Introducing a puppy to our PVC

[Billylou]

We “should” be picking up our PVC within the next couple of weeks. We have lots of plans which include our 7 month old Whippet. Currently the little lad is very unsure about getting in the car and does not enter it willingly (has to be lifted in) although once in he does lay down for the journey.

We’re looking for some tips for getting him into the PVC without stressing him out and to make him feel comfortable.

Our thinking is to slowly introduce him to it without driving anywhere. Give him his meals in it, sit with him, have the TV on, create a comfortable safe space etc. We then plan to take a few short journeys with a walk upon arrival.

What else can we do, what has worked for you? All tips and hints gratefully received.

 

[RobbyMClark]

Think you have most thinks covered.
He looks a lovely young lad, what's his name??

 

[Coolcats]

I guess it depends also how the Dog is treated in the home, if the dog has its own bed on the floor, not allowed on furniture such as sofa's and beds you probably will stand some sort of chance if not the dog will be on the seats etc. A friend who had a Husky had to take the dog with them for a day, left the dog in the car whilst they went to a meeting and came back with a chewed head rests in the company car.

Good luck it sounds like your doing the right things (we do not have kids or dogs so I don't really know anything about the subject)

 

[Billylou]

Think you have most thinks covered.
He looks a lovely young lad, what's his name??

Skipper

 

[Offagain]

We’ve had our 9mth old Labrador for three months now and she still won’t willingly jump in the boot of the car. Motor home is no problem though.
We were lifting her in to start with but she’s too heavy for me so tried bribery with a couple of pieces of her normal food, which works every time! She sits behind the car looking at us then the car, we let her smell the food and she watches us throw it in the boot. We then turn away as if disinterested and she jumps in. If we watch her she won’t get in!

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[Billylou]

We’ve had our 9mth old Labrador for three months now and she still won’t willingly jump in the boot of the car. Motor home is no problem though.
We were lifting her in to start with but she’s too heavy for me so tried bribery with a couple of pieces of her normal food, which works every time! She sits behind the car looking at us then the car, we let her smell the food and she watches us throw it in the boot. We then turn away as if disinterested and she jumps in. If we watch her she won’t get in!

That is really interesting. We tried ignoring him yesterday on the way home from the park and he walked off. Going to use extreme high value treats today, probably Spam.

 

[Nanniemate]

I guess it depends also how the Dog is treated in the home, if the dog has its own bed on the floor, not allowed on furniture such as sofa's and beds you probably will stand some sort of chance if not the dog will be on the seats etc. A friend who had a Husky had to take the dog with them for a day, left the dog in the car whilst they went to a meeting and came back with a chewed head rests in the company car.

Good luck it sounds like your doing the right things (we do not have kids or dogs so I don't really know anything about the subject)

I think I know that car. The company bought it as it of the leasing company as it was too damaged to return . Or this could be a more common event than realised.

 

[Zoobec]

For Yoshi, our now 10 month old, we have been doing as many things with him as possible since he was a small puppy, and he’s got used to doing everything with us. He didn’t used to be very good at getting in the car boot and lifting a 45kg uncooperative lump in wasn‘t fun at that time when he was younger he used to be a bit travel sick, drooling or actually sick, so I didn’t feed him anything for a few hours before travelling and that seems to have resolved, and that coupled with the fact he knows it normally leads to a walk with his dog friends now he leaps in. interestingly when we first went away in our PVC at that time he didn’t travel so well in the car, but he settled well in the van. After a couple of trips in the van I found he travelled better in the car. Now, when I open the sliding door on the van he is in there like a shot!

 

[Billylou]

For Yoshi, our now 10 month old, we have been doing as many things with him as possible since he was a small puppy, and he’s got used to doing everything with us. He didn’t used to be very good at getting in the car boot and lifting a 45kg uncooperative lump in wasn‘t fun at that time when he was younger he used to be a bit travel sick, drooling or actually sick, so I didn’t feed him anything for a few hours before travelling and that seems to have resolved, and that coupled with the fact he knows it normally leads to a walk with his dog friends now he leaps in. interestingly when we first went away in our PVC at that time he didn’t travel so well in the car, but he settled well in the van. After a couple of trips in the van I found he travelled better in the car. Now, when I open the sliding door on the van he is in there like a shot!

Thank you, that is very encouraging to read.

 

[Zoobec]

Thank you, that is very encouraging to read.

I’m sure Skipper will love the van. For getting Yoshi in the car back when he wasn’t interested, I found telling him ‘up’ in a really excited voice and being animated got him excited enough to jump in. I probably looked a bit of a lunatic but never mind

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[Billylou]

I’m sure Skipper will love the van. For getting Yoshi in the car back when he wasn’t interested, I found telling him ‘up’ in a really excited voice and being animated got him excited enough to jump in. I probably looked a bit of a lunatic but never mind

I do struggle doing the excitable bit, the lack of which was made clear by the trainer.

 

[dryad]

i think a lot of dogs don't enjoy travelling in the very rear of a car, it's very queasy making.
hadn't realised until we had to take an injured friends dog to the vet hospital, i sat in the back with it, i was feeling as 'sick as a dog' within a very short time..

try it yourself, for just a short distance and see what it feels like, i think you'll be surprised..
your dog will love the motorhome i'm sure, and you're doing all the right things to make that so..

once i realised that, our dog guard went behind the front seats, no problem with any reluctance from any dog after that, jump in the side doors no problem.

happy travels ahead..

.

 

[Sapper520]

Woldsunlight is going through the same at the moment, I believe he’s already been away with his puppy.

Maybe worth giving him a shout.

 

[AndyPK]

The problem we have is getting our dogs OUT of the ‘van when it’s on the drive…….they all think they’re off an adventure whenever we open the hab door, and jump in!

