Traveling with puppy~

[Sher]

We are taking a 1,000 mile trip soon with our almost 6 month old pup. Only will have had her a month at the time of travel. She is not totally housebroken. She is back and forth between paper training and outside. Anyway, I would like to keep her in a "Pet Taxi" carrier in the car, so she won't be peeing all over the car, also for her safety. I have had this carrier in the house with gate tied open. She has no interest whatsoever in going inside. She will go in a get a treat I have put in there and back out with it and look in for more, but that is it. I don't want to force her in it, but how can I get her to travel in this if she won't even go in it at all? Thanks for any replies.

 

[Blondie]

Have you tried to lock her there for a few minutes? With a lot of her favorite toys and if you're near her, she'll be OK. She might cry for a few minutes but will soon get used to it. Just an idea...

 

[Sher]

I would have to shove and force her in there to lock her in. Is that a good idea? I was afraid to do that, but maybe that is the only way to start? I just don't know... Any suggestions will be helpful...

 

[Herschel]

We trained Herschel to love his flight carrier by using extremely high reward treats. (We baked chocolate chip cookies, left some of the cookie dough without chocolate chips, and made very small treat-sized cookies)

We made sure Herschel was tired (tired enough to sleep in his regular crate). We would say, "Go to bed!" and place a cookie in the carrier. He would jump in. Then we would give him another cookie. Then we dropped a cookie so he would duck his head to look for it. We zipped up the top but left a tiny opening so we could slide another cookie in there. Then, we closed it completely.

We left him in there for 2 hours while we were sitting a few feet away watching t.v., folding laundry, etc. He slept well and loved it. We did that every day for a week.

Now, we can be standing in the middle of LAX and say, "Go to bed" and he will happily jump into the travel crate. (We've done this several times to the awe of people around us)

 

[Sher]

That is wonderful that your dog loves the crate/carrier! I don't think mine is going to love it no matter what I would put in there. She would just go in and grab it and run back out.

Is it wrong to force her to go in the first time?

 

[OutlineACDs]

Get her REALLY tired and then pick her up and put her in there with a bowl of food. Make sure its high value food. Maybe mix a little canned food in it. After she eats, leave her in there a few minutes and then before she starts whining take her out to potty. Continue leaving her in there for longer and longer periods. NEVER let her out when she is howling. She will only howl louder the next time she wants out. She will eventually start to love being in her crate.

 

[Herschel]

Is it wrong to force her to go in the first time?

Don't stuff her in there. Use treats to get her to go in--and as soon as she is in, close the door.

 

[bubbatd]

Agree with Herschel .............