Sunday, March 16, 2008

Help your dog overcome carsickness

Many pet experts believe that carsickness in dogs might be prompted by fear of the motion or fear of the noise associated with riding in a car -- or anxiety about an unfamiliar destination.

There are ways to calm dogs down and make them more comfortable in the car.

If possible, start young, getting your puppy accustomed to driving places with you.

For older animals, try this approach:

Invite your dog to join you in the car and give him a treat without ever leaving the driveway.

Do this several days in a row.

Then have him come to the car and just turn on the motor without moving, petting and talking softly to him, then offering him a treat.

Finally, go for a short test drive with him. By this time, many dogs will have forgotten their queasiness about the whole car ordeal.

If all else fails, ask your vet about motion sickness medications.

Post by:Washington Post

Dorothy Loong
www.DogMillion.com