 

[Podney]

Don’t assume he won’t like it….he may get your bad vibes.

Make it smell nice eg put his food in it before you get any where near to getting in the van. If he associates the van with food he might be keen.

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[Mick and Ruth]

To get our lab used to the car we would feed her in the boot and do 10 min journeys with her to somewhere nice so she associated the vehicle with good things as she was nervous and would be sick when we first got her. As re the motorhome as soon as she hears it arrive on the drive she’s at the front door waiting and bolts into it when allowed straight into her bed and knows she’s off somewhere good. She would happily live in it if we would let her, she doesn’t go on furniture or upstairs at home as never been allowed, so is not interested doing it in the van and sleeps the opposite end behind front seats normally upside down with legs dangling everywhere.

 

[Landy Andy]

Don’t make it, or how he responds to it an issue. If you are confident and content so will the dog be. If you are nervous (of the van, or how the dog responds to it) the dog will pick upon this.

 

[Cal54]

My dog loves travelling in the PVC however he prefers lounging on the fixed bed at the back!! I put his ‘donut’ bed on the bed and he just settles down. He wears a harness and I manage to use a lead to secure him but with enough slack to be able to turn etc. He never gets off the bed during the journey - or at least not yet!!

 

[mofurt]

Ours loves being in the van. We were careful at first to always make it positive - so go in for a short trip to somewhere local and fun to walk. He's only small, so travels between the seats in his Kuryakyn Pet Palace (a bag designed for carrying pets on motorcycles, which he's also done). The bag is strapped down, his harness is clipped to it, but he's there between us. Most of the time he just sleeps, until he hears the handbrake...

The bag gives him his own space, that smells of him, and he can go in it anytime when we are away. That, plus being with us constantly, and always associating the van with fun, makes it a happy place for him.

They do pick up on your vibes, when you first introduce him to the van do it really enthusiastically, not tentatively and worried. As he'll be able to get in easily himself rather than needing to be picked up, make a game of jumping in and out, or sit on the driveway with the door open eating/lounging in there to encourage him to come and be with you (assuming you home layout lets you do that).

 

[ctc]

Chocolate buttons.

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[AnnieB]

When our dog was a pup she was frequently sick in the boot so we moved her to the footwell and no more sickness. When we got our first camper (Topaz - VW) she rode in the rear passenger seat with a harness and never moved an inch. Now with the current one she’s attached by harness to my seatbelt base and lies down happily between the front seats - a perfect fit for her.

She can’t wait to get in the van when we are loading it, sneaking out and up the step when our backs are turned. When we get home she is the last out of the van, settling down on the side seats while we unpack.

 

[mofurt]

She can’t wait to get in the van when we are loading it, sneaking out and up the step when our backs are turned. When we get home she is the last out of the van, settling down on the side seats while we unpack.

They say "Happy wife, happy life", but actually there's nothing quite as awesome as sharing your life with a happy dog that loves what you do!

 

[Billylou]

We’re feeling quite positive based on the tips and good advice we’re getting from you all, many thanks.

So I think a combination of the above and most importantly I have to calm down and not give of any negative vibes. We think it’s probably a good idea if my wife shows him the van first and I’ll join in when he’s got inside. We’re going to try some high value treats to get in the car and see how that goes. Fingers crossed

 

[Podney]

We’re feeling quite positive based on the tips and good advice we’re getting from you all, many thanks.

So I think a combination of the above and most importantly I have to calm down and not give of any negative vibes. We think it’s probably a good idea if my wife shows him the van first and I’ll join in when he’s got inside. We’re going to try some high value treats to get in the car and see how that goes. Fingers crossed

Don’t try too hard!!!!!! Let him discover/adventure/hunt.
Sorry to repeat but sometimes they just want to do stuff their own way and not be rushed. Good luck!

 

[Offagain]

In Honey’s case she will happily climb into the footwell of the car, it’s just jumping up into the boot that she’s reluctant to do. She mostly goes to exciting places when she gets in - the beach etc -
vet trips are rare.
We‘ve tried being very excited, very calm, and everything in between but thus far nothing, apart from bribery, has worked

That is really interesting. We tried ignoring him yesterday on the way home from the park and he walked off. Going to use extreme high value treats today, probably Spam.

I’ll be interested to read how that goes

Chocolate buttons.

Be careful there, some of the ingredients of chocolate are toxic for dogs and can cause them to be very ill

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[Reallyretired]

That is really interesting. We tried ignoring him yesterday on the way home from the park and he walked off. Going to use extreme high value treats today, probably Spam.

Our dogs are far too intelligent to fall for spam

 

[Landy Andy]

Just spend time in the van enjoying it on your driveway and the dog will want to be with you.

 

[bigwood]

Muttly Paddy still has his issues with thresholds and getting him in the motorhome was just as difficult to start with. During one of our trips last summer I was talking to another motorhome owner and he followed management into our motorhome with no encouragement.
I think most dogs will settle into motorhome life as long as they are with there favourite humans.

 

[ctc]

In Honey’s case she will happily climb into the footwell of the car, it’s just jumping up into the boot that she’s reluctant to do. She mostly goes to exciting places when she gets in - the beach etc -
vet trips are rare.
We‘ve tried being very excited, very calm, and everything in between but thus far nothing, apart from bribery, has worked

I’ll be interested to read how that goes


Be careful there, some of the ingredients of chocolate are toxic for dogs and can cause them to be very ill

Chocolate buttons for dogs from the COOP.

 

[Reallyretired]

Meg is getting on a bit (12) and finds the door a bit high. She doesnt trust the electric step (not too confident about it myself) but is happy to to use our plastic mega double step which we keep in the garage.

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