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How To Deal With Barking In The Car

Having a pet dog is pretty much like having another young family member in the same household. Whenever we need to leave the home to run an errand or go on a road trip, we have 3 choices – bring doggie along, leave it with a care-taker or make elaborate preparations to make sure doggie is all set for that few hours you will be away.

If you have a car, bringing doggie along everywhere with you is a no brainer. Doing this, though, comes with its own set of challenges. Driving requires focus and attention, both of which are increasingly reduced by the array of electronic gadgets like proximity sensors going off and GPS systems yelling driving instructions at you. Now if our pet dog is the sort that gets excited easily and barks at everything it sees, things can quickly escalate into utter chaos causing you to lose focus on the most important task at hand – driving.

Here are some tips from our dog trainers on how you can make the ride with your pet dog an enjoyable one:

Keep Your Cool

Trying to concentrate on the road with a barking pet that just won’t stop can be pretty stressful and dangerous. Many of us may decide to start yelling but in the chaos you may have forgotten that raised voices only creates more agitation in your dog. Some dogs may even think you are yelling because you are just as excited and so encourages them to ramp up the mayhem.

A dog takes its cue from its master so if you are loud, they will tend to follow. The opposite is also true. What you should do in this situation is to speak softly to your dog while gently petting it. This sends a signal that it is time to relax and be at ease. Doing this gives your dog the attention it craves without all the noise.

Bring A Squirt Bottle

Some dogs definitely need more than gentle persuasion. As part of dog training, many dog owners employ the use of a small squirt bottle to get their dogs to stop whatever they are doing. This can work in a car too! A small squeeze might calm a barking dog without harming the interior of your car too much.

Use A Crate

If nothing works, you can consider using a crate. Placing the crate below window level will reduce the chance of your dog being excessively stimulated by external distractions. This may not be as effective for large dogs but using a crate may also signal to the dog that it is time to be quiet. When having your dog in a crate, don’t forget to frequently talk to your dog in a mild, reassuring voice to let them know everything is okay.

Let us know if you have tips of your own in the comment box below. Sharing is caring!
Have a nice trip with your dog!