Coco the beautiful black standard schnauzer

[lyn]

Hi I have Coco my beautiful black standard schnauzer, age 18 months, she drives everyone but me mad, she is very hyper, follows me everywhere, she sleeps in her crate with no bother for 8/9 hours on a night and when I'm at work during the day, she occasionally sleeps on my bed, but knows this is a treat and never tries to get on my bed unless I ask her. My problems start when my son returns from uni and my partner is here for the weekend, then it's bedlam, she's like a wild thing, flying round and never settling, in fact if I hug either or sit next to either she wriggles between us or just stands and barks! She is amazing at every trick going, will sit, stay, down, roll over, and even sit up and beg, at times she will even walk on her back legs, but only if there's a treat in my hand otherwise I would say she laughs at me! She barks oh yes she barks at everything that moves outside my front window, but is learning that a warning bark is 'enough' and she has to sit or down, it's slow but were getting there, with treats to distract her. My main problem is driving her anywhere right from the day I brought her home she's sick and panics, I've tried everything I cover her cage, and give her no food for a few hours before our trip, but to be honest it's sad because it becomes distressing for her, I followed a behaviourists advice and fed ginger biscuits, put a ribbed rubber mat in the base, covered the cage, did trips daily for almost 6 months building up the time and still 10 minutes max is as much as she can manage! Hence the vet and clippers are 10 minutes away. She is after all that a wonderful character and when I'm on my own during the week she is amazing company. She's definitely very stubborn! She never begs when I have food during the week but on weekends she begs terribly. She loves anyone visiting and was crazy as a young pup but has calmed down a lot now, we just have a short burst of crazyness, walking her is great she loves other dogs, probably too much as another said she will come back to me easily but if there's anything else better to go see she's off! She may be crazy and stubborn but she's Coco and a big part of our family.

[Maty]

Hi Lyn & welcome

I hope you don't mind but I have spilt your post out in to it's own topic so that you get noticed a bit more ;)

One thing our Vet Nurse suggested with car sickness was to actually feed the dog in the car, no engine running or anything. After a few days start the engine but don't move. Once they are happy with that you can drive to the end of the road & back for a few days - no more than 5 minutes. Then 10 minutes, then 15 etc.

Are you on your own with her during the week? It sounds as though she doesn't want to share you with anyone

Look forward to seeing pictures of her, she seems a character ;)

[Bon-bon]

Coco sounds similar to Bonnie in many ways - she's very attached to me and either follows me around or whines to be with me even when my OH and 2 grown up children (and their dog-loving partners) are around. It does sound like Coco doesn't like sharing you though which isn't a problem I have.

I can sympathise with the sickness thing. My last dog loved travelling in the car - our best bribe was the rattle of the car keys. Bonnie is the exact opposite, and even though the destination from every car journey is always fun (even the vets!) the rattle of the keys sends her into hiding. Most recently on a local shopping trip shortly before Christmas I forgot she'd eaten and although we only travelled a few miles to our nearest PAH, she managed to puke up all over the front seat on the way home and of course I hadn't prepared with the usual puppy pads I normally have in place. It probably doesn't help that we don't have an estate/hatchback so I can't try her in a covered crate.

On longer journeys last summer, I had to resort to travel sickness pills which did seem to work but I certainly don't want to be relying on them forever. I was hoping she'd grow out of it as she got older but the pre-Christmas trip has got me worried now. My husband wants to hire a camper van one day to tour Europe - I hope Bonnie will be able to come too but if she can't even manage 5 miles then I can't imagine how she (and we) will cope

[lyn]

Hi Coco looks just like Bonnie in fact I checked her date of birth as I know some of her brothers and sisters are on here.
I tried over six months to do as Maty said, began by playing with her in the car, then fed her in there, started trips to the top of the street and tried to build it up, after two months I changed and drove 10 minutes to the start of a long walk which ended at home, then I'd walk back for the car! I've tried everything, sprays, over the counter travel sick pills for dogs all to no avail.
I took her away,, 35 minutes drive in November, I drove 10 minutes stopped let her out for a 5 minute walk, then another 10 minutes drive and repeated till I got there! She was sick once but it took forever! And she hated it.
She was constantly on the go for two days, walking, running, with other dogs, playing with children and travelled the journey home 35 minutes in total silence! No crying, no sick and no poop! Not sure if that's success or not? Not sure if I can do two days of madness to tire her out completely for a short trip!
I live 20 minutes away from a beach that she would love, sadly were struggling to get there
Yes I'm home alone during the week and she gets jealous when she has to share me, but not in a nasty way, she just thinks she should be the centre of attention! That's Coco
I will try work my way round putting up pictures

Coco
Born June 18th 2012

[Bon-bon]

After our first dreadful journey with Bonnie down to the coast, we managed a few more journeys with medication where she was only sick towards the end (of a 1.5hr journey) but it was worth it for the fun she had when she got there and she always travelled home much better having tired herself out with so much activity. I plan to do more research as to other means of calming her this year.

Look forward to seeing your photos

[Maty]

I have to say my sister had a Westie that was never any good in the car

She wasn't sick but became so stressed we did as few journey's with her as possible

[BeeBee]

You could try Pet Remedy spray, we use it on longer journeys for Susie-belle as although most the time she's ok in the car, more recently she pants a bit and shakes at the start, we're not sure why but the Pet Remedy seems to settle her.

[jacdales]

You could try homeopathic remedy Aconite or Bachs rescue remedy

[Bon-bon]

Thanks for the suggestions - I'm going to get something in stock ready for Spring when hopefully we'll be travelling further afield

[redalert]

We had a Boxer who was sick before we got to the end of the road, so we avoided the car like the plague, then one day I thought I would try him sitting on the front seat, daft I know, but with the seat belt around him, I drove very slowly, gently caressing his chest(easier I know with a big dog) with the radio playing softly and gradually over the next couple of weeks he slowly relaxed and come to realise that going in the car wasn't a bad experience, so I would suggest buying a car harness for Coco and trying sitting her in the front with you and talking gently to her and see how that goes.

[Salomon]

We have found with Diego that its stress related. He would always be horribly sick in the way to something but fine on the way home ...which made me realise it was not just physical ie motion sickness.
We probably did not tackle it the right way as the little guy did have some horrid journeys. We had no choice as 4 hours between out 2 homes is a regular event. The biggest problem is that the route to the autoroute is wiggly and takes about 45 mins. He still gets sick on wiggly bits sometimes but his threshold is much better. It used to be 15-20 mins but now he throws up just before we hit the autoroute , about 45 mins. If we could add that last 5 mins then all will be good once we are going fast and straight he is fine. So, I think we are down to just the motion sickness and not stress related.

We have just been away for 3 weeks in the camping car and no issues whatsoever...and the majority in the mountains with lts of wiggles.

So I suggest to determine how much is the motion and how much is psychological. For Diego, the majority is in his head.

Good luck. Nothing worse than going everywhere with bin bags, kitchen roll and floor wipes

[Bluebell]

Basil was horribly car sick (10 minute journeys). Tried all the above suggestions. All I can say about the ginger biscuit was that it made the sick smell better . A friend told me that one of her dogs was the same and they used the Adaptil Spray. Spray in the car 10 mins before the journey. It worked for Basil (was very surprised). The only thing is that he would still be sick travelling in the boot area as it bounces too much. So I flatted the back seat and have his crate in the middle of the car. Don't have to use the spray now as its broken the cycle (just wish it worked on my daughter now you can't buy Kwells!!!!)