Don't understand quirky behavior

L

Little Girl

Forums Regular
Oh wise ones, please guide me....

Aria has always been nervous in the vehicle, no matter if someone sits with her and holds her, or she has her Thundershirt on. But lately, I ask if she wants to go for a ride to go play ball, an activity that she absolutely loves, she responds by running to her bed. If she even sees the Thundershirt she runs to her bed. I don't take her out of her bed, but I do give treats if she comes out, if she lets me put her shirt on and when she lets me pick her up and get her in the car she gets another treat.

When she sees my fiance's house, she cries because she knows she will be able to play and she is very excited. She gets out of the car and runs back and forth to me with a huge smile thanking me for bringing her, but when it is time to go home, we have to go through the same quirky behavior.

I believe someone abandoned her via the car, in the dark, out of her comfort zone. I can only surmize as such as she was running along the road when first we saw her and picked her up. That was on September 30, 2010.

Any thoughts?
 
It sounds as if she is so stressed that she is not thinking that the car takes her to fun places, she is just too focused on the car itself. You need to teach her that the car itself is a great place.

Can you feed her a meal in the car? Perhaps give a really yummy meal (not just kibble) in the car for a while - just go out to the car, feed her, maybe have a play and then come back inside, dont drive anywhere. With her other meal give it to her inside with her thundershirt on. It sounds as though she is now has a bad association with the thundershirt so this should help break the link between the shirt and driving in the car. I wouldnt use it again for a while in the car until she is comfortable with wearing it because it will just add to her stress.

If she loves the ball can you have someone tease her with the ball in the car, so then she is focusing on the ball and not the drive and as soon as you stop throw the ball for her (even if its inside the car).
 
It could also be that she gets that queasy feeling, like car sickness without throwing up. So she associates the car with a yucky feeling. And then is really happy when that part of the adventure is over. You could try giving her a small gingersnap cookie after you tell her she is going for a ride. "Going for a ride" gets her a cookie, and the gingersnap is known to help with the queasy motion sickness. Worth a try. If my dogs associate anything with getting a cookie, it becomes a wonderful thing to do.
 
Good advice. You need to go back to baby steps with her and gradually work her up to a full ride. Once she realizes that you are not going to abandon her during a car ride, she will hopefully settle down.
 
I really like Caro's suggestion!
Definitely try that, it's back to starting to reshape the behaviour... and I think her ideas are spot on...
let us know how she is doing
 
It works!

I have tried treats again today and she did a bit better, but this time I came home at lunchtime and just loved her up and grabbed her and took her to the vehicle while giving her the treats. We did not stop and put her thundershirt on. She seemed to be ok with it today. I played with her in the car with her ball and she was responsive.

Saturday I will try the meal in the vehicle, chicken and rice her favorite. I thank everyone for their great ideas and I will keep you up to date on her progress.

THANK YOU!!
 
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