[Sigs]

So I'm at a bit of a loss, and I haven't seen people with similar issues as my dog, Rafi. I could be wrong, and searching incorrectly but he's an odd case. Rafi is a ~2 year old 65 lbs German Sheperd.

Rafi seems to love car rides, but I absolutely hate him in them. He's perfectly calm and listens to me before we get in the car, so it's not that type of anxiety. However, once in my SUV, he would jump in the passenger seat, watch for cars as they pass, then chase them to the back of it and usually slam into the back window. Since it was dangerous for him to do this, I just got a nice hard plastic kennel and tied it down.

Again, he LOVES car rides and would jump right into the kennel. Once I start driving, he refuses to lay down and calm down. He'll just bark at cars as the pass, and freak out at me with whining. It gets to the point where he drools and barks at the same time and I can just hear it. He's very food driven, so that's my next step. The plan is to leave him free in the SUV and give him treats anytime he's quiet and mostly calm. I'm wondering if this is correct or if there's a better way to do it?

It's a very similar situation with tools. He bites my lawnmower, trashcans as I roll them down the street, vacuum cleaners, shovels, and brushes. For the power tools, I just lock him in his crate inside. Some of the easier ones, I've been teaching him Behind, which is just to stay anywhere behind me. Same question, is there a better way to do this? Anybody with similar situations sounds great to hear corrections.

 

[PatriciafromCO]

when I am moving the vehicles around the property or using the tractor on the property for a day project, I put the dogs up in safe places. They don't attack at them and they are good at moving away from them when I have a short task.. I would be devastated if I were to injure one of them for just being dogs and the one moment that they do something or be not where I expect them to be.

Crate , tether for the other ones.. Dogs learn by doing....

 

[3GSD4IPO]

This is simply Prey Drive. It is a good thing and desirable and if it is combined with confidence that makes a good working dog. Good working dogs are often not the best pets.. and pet owners who have good working dogs often have a tendency to try to squash drive with the result being the drive comes out in other ways that are really not appropriate.

When you are taking your dog anywhere, put him in a crate in the car. NOT a wire crate (because he can see out AND he will be impaled by the wires if you are in a wreck). Get a plastic crate and get a towel or sheet and cover the crate. The dog is safer. You are safer. The dog cannot see out and "chase" cars.

As to biting tools, you need to put him up or find a successful way to re-direct. I have one dog that follows me around when I work outside with the only attack of tools being when I shovel snow. She is not a good working dog and is a pet. I have another dog that is put in an outside kennel when I work outside with tractor or tools because he will "get involved" with the equipment. He is a working dog and I do IGP with him (formerly IPO and that was formerly Schutzhund).

It sounds like you have a nice dog. I recommend you involve him in an active sport. My first choice would be to try Agility. It is a sport that takes a lot of concentration and is mentally stimulating for the dog. Nose work is another thing you could try. Of course you could also try IGP but it takes HUGE amounts of time to train 3 phases (tracking, Obedience and Protection, requires a good local club and a top of the line training helper.. and all day one day a week and part days other times).

 

[Bentwings]

My GSD did about the same thing. I bought the biggest plastic crate that would fit in the station wagon. He loved this and I would let him out of his kennel and say”let’s go tracking” or what ever we were going to train or practice. We even set up a group of tight together people who were to resist letting him through. He would use his nose to wiggle in and if there was more resistance he would shoulder his way through. Never growl or nip. He would jump into the crate and spin around landing with his front paws on the edge of the crate. Then “smile” as only a happy GSD. Can.

Today my Aussie is totally different. She jumps into the passenger seat and is ready to go. She will get excited if she spots a deer or wild turkey on or near the road. It’s saved me a number of times. Otherwise she rides quietly checking the livestock in the fields. For some reason she alerts when she spots the bulls. We see the long horns occasionally that she really gets excited about.

The funny thing is that we stop and go for a walk past these guys and she is on guard but reserved. I can’t imagine her herding these guys but that’s in her line as she is from stock dog lines.

So get a big plastic crate and let your dog relax.

 

[Sigs]

I have a large crate for him. This is what I've been using for the last few trips.


It's not helping all that much. He's been barking a whole lot, generally, I can't even have much of a conversation in the front. That goes for my 3 hour drive for Memorial Day. I was going to start covering it with a towel or sheet and see if that does anything. Again, he still very happy to hop up and into the crate. I may bring it inside the house, see if I can put him in there for ~10 minutes at a time and just praise him for being calm in it with 0 distractions. It might be a matter of it's an exciting thing for him to go on an adventure.

I did find this place near enough to my house http://www.sndk9.com/classes/. I like the idea of some sports for him. He does need to burn off some more brain power than our runs and playing fetch and tug. I'll try this for him. Seems like he'd really like Agility, plus I've been brainstorming for something over next Winter.

