to be is a trip with nothing exciting at the end excepting going home and into the house (make sure nothing exciting happens as you are getting home for the 10 minutes at least after you arrive so they are not associated with car rides). Do this for at least a month and see if it lessen the behavior. My dogs use to do this to any time we would drive by the park or get near the park we usually walked. And unfortunatly for me to go ANYWHERE I HAVE to drive by that park. So I started doing this and avoided the park for a month and just took them for rides and now they have calmed down unless we drive right down the park road now (which is harder to solve, but not as annoying as it is only for those few seconds). You will have to keep him desensitized to this even after you start bringing him to play ball, still take him for rides that don't go anywhere to keep his whinning down. If it distracts you put on some music or hummmm along and just do something more annoying then your dog... believe me, it makes you feel less irritated if you do something more annoying

[group6]

I dont think crating him wouldnt work, he hasnt been crated for more than 2 years and Im sure the memories arent good. He is a rescue, I got him when he was 6-8 months. He had terrible separation anxiety and thrashed about in the crate something awful. The trainer that worked with the rescue recommended tranqs-what people take for OCD. Just for a month to help him settle in. Seen nothing like that since. Besides, there wouldnt be enough room for the crate and his bud, Java, who doesnt contribute to the problem. He is very calm, and lays down until the window is opened. And I do take them everywhere, for simple errands. The fenced bark park is too far to walk. Nicky knows when there's potential for a ride just by watching me dress and collect stuff to take with me. As we walk past the car to go outside first, he wont even go, he just stands there waggin, and waits form me to open the car. He is a very intense character. He sticks to me like glue in the house. By his body language, it almost as if he just doesnt want to be separated from me by the cargo net?? Half the time, when he does sit, its directly behind me, close enough so he can put his nose on the top of my head.

And besides just being annoying, it igs me cause it is a constant reminder that (at least at the moment) Im a lousy 'pack leader'.

[Dogsareme]

It does not mean your a bad pack leader, it just means your dog is over excited about many things that he needs to learn how to be calm.

First thing you can do is exactly what I mentioned before... no more ball park for a while and drive past it ALOT! but never go to it. Once this is done often enough his excitement should start to die down about seeing it.
Also if he gets excited about car rides and going out all the time I suggest you act like you are a leaving a few times a day.... do your little routine, put on your coat, grab your keys, put on your shoes and then stand at the door for a minute, then take everything off. Do that about 10-15 times a it will really help to lessen the anxiety of your possibly leaving him, not to mention he will remain calmer. Do the same thing for car rides. Bring him out to the car, place him in, hope in the drive seat and turn the car on, leave it for a minute, turn it off and then go get your dogs and go back in the house. The first few times I did this my dogs actually refused to come out as the figure there should be more to this fake car ride. So I left them in for 5 minutes, and then 5 more, then another 5 (because they did not want out) until they finally decided I was not going anywhere. This just helps to lessen there excitment because they learn that you always going to the car and them going in doesn't mean they get to go anywhere and it shoudl help decrease excitment and axiety about things.
I have had ALOT of work dealing with anxiety and if you can avoid them do not use pills or perscriptions of any kind. I had a foster that I dealt with crate anxiety with and he has marvoulously overcome it, after destroying only one large metal crate (no clue how). My own dogs had seperation anxiety not to mention excited peeing, jumping, barking and whinning...... all behaviors of excitment....You have to desensitize him to these things that set off the behaviors... this little bit of work is more then worth it in the end, also it will help so your dog is not on edge all the time, which they are when their emotions constantly jump.

[dogs4life]

Nicky and you sound like Jeff and Montana.

When I met Jeff (my other half), Montana was his co-pilot, she sat next to him or right behind him. It took me a while but I taught her to sit behind us and was only allowed up front if invited. After we had Sam, our daughter, I had to install a metal gate behind the back seat so the dogs stayed in the back and not jump on the baby. Montana voiced her concern, but she was not going to get free reign over the car unless I could trust she would sit still. She also was worse with Jeff in the car, if Jeff was not in the car her anxiety was a lot less. She also had seperation anxiety but she was always worse with Jeff gone than anyone else.

I think anxiety is not only the dog and the environment like Dogsareme was talking about, but it's also your relationship with your dog like you said about being a leader. There is nothing wrong with being a strong leader, you can have a joyful exciting dog and be a leader. You just have to stick to the positive behavior modification techniques since you said he's quit sensitive. I really feel for you, anxiety is a difficult emotion to deal with.

An excited dog is fun but as you and others have noted, in the car it's distracting and dangerous.

Here's the gate I got, It worked great and you can see pretty well through it too.
Euro-Barrier - car pet barrier

[group6]

Dogsareme-I hadnt thought of that-desensitization, but it makes sense. Conditioning and whatshisname's dogs and all that. I laughed out loud when I first thought about it:cranking up the I'm Leaving machine, collecting all my stuff (a production in itself), the dogs running around all willy-nilly, me getting to the door, putting my hand on the doorknob, and then, "Oh, nevermind". Or even better, the car act.

I havent had the time to start that parade yet, but I will report the results. As far as the meds go, it was just that one time.

dogs4life- Yes I saw the Euro barrier. I wanted to stay away from the metal barriers. Thats why I got the RAINGLER Barrier Net