Drooling/Car Rides

[Angel0607]

Im new around here and need some opinions please

I have a 4month old pitbull/lab mix named Chevy. When we got him, my boyfriend asked how he was in the car and such. They said he had only been in the car once on his way there and then never again (they had him for probably 2 months Im guessing, I dont remember exactly) but that he did fine. Well 5 minutes into the car ride home (which was kinda long... about 2hours) he started drooling a massive amount.. He looks like some savage dog out to eat humans or something.. Im not kidding. He also ended up pooping in the car, but whatever not a huge deal as Im sure he was a bit confused as to what was going on. Well.. since then I've discovered that he gets car sick. Not to often, but every once in awhile if we're in the car for extended amounts of time. Im not sure how common this is in dogs, but I've never come across it but it doesnt seem to abstract to me. I think this is why he hates the car... but another odd behavior is that whenever we even get close to the car he starts the awful drooling again. In a 10 minute car ride he can look like he got a bath. As a result, I've had to start putting him in a crate in the car cause he just covers everything in drool and its kinda nasty to be wiping that up every.single.time we go in the car. Hes gotten significantly better about willingly going into the crate which is good, but the drooling hasnt stopped. It stops the minute we get out of the car but starts again as soon as he sees the car.

Anyone have any idea what is going on?? I'd love for him to be in the car without the crate, but I just cant be cleaning that up all the time and Im worried that something else is going on. Everyone I've talked to about it or thats seen it, has been pretty baffled. Is this something I should be asking the vet about? Hes a lab/pit bull mix as far as best guesses go.. definitely got pit bull in him and hes pretty tall which seems to be the lab in him but I dunno for sure.

[Ritz459]

Drooling can be a sign of stress in dogs. From what you are describing he is getting extremlely stressed everytime he is in a car or thinks he will be getting into the car shortly. This could probably be amended by training, but it will take some work.

I also know there are ways to help prevent and treat car sickness in dogs, but I don't know anything specific. I'd talk to you vet about that and do some reading online.

[Carrie]

Agree with Ritz. I would work in baby steps before taking him on a long car ride again. You can start feeding him all his meals in there with the door left open, (if you have a fence or it's safe,otherwise, keep him tethered and supervised so he doesn't hang himself) engine off (you can stay in there too for until he gets onto it, then leave his sight for the time it takes him to eat (if safe...dogs tethered must be supervised).....and then work up as he gets comfortable with that to you sitting in the car with him with the engine running, but parked in your driveway and give him treats and affection, play a little bit with a very special toy reserved for just this purpose....just short sessions...5 minutes at a time. Do this a few times a day. Then take him on a very short ride somewhere close and somewhere fun, if possible. Five minutes only. If there's no particularly fun park or something, get him out and take him on a fun walk, complete with a fun rope toy and treats. And then return home. Make every destination you go with your dog a rewarding experience. This will tend to make him see the car ride as something that preceeds something else which is great.

Keep trips very, very short for some time and only when he seems more comfortable with those, inch up to a little bit longer trips. Try to stay on smooth pavement where there isn't too much outside noise from traffic etc . In other words, you're desensatizing him gradually to this stressful event. I think in time, he'll come around to liking the car rides as long as they are associated with a rewarding experience. In other words, don't only take him in the car to go to the vets for shots or go somewhere where he has a rotten time being left in the car alone for long periods. Wherever you go, make sure he is apt to see it as a favorable experience connected with the car ride.