Train my pup to jump into a car?

[manther21]

Lol, Parker refuses to jump in any car. I think he is afraid of them....

He has done it only a handful of times since we got him 5 months ago. I rewarded every time. Abby will get in first so he knows what to do.

I have tried using treats, running starts, jumping in myself. I'm at a loss. He will put his front feet on then just turn and look at me. I have even left him at home since he wouldn't get in.

Any suggestions? I'm not used to a pup that doesn't like car rides....

[KZoppa]

i had/have the same problem with Shasta. At first she was terrified of the cat because it made her sick. She hadn't had much experience with it. Now she enjoys rides but is unsure of how to go about getting into it. She really wants to. She whines and tries and she's getting a great deal better about it but still has trouble. I drive an Xterra so its pretty tall but she's even afraid of getting into our mustang and thats pretty low to the ground. It may be your pups size that is intimidating as they're not sure how to work so smoothly like adult dogs. They're clumsy and gangly. Shasta only recently discovered she can use the running board to get in the car. Only thing is i'm trying to teach her she can climb up onto the floor and THEN the seat but she insists on going straight to the seat. I encouraged her a few times a day for about a week before she finally started trying harder to get in on her own. BUT i also have to be standing between her and the door patting the seat encouraging her that she can do it. After she got over her initial issue getting in, i started treating for her being calm and relaxed. When she would just put her front feet up in the car, there would be a party. hope that gives you an idea. how old is your pup?

[doggiedad]

maybe he doesn't have the muscle
for it yet. you don't want him doing to much
jumping due to his age.

[manther21]

He is 7 months.

I have a hard time thinking it's muscle issues when I see him play and wrestle with my full grown GSD. (not sure if I mentioned, he's a GSD mix that we got from a rescue)

He will leap off our front porch and jump onto Abby. He bounces at the gate when I get home from work and will jump on the couch. I have a tahoe, but he wouldn't jump into my parents scion.

When he rides in the car he mostly lays down with his ears back.

[KZoppa]

sounds like the car makes him nervous. some dogs never grow out of it while others do. best you can do is work every single day on making just being around the car positive. after a couple weeks of that you move on to just getting the front feet in and throwing a party each time and work up until he's getting in the car on his own. When he's relaxed just sitting in the car, praise. ears up, praise.

[doggiedad]

playing with the other dogs and jumping off the porch
he's usuing different muscles. jumping into a Tahoe
is a big jump. when i said "maybe he doesn't have the muscle for it yet"
i don't think it's an issue to be worried about. i mean
they haven't developed yet.

Originally Posted by manther21

He is 7 months.

I have a hard time thinking it's muscle issues when I see him play and wrestle with my full grown GSD. (not sure if I mentioned, he's a GSD mix that we got from a rescue)

He will leap off our front porch and jump onto Abby. He bounces at the gate when I get home from work and will jump on the couch. I have a tahoe, but he wouldn't jump into my parents scion.

When he rides in the car he mostly lays down with his ears back.

[GSD Fan]

I agree with doggiedad. According to the books I am reading, at 7 months the dog is still developing.

[adamdude04]

Kick em in the butt. Arlo learned by 5 months to jump into the back of the SUV

[Uniballer]

Originally Posted by manther21

I have tried using treats, running starts, jumping in myself. I'm at a loss.

How about feeding him his meal in the car? This is a bigger reward than any treat. Obviously, you need to prevent a big mess in there...

[MaggieRoseLee]

I know Glory won't jump in on her own, same as your pup... she'll put her front feet in and then wait. Don't know if it's a combination of her not LOVING the car + me 'accidentally' teaching her that the way to get in is using me (I got her at 8 weeks so used to have to lift her in).

WHATEVER.... I don't want the car to be more of a stressor so I just pick her behind up abit so her rear feet are on the car frame and then she will scramble in.