We adopted our 5-year old mutt Milo 4 years ago. He was a bit unsettled in the car when we first got him, but we thought it may have been related to the stress of the shelter/adoption/new surroundings, etc. However, it continues and is an issue with every car ride. He never gets actually sick but shakes and drools any time he is in the car. He never balks at getting in the car, has never vomited, and is always happy as a clam once we arrive at the destination. It doesn't make a difference if he is in the front or the back, windows open or closed, in a crate or just seatbelt & harness. Also, no difference if he is in a car or truck or RV. He is marginally better if someone is right beside him, but not much. We have tried Rescue Remedy, CBD, Gravol and a Thundershirt all with some initial tiny success but not sustained. Now, with the vet's recommendation, we are now using a combination of low doses of Gabapentin and Trazadone for longer trips (over 3 hours or so). He is basically calm (no drooling or shaking but not completely stoned), although we do find it takes a little while to wear off at the end. I had one day recently where he rode in the back seat with his head out the window as happy as a clam and I have no idea why that one single trip was different, but it hasn't happened before or since. Any suggestions? Picture of the goofball in his normal happy state (no pics of sad traveller!)

We wish it went: SET A GOAL → ACHIEVE IT 🏆 …but in real life it looks more like: START 🐾 → DOUBT 😬 → FAIL 🤦‍♀️ → PRACTICE 🔄 → STRUGGLE 🥴 → GET IT 🎉 And that’s normal! Even with a plan, the winds can shift — your dog’s mood, your timing, or a new distraction out in the wild. 👉 What skill are you working on at the moment? 👉 Which “dot” are YOU on right now with your dog? (p.s. when I work with clients I often use a simple 3-phase approach to help protect your training while you’re out in the real world… more on that soon 😉) I might add a story about Cinnamon too ...

Harlan definitely has no trace of a retrieving instinct at all, and this has been one of the most challenging behaviours to shape with him, but also the most fun! I had purchased a costume for the dogs to wear which came with a magic wand, and I wanted to get some cute photos of the dogs for Halloween so I taught them both “hold it” using different methods. With Telka I would just offer the wand and she would take it. The holding part needed to be shaped but at least she had sense enough to grab it with her mouth! Harlan needed a different strategy. I sat on the floor with him with my big bag of treats and the clicker.. Harlan knows this means he has an opportunity to earn a premium wage so he immediately gets in the zone. I place the wand on the floor beside him and let him think…. He looks around the room.. eventually glancing in the direction of the wand *click and treat*. He wonders what he did to trigger the reward. He looks back in the direction of the wand. *click and treat* After a couple more times he realizes the wand and makes the connection.. he walks toward the wand *click and treat*. Bingo. he leans down to sniff the wand *click and treat*. He watches me as he nudges the wand with his nose. Is this what you want? No? What if I put my mouth around it? *click and treat* And quickly Harlan realizes what I am asking. It’s unnatural for him (he isn’t a toy motivated dog and doesn’t have a lot of interest in using his mouth to interact with things other than the voracious consumption of food) and it’s taken a lot of practice to get to the point where he will actually hold the item in his mouth and not just flail it around and launch it across the room. Practice, consistency and timing of our reinforcement is essential.

🔴 If you are ever in the community and see the LIVE button on — jump on in! It would be fun to talk to someone else 😛 I will try to at least post that I’m going to randomly go live but sometimes…. Today I was thinking about my client with dog Jenny. Senior couple in their 80’s with a 100 pound, one-year-old Labradoodle. What do you think the reason was for calling me? 😅 🧵 🪡