Car rides?

Behavioral Issues

  • @skippnr:

    What brand harness are in those two photo's? Did you like how they performed?

    Any post that have mentioned a harness(or will mention) could you do me a big favor and fill me in on the brand I like to compare as many options as possible before buying. THANKS:D

    The black one is called Kwik Klip Car Safety Harness (http://www.leatherbrothers.com/Harnesses/N909.htm))… It's a medium ('coz Casey had a regular harness that she wore under this) so I needed it to be a tad loose to give her room to move in the vehicle...

    The red one is called Cirque Soft Walking Harnes (http://www.rcpets.com/product.php?cid=12))… It's also a medium...

    For "safety", I prefer the 1st one (the black one)... The 2nd one is made of mesh and is really meant for toy dogs so I don't think it's built for strong dogs like a basenji... But the photo was taken during her last month (before she went to Rainbow Bridge) and she was quite weak and scrawny so this harness was okay for very short trips (I don't use it for walking)...

    I also just ordered a new kind of harness called Ruff Rider's Roadie Elite Canine Vehicle Safety Harness (http://www.petabbey.com/store-products-Pet-Carriers-and-Carseats-pet-car-seats-ps-roadie-canine-safety-harnes-Ruff-Riders-Roadie-Canine-Vehicle-Safety-Harness_19695180.html) and I heard it's pretty good…


  • I have seat belt harnesses dor savannah and bodhi. savannah moans for a while once we get going(she will not sit or lay down, she stood for the entire 3hr car ride to my parents for christmas) bodhi screams fro a while but then passes out , doesnt scream as much when i am going a consistent speed.
    both are good overall


  • I found that my dogs love the car, but did jump around. Once I stared taking them about a mile down the road, leashing them up, and letting them walk and empty…yes, even if I walked them before the drive, there is always "production"! it makes them feel more comfortable and they settle right down.
    I think the excitement of going in the car, makes their bowel work, and they get "jumpy" about messing in the car..
    This is just what works for me!


  • @sharronhurlbut:

    I found that my dogs love the car, but did jump around. Once I stared taking them about a mile down the road, leashing them up, and letting them walk and empty…yes, even if I walked them before the drive, there is always "production"! it makes them feel more comfortable and they settle right down.
    I think the excitement of going in the car, makes their bowel work, and they get "jumpy" about messing in the car..
    This is just what works for me!

    That is a great idea Sharron! I had never thought of that. I will suggest it to my clients that have nervous car dogs too.


  • @Quercus:

    Ditto…exactly for Querk :) He also has a speed limit...if we are going over 35mph, he is quiet...below that he screams or whines...for about 5-10 minutes

    Mine too. They usually settle down quite nicely once we are on the freeway or a road where we can drive without much stop and go.


  • Body harness… best investment. Althought, for some B's (the nervous enllies that they are) a crate is best. I know Rocky get's nervous at the sight of motorcycles and large semi's on the road. So sometimes it is best to block the view. They'll never know what they are missing.


  • I can't crate EL D (the previous owner screwed that up and EL D won't go anywhere near a crate now) so I'm looking at the harness types.
    Here's one I found that attaches to the seat belt so I don't see how a dog could get tangle up - http://homeandkennel.petedge.com/Guardian-Gear-Dog-Safety-Harnesses-ZW612.pro?parentCategoryId=194&categoryId=224&subCategoryId=402

    • I just got the DrsFoster&Smith catalog and they have one also (it's not on their website however).

  • This is the one I bought:

    http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product1.asp?pf_id=1079702

    & I can tell you right now, Dallas gets himself so twisted up I have ultimately decided it was a COMPLETE waste of money. I guess it's a good thing it only cost me $15. The other day just connected his leash to the truck clip [where the back seats fold down] then put the back seats back up so he could only move around in the back seat. That seemed to work better than the harness but with that way I wish he had a little less capable movement as I do fear the results if we were to have a crash.


  • The Guardian gear kind of looks like it would be MUCH more efficient & actually looks like what I did with the leash last time but allows less moveable space…plus it hooks to the harness vs. me attaching his leash to the collar. Thanks wizard! I think I'm going to have to find this one...


  • We have been going through some of the same things with Rocco. We have him crated in the car. The first few rides were AWFULL. Now that we have been going out more often he has gotten better. Still whines and turns his back on us in protest if we look at him, but he is getting over it. Getting him tired before has helped as well.


  • I use one similar to what wizard posted, I love it and it works great. Tiggy is great in the car, and the most he does when he decides to wander is stand with front feet on the middle console, he does know "get in the back" and stays there most of the time. The only time he comes all the way up (even when we stop and/or get out) is when invited/told he can. Well I take that back, for some reason when we pull into the garage Tiggy always tries (and has succeeded) to sit in my husbands lap while he parks; it is the only time he has ever does this.

    But I really use the seat belt almost all the time, because even though he's good about staying in the back, he doesn't lay down right away and will look out the windows or out the back which means he puts his front feet up. With that if I were to have to make a quick stop he'd most likely end up in the front or hurting himself more because he's not secured as well. For Reggie, I usually only use his if we are going to be on the highway. Maybe I should use it more, but Reggie gets in and lays down right away, if he does sit up to look out he's leaned back against the seat and sitting, he very rarely stands up.

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    Thank you all for your replies. Today was a liiiiiiittle bit better than the previous car rides we have done with him. Not constant screaming. But he still screams, and it’s a scream that can make ears bleed... But anyway, a little better today. He lied down and stayed quiet for about 5-10 minutes of the 20 minute ride. On the way home. Hopefully if we keep up with daily car rides where he always gets his toys and treats with him, and as long as we go someplace fun every time this will help getting him calmer in the car. I will also try the Rescue Remedy, it can’t hurt I guess :)
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    Seems a good suggestion and like anything else when training a Basenji - requires patience. I find that often people require an instant cure (not folks on this forum, I know).
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    My previous boy loved to chase cars also but I lived in an apartment complex with lots of "green" space where we could walk without being near the well traveled areas. There was also a 98 acre (I think that's the right amount) wooded area right next to the complex that was great fun (when it wasn't muddy). Very glad I don't live there anymore as those 98 acres are now a mall!! And the balcony that we had would have looked right to it. Can't even imagine all the basenji craziness from all the activity if we still lived there. Current boy really doesn't care too much about cars (thank-you previous owners, whomever you are) but he has still run a path in the back yard from running from side to side trying to watch the joggers/bike riders/even just walkers coming down the street…and they don't even need to have a dog with them, although its worse if they do. But he also chases all the squirrels that come to my hickory tree, the bunnies that (I think) live under one of my pines, the neighbor dog, etc.,etc. I'm not sure it can be completely stopped, its their nature, but it can be curtailed. Some good advise here. Good Luck!
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    There is a new prescription medication for motion sickness/vomiting. It was mentioned on another thread. I would check with your vet and see if this medicine is a possibility if nothing else works.
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    get the Control Unleashed book, do the exercises in order, pay careful attention to the Look At That game.
  • Walks and car trips

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    Here are some links to the SENSE-ible Harness and the Easy Walk Harness. http://www.softouchconcepts.com/products/sense_ible_harness.html http://www.premier.com/pages.cfm?id=74