gwb Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 my 16 month old lab refuses to get in the boot,. I have to now lift him in. This started a month or so ago. He has not had any problem before, always jumping in. Ive tried to use food but he still refuses, he starts to shake and when i go towards him he runs away. When I put the lead on he is more compliant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 My spaniel sometimes does this too. They just get a bit freaked out by something and associate the boot with something not good. I'd try just lifting him in, without telling him to get in first for a while, then going to do something the dog likes doing. After a while he'll probably be jumping in as soon as you open the door. If you only put him in the boot to go to the vets or something unpleasant he'll not be keen to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J@mes Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Have you tried getting in the boot and having a bit of a cuddle with him? This worked for us when our lab wouldn't go in her portable crate, the boot of the missus new car or one of the beds we bought her. I climb in, she gets in, we have bit of a cuddle and a belly tickle and all is good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stokie Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 My Lab used to hate the car and got badly travel sick . She would tremble and slober . This went on for about a year we some times had to sedate her if we were going far . We then changed cars and within a week she was fine . Now if thats not an excuse for buying a Landrover then nothing else is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul041075 Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Had this when one of my labs was a pup, lifted him in and rewarded with a biscuit, soon started to get in for a reward. Still wont get in if the engine is running no matter what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Mine wont jump in the boot either and its not through fear-he's just lazy.I think he wants me to fit a Stanna stair lift. Sounds like yours has become frightened of the car.Try putting him in the boot and sitting with him for a short time to give his confidence a lift.Could also try feeding him in the boot too so he comes to associate it with good things (you know just how much Labs love their food).If he starts to shake through fear dont comfort him because all it does is teach them that there really is something to be frightened of.Also,go for short drives to places he really likes going like park for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Yes somethings deffo scared him. I should be very patient use food rewards start with two paws up being good enough at first then hop in-out and not drive anywere till the outright fear stops. As an aside make sure the engine is not running, but work up to this again when things settle, then very short drive, then drive to nice place etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletcher1234565 Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Don't take the dog for walk for a few days so its itching to get out. Then put the dog in the boot and go for a short drive to somewhere where you can walk the dog. For the next few days do the same, drive somewhere close to you with dog in boot. Tried this with my springer now when the boot is open she dives in and nearly goes through the back seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Having my springer in the boot when he was young while we were rabbit lamping was almost certainly what made him sticky about getting in. Most of the time he's fine now, but sometimes he still gets chucked in if he decides to sit down and won't get in himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 the boot of the missus new car or one of the beds we bought her. I climb in, she gets in, we have bit of a cuddle and a belly tickle and all is good! are you talking about the dog here, or your mrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb Posted January 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Thanks all for the replies i noticed yesterday when i put him in the foot well he also started to behave a bit timid. he was very ill a month or so ago and since then he has become very jittery and scared of raised voices and lots of activity artound the house. I wonder if his illness has started this. A few months ago, around a year old he was the total opposite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J@mes Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 are you talking about the dog here, or your mrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Our dog associates any outward bound car travel with a trip to the vets. Even when the wellies come out with all the frippery of a day's beating / shooting the dog goes dead weight, submissive and lies on her back paws in the air and refuses to move. If I pick her up and she will have a little tinkle. We have tried everything. All we do now is pick her up at arms length Regarding any return trip after a day out, she will then refuse to get in the boot because she associates that with the day being over and going home. There is no nervy dead weight, submissive tinkling now - oh no, it's that she just doesn't fancy going home. I find that if you get everyone and everything else in the car and pretend to drive off home leaving her behind she will then jump to it and into the boot pronto. ******* dogs eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 I found with mine if the engine is running he does not like the exhaust to start with, and then stopped jumpinh in. I got my older lab to jump in car turned off and sat in th back and call the pup, then got the dog to jump out and the pup followed. I then called them both up with treats and turned it into a game for about 30 mins the pup has been fine since, still prefers the engine is turned off but will accept it if he must. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Don't take the dog for walk for a few days so its itching to get out. Then put the dog in the boot and go for a short drive to somewhere where you can walk the dog. For the next few days do the same, drive somewhere close to you with dog in boot. Tried this with my springer now when the boot is open she dives in and nearly goes through the back seats. That's what I would do, the dog may not be food motivated particularly in a nervous state but if the only time it gets out for some training or a walk it goes in the back of the car first it will soon get the hang of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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