Why do some dogs hate car rides?

By: DogCarTravelGuide
Date: February 22, 2021
Time to read: 3 min.

Why do some dogs hate car rides?

Most pups absolutely love to hop in the car and go for a little joy ride. With the windows down and being adored at every stop light, being a dog in a car is a great thing.

So why do some pups absolutely hate being in the car? There are a few things you can check for the next time you need to bring your doggo on a car ride with you.

Your dog is bored and uncomfortable

When you are going for a drive, aren’t there certain things you check for before leaving? You probably make sure you have a snack if it’s a longer drive. Might grab a coffee. Make sure you have a pillow or pad if you’ll be sitting for a while.

The thing is that you make sure you are going to be comfy, right? Do you do the same for your pup? If you don’t, that could be why he hates getting in the car. He could want a pillow, a bed, a blanket, or other comfort item to make the ride more enjoyable.

It’s the first ride

This might be easily overlooked, but if it’s the first ride, they might hate it because it’s new. Even if it’s the 2nd or 3rd drive, they still might not be used to the idea yet.

Let them crawl around the car, inside and outside. Give them some time to check it out. How would you feel if you had to get into a new place you didn’t know? You’d want to check it out beforehand.

He hates where you are going

Guys, dogs are smart. They are smarter than most people. They know where you are going. If you only get in the car to go to the vet, and he doesn’t like that, then guess what? He’s never going to like getting in the car.

Try taking him for some good boy drives. Maybe the park, or the drive thru to get a puppy treat. Somewhere other than the bad place he associates the car with.

He might feel sick

Dogs can get motion sickness too. If your pup seems to get sick, or is scared every single time you have to get in the car, you could try a mild sedative. You can ask your vet if you’ve never given him one before.

Making sure your doggo is comfortable can lead to him enjoying his car rides. Who doesn’t love seeing a good boy’s face hanging out of a window while driving? It’s literally what we drive around looking for.