Why the car unsettles so many dogs

For a lot of dogs, the car is not a neutral space. It is the place where they are strapped in, driven somewhere unfamiliar, and often handed over to a vet. Add motion sickness, engine noise and a restricted view out of the window, and it is easy to see why some dogs begin to dread the sound of the keys.

The good news is that travel anxiety responds very well to patient, gradual training. Dogs learn by association, so if the car consistently predicts something pleasant and the journeys are kept short enough to stay below their threshold, most will settle within a few weeks. The aim is not to force your dog to tolerate the car, but to change how they feel about it.

Know the signs of stress before you set off

Stress in the car does not always look like panicking. Watch for the quieter signals as well, ideally before you turn the engine on:

• Yawning, lip licking and repeated swallowing when they are not tired or thirsty
• Drooling, especially in a dog that does not normally drool
• Whining, trembling, pacing or refusing to get into the car at all
• Tucking the tail, flattening the ears or turning away from the boot
• Vomiting or a sudden need to toilet, which often points to genuine motion sickness

If your dog is physically unwell on even the shortest trip, speak to your vet. Travel sickness medication is available and can be a sensible bridge while you work on the training.

Build a comfortable, secure space in the car

Most dogs feel safer in a crate or behind a properly fitted boot guard, because it stops them sliding around and gives them a defined den. A crate should be large enough for your dog to stand up, turn around and lie flat. Secure it with a seatbelt strap or boot bars so that it cannot shift in a sudden stop, and never leave it loose in the footwell.

Line the crate with a blanket from your dog's bed at home, or an old jumper that smells of you. Keep one dedicated travel blanket and avoid washing it too often, as familiar scent is doing a lot of quiet work here. A long-lasting chew or a stuffed food toy can turn a scary crate into a rewarding one.

A gradual desensitisation plan

Work through these stages over one to two weeks, doing one short session a day. If your dog shows stress at any step, drop back a stage and stay there longer.

• Step one: With the engine off and the door open, sit in the car with your dog for five minutes. Treat, praise, then go back inside.
• Step two: Repeat with the engine running while still parked. Keep it to three or four minutes.
• Step three: Drive to the end of the road and back, two to three minutes at most. End somewhere boring, then go home.
• Step four: A five to ten minute loop, finishing with a short sniffy walk in a quiet place your dog enjoys.
• Step five: Build to fifteen or twenty minutes, still ending somewhere pleasant rather than back in the driveway every time.

Short practice trips, then longer journeys

Once short loops are calm, vary where you go. A ten minute drive to a favourite sniffing spot teaches your dog that the car predicts good things, not just the vet. A dog that only ever travels to the surgery will understandably start to resist.

Build up in sensible increments: twenty minutes to a park, then forty, then an hour on a quiet A-road before you attempt a motorway run. If you are heading for the countryside, check your route in advance for livestock fields and narrow lanes, and plan a couple of stops where your dog can stretch, drink and toilet safely away from traffic.

Journey-day habits and countryside care

On the day itself, small details make a big difference. Feed a light meal two to three hours before you leave, give a good toilet break first, and avoid a large drink immediately before setting off.

• Take a break every two hours on long motorway journeys, with water offered in small amounts
• Use window shades or a cooling mat, and keep the air conditioning on in warm weather
• Never leave your dog alone in a parked car, even for a few minutes. On a mild 20°C day, temperatures inside can climb past 40°C surprisingly quickly
• Keep your dog on a lead around sheep and cattle, and close every gate you open. In spring and early summer, stay on paths to avoid disturbing ground-nesting birds
• Bag and bin poo, even in the middle of nowhere, and take the bag home if there is no bin

With a comfortable crate, a familiar blanket and a slow, steady build-up, most dogs go from bracing themselves at the boot to jumping in willingly. Give it time, keep sessions short, and let your dog set the pace.