 

[Bentwings]

I couldn’t view your attachment but I’m sure the crate is good. It doesn’t hurt to cover it just make sure there is good ventilation.

The training center looks exciting. It’s similar to one of the ones we go to. The biggest thing I find in these centers is that the trainers all come from competitive dog sports. It’s good because they have a good insight to dog behavior. However they miss because most people aren’t interested in competition, they want their dog to behave in public.

I train to go up and down stairs orderly and by command. We go through doors calmly, my dog waits in position while I key the door both going in and out. She heels close order left or right side. Also will follow or lead by command. We walk down halls calmly. Get in and out of the car calmly.

The big problem is other people and their untrained, reactive dogs. It’s difficult to do much but avoid them. I use a watch me command when things start to go downhill. I don’t allow contact with strange dogs at all. We have been accosted and attacked too many times.

I also make a slip out of the leash handle and keep it on my left wrist. Then wear a leather or padded glove. It’s nearly impossible to have the leash come off your hand this way. Even if you fall down. I also use a traffic short loop tab the leash goes through. It’s very convent when you need absolute control like crossing streets or in a crowd. Another very useful command is “go around”. And backup. I can get her out of tangles in the field on the long leash by these commands.
Recal is just plain explosive. Even moreso in class as she gets pretty high there.

Went we go to classes we do the class work but also use our street commands to enter and leave, go up and down stairs, and any other situations presented in class. There is usually a show off time at the end. Our favorite is to heel backwards all the way around the ring.

I’m sure we could do more but I’ve been seriously injured three times over the last two years and it’s slowed me down a lot.

 

[Pacificsun]

As the other people posting have said, the dog is hyper-prey driven. VERY hard to counter-train against, because for the dog, the reward itself is the catch. And not much rivals with it. Car crate is the answer. You can cover a crate too, which radically calms most dogs down. Unless they're innate barkers. But you can't reward that. The other secret is full out exercise before an extended trip. Then he/she will at least be more relaxed. Teach your dog how to play fetch. And throw the ball a long distance a hundred times. Else walk the dog for an hour. If all else fails, and you've GOT to travel with dog, you can ask the Vet for a "mood relaxer" medication. But do try non medical means first. You just want the dog to be safe, as well as the driver!! Dogs can be very distracting when they're this hyper.

 

[Pacificsun]

Sorry, I forgot to add this. I'm sure you've already thought of this. But for other readers, be sure to tether that crate securely. For sudden stops, crashes (obviously) large objects can propel to the front. And dogs can get really injured in car accidents. Also if crating in "packed" SUV or minivan, make the crate the most accessible object in the car, in case both of you have to exit rapidly in an accident. Keep the leash with it. I keep mine right behind the driver's seat in the Van. Grab the dog 'n Go.

 

[Sigs]

Yeah, crate is mounted and everything. I have a picture, but it's there doesn't seem to be a way for me to upload it correctly.

I tried covering with a sheet, but didn't do all that much. He just likes to whine and bark. He plays fetch and we walk daily, but he is insanely full of energy so it doesn't do all that much to stop him. Best thing I did last time was give him a kong of frozen whatever I put it in. He's food driven enough that it kept him quiet for the first 45-60 minutes.

 

[Pacificsun]

Large dogs will settle down with maturity (smaller ones not so much). It would be great if you could focus that instinct into specific activity. And then train him to it. That would build in patience and self-control if he's truly food motivated. But that takes tons of time, and most people just don't have it to spend on their dog.

He may be reacting to the transparency of the sheet, meaning that he notices even shadows (he could be that sensitive). So next you could try a flannel blanket (4ft x 4ft) like a $2 one from Walmart. Or during the winter time, a towel. We cover the crates of our Show Dogs,and it always stops the fussing.

For longer trips where you just can't stand it, you can try a Benedryl Allergy 25mg tablet, which was recommended by my Vet to relax coughing. For a 16 lb dog I give him a half tablet before an extended grooming session, which helps make him more cooperative, if not like putty. Be sure to check with your own Vet, ask for the right dosage per weight and size of your dog. Make sure he doesn't have any counter-indications. (I'm not a pharmacist or a vet here)!

Last thing is, don't forget about the "iCalm" music system. These people specialize in developing music (the right song, its pacing, volume level) to soothe dogs. The inventor composed different pieces (have met her in person). And now it's been put into an easy transportable system, where the "pod" is chewproof (metal) and indestructable. And uses a USB port to recharge. Very small. device They sell a different series of tunes for different purposes. And perhaps he can be trained to a crate, given a happy thing to chew, after he's tired, with a sound machine having comforting music, so that when you DO put him in a covered crate, he'll associate it with the time to settle down. It'll just take them. (And remember ... when he does get older, you'll be wishing again for him to be an energetic pup. So don't wish away the time too fast. Wink!).