She's Distracting My Driving!

[hollyd443]

Hiya,

Not sure whether to put this is 'Puppies' or 'Behaviour'?

Well, I've come into work, all 'worked up'!! Roxy, who used to be brilliant in the car is now a little  She barks at EVERYTHING - Drivers in Vehicles behind us, a crisp packet blowing accross the road, work men etc. Everytime she stops and settles for a moment, I give loads of praise (this does mean I'm checking in my rear view mirror every other moment - which is not good!). I tried to ignore the barking as some people deem it as 'joining in' if I shout. But this morning, I got so frustrated with it, I really shouted at her! Needless to say - it didn't work!

I was very tempted to stop the car, get out and introduce her to the work men this morning to show that they don't need barking at. But my pride is still dented from last week when I went skidding through the road works red light and nearly ended up plowing into them!! (and that time Roxy wasn't even on board!!)

Any suggestions?!

- Holly -

[Rosie]

I am sure that plenty of people will come along with some fantastic suggestions soon but we have had a problem with Dylan in much the same way.  I put a sheet over his crate so he could not see what was going on to try and break the habit of him barking and gave him lots of praise for being quiet and settling.  Then when he had settled and had been behaving well in the car I tried a short journey without the sheet - and he settled well and I kept praising him and it seems to have broken the habit.  BUT I am sure that some experienced people probably have better ideas then me although this seemed to work for us.

[CarolineL]

I've not much advice on how to stop her barking - I imagine you will need to work out if she is barking through fear or excitement?

To prevent her from barking if she is in the boot could you put a crate in there and cover it?

If she is on the back seat could you get some of the blinds that you put against the window to stop the sun coming in (for kids) so she can't see out.

[ladylola]

You could also use a soft crate, Keeps them safe and they cant see out.

[hollyd443]

Thanks for the tips!

I've calmed down a bit since this morning - yes, it was that bad!!! My ears were ringing!!

Since I got her (aged 8wks), she has been in a RAC car harness on the back seat. Last week (while in the harness), all this barking started at the workmen. This week, I decided I'd start to get her used to going in the boot with my other dog (who doesn't bark while in the car!), as I will soon be getting a new car that I'm going to have fitted with dog guard and tailgate guard. Monday she was quite barky, Tuesday she settled quite quickly, but today it was bark, bark, bark all the way! She has her hackles up (from what I can see in the mirror, which isn't a lot!), so I'd say more fear barking or telling off the workmen barking? If that makes sense!! I have a canvas crate, and the window things that CarolineL mentionned, so will try one on one day, and the other on the other. It may be that she gets used to being settled on the journey and eventually I can remove window shades/canvas crate.

I seem to be asking Q's on COL all the time lately, so sorry about that! I think its partly down to Rox reaching her teenage time and being a bit naughtier than the little  she usually is!!!!

Thanks again for the advice!! You are all such stars!!!        

- Holly -

[JaspersMum]

Holly, as you know I just ordered a new larger crate for my lot, I have a small soft crate and steel crate that might just fit your car boot if you want to try them.  Got a slightly larger soft crate too, let me know if you want to try any out.

[hollyd443]

Thank you for that Jenny - will PM you shortly!

Before leaving work I sat, parked up, the whole time she was sat in the boot, I chucked kibble, but everytime she popped her head up, I said 'off', she did so, so I'd chuck more kibble. I put some more kibble in a pot, ready for when I had to stop on the journey (fairly long delays at temp lights at the mo). All prep'd, I set off for home...

Journey home was an absolute nightmare!! She spent half the time barking at the car/van behind, the other half of the time was spent barking at me in the mirror! I ignored this behaviour, and evertime she sat down quietly, I continually said "gooooood girl", but this didn't last long!!

So, tommorrow, for safety's sake, I'm going to put her back in the car harness, where she can still bark, but cannot move around. Then I shall get some more permanent measures sorted - car crate etc...

Rio (our other pup) travels to work with OH, and has just been moved into the boot (with tailgate guard and normal dog guard) and she is an absolute  !! She's so laid back!! I don't think it'd cross her mind to bark at passers by!

Anyway, sorry to bore you all!

- Holly -

...with Roxy, next to me, all curled up asleep in the beanbag, looking like a little  (probably tired out after all that yapping!!)

[Nicola]

Alfie went through a phase of barking in the car at about 5 or 6 months, at the time he travelled in the front seat in a harness and I moved him to the boot as well and then just had to wait it out. It lasted a good few weeks but he seemed to then grow out of it thank god because it was driving me absolutely crazy (no pun intended!).

[Beth]

Tie her to the roof.

[hollyd443]

Tie her to the roof.

Brilliant idea!!!  (if you'd have told me at 4.30pm this evening, I'd have been seriously tempted!!  )

[michelle123]

I'd seriously try a crate - if that doesnt work, put a kong in the crate    hopefully that should keep her occupied

[Cob-Web]

I have a complex arrangement of blankets over our crate - Bonnee barks at anything she sees within 6 feet of the car so I have to block her view 

[JaspersMum]

Tie her to the roof.

Brilliant idea!!!  (if you'd have told me at 4.30pm this evening, I'd have been seriously tempted!!  )

Oh, in that case forget the crate, do you want to try the roof box