Eleven types of canine car concern

The problem

We all dream of being able to take our dog in the car without any drama. Trips to the beach, hiking in the mountains, playdates and vet care all become accessible when our dog is a good traveller.

But what happens when they’re restless or unsettled?

Many dogs struggle with travel. Whether it’s a dog who gets sick at the very thought of a trip in the car or a dog who barks in over-excitement out of the car window at anything that moves, journeys can be a bit of a nightmare.

Plus, it can be really hard to tell exactly what’s going on with our dogs.

Frustration, fear, motion sickness and excitement all play a role in why journeys with our dogs may be challenging than we’d hoped.

The Solution

The biggest challenge of helping our dogs feel more relaxed in the car is rooted in the fact that one solution will not work for all.

It makes sense when we think about it.

Giving motion sickness tablets to a dog who’s simply excited to be heading off on their favourite walk is destined to fail.

But the other solutions we may have encountered on the internet may also cause us problems if they don’t address the struggles our dog is facing. We need solutions that address their specific concerns. It’s not just about understanding whether their concerns are caused by frustration, anxiety or sickness. We also need to understand that solutions need to be tailored to our individual dog.

Much of the advice out there focuses on desensitisation and counterconditioning.

Desensitisation is a term used by dog trainers to describe approaches designed to help dogs get used to being in the car. It uses gradual exposure to the car in the hopes of helping them feel more relaxed.

Counterconditioning is a term used to describe therapeutic approaches that pair up travel with the things that dogs enjoy in life. That might mean pairing car trips up with things our dogs enjoy, like hikes or playdates. Some trainers may also try to pair up car trips with food.

Sometimes these are paired together. Gradual exposure to being in the car is paired with pleasant events that follow.

These approaches can be effective with puppies who have had a negative reaction to their first couple of trips. They can also work with older dogs who have had one or two mildly unpleasant experiences.

Unfortunately, they simply don’t work wih a lot of dogs. Or, they don’t work at first. We may need to do some groundwork first.

Finding more powerful solutions

Exposure-based approaches like desensitisation and counterconditioning are not always appropriate for us. Sometimes, they simply won’t work. At other times, they can make things much worse, even though we intend for them to improve our dogs’ lives.

They are unlikely to work with adolescent dogs, for example. They’re also problematic if our dogs have untreated health problems. The same is true if they had health concerns for some time before they were treated, and they were beginning to find journeys increasingly unpleasant. Exposure-based approaches are also unlikely to succeed where there is a high level of frustration.

Desensitisation and counterconditioning are highly problematic if our dog had an extremely impoverished early life experience or if they experienced a traumatic event. Sadly, dogs who grow up in environmental deprivation simply don’t learn the motor skills they need to cope with cars. Putting them in the car or asking them to get in won’t give them the physical skills they’ll need to cope with the journey. Likewise, if our dogs suffered a traumatic event related to the car. Subsequent exposure to the car can be just as traumatic.

Finding the right solution depends on us understanding our dog’s behaviours. There are eleven common reasons dogs may struggle in the car. When we can identify the reasons why our dog finds car travel challenging, finding the right solution gets much easier.

Which one of these eleven dogs does yours most resemble?

1. The Frustrated Dog

This dog learned early on that car trips meant ALL the good things. As far as they’re concerned, car trips are like the Lapland Express transporting them directly to their own Christmas Wonderland. But the longer car journeys go on, the more frustration there can be.

We tend to see a lot of barking and busy behaviour for the frustrated dog. Often, they’ll start barking or jumping up and down the moment you even think about touching your car keys. That might reduce a little once you’re in the car, but if the journey seems to be taking a long time or they notice landmarks that predict where you’re going, they’ll start barking again. They might even bark when you indicate, if you brake or if you turn.

As you arrive at your destination, any kind of delay can cause problems. There, we might expect to see barking, attempts to escape or even destruction. If you hesitate for a minute to let them out, they’re likely to really struggle.

Journeys home can be a little quieter, but not always.

2. The Trigger Safari Dog

Whether your dog whines or barks at things outside the car because they’re concerned by them or because they are frustrated doesn’t really matter: driving anywhere is a nightmare if your dog barks at things they see, feel or hear. We call these things ‘triggers’ because they are the trigger that causes a response. That can be an almighty fury or it could be all kinds of frustration because our dog can’t do the things they want to do.

These dogs tend to be a little quieter on the road if there’s nothing to bark at. If they start barking the moment they see, feel or hear a trigger, it may take them some time to stop. Some dogs are responsive to visual triggers. They’re likely to bark at people, other animals or things that are moving. Typically, they might bark at cyclists, joggers or people with pushchairs or wheelbarrows. They could also bark at other dogs they see passing by. Sometimes they might bark at livestock or wildlife that they catch sight of out of the window.

Taking a ride in a car is simply a safari jeep taking them through the neighbourhood in search of things to bark at. Often, these dogs struggle with the same kinds of things outside the car, though not to the same extent. They may get more agitated simply because their arousal levels are higher in the car and they are less well able to control themselves.

3. The Generally Anxious Dog

Both the trigger safari dog and the frustrated dog probably exhibit the same behaviours outside of the car. We can think of them as having generalised sensitivity to moving or auditory stuff, or generalised frustration. It’s always a good idea to complete the Lighten Up Frustration Assessment and the Lighten Up Sensitivity & Responsiveness Survey

They are certainly not the only two types of dog with concerns that go beyond the car. Dogs who struggle with anxiety, avoidance or hesitation may also struggle in the car too.

Sure, there are many things in the car that might bother an anxious dog. There are many unusual noises and physical sensations. Our dogs may also be concerned about motion sickness or any other form of unpleasant sensation that follows. But our first question should always be whether the dog experiences any kind of anxiety in other situations. For dogs who never expect surprising rewards or pleasure in life, it is little wonder they also struggle in the car.

4. The Motion Sick Dog

While it may seem easy to identify the dog who experiences motion sickness, this is not always the case. After all, if we are depending on visible signs of sickness or diarrhoea, we may not even know that our dog is experiencing motion sickness. It’s also difficult at times to identify whether it’s anxiety that is causing discomfort or whether it is motion sickness alone.

Not only that, motion sickness refuses to live in a neat little box. It is often entwined with anxiety or feelings of being trapped, especially since our dogs are unable to regulate their motion sickness in ways they may normally do.

Many motion sick dogs had early lives that did not give them opportunity to integrate sensory information. Some also have sensitive vestibular systems that make them more susceptible to the conflict that passive transport causes. Dogs who do not have the space to move, to tumble or to move across unstable surfaces between three to six weeks may struggle with motion sickness more than others. Coping with passive transport is also about having experience of it so that our brains can integrate conflicting sensory information.

5. The Dog Who Is Sensitive To Handling

Not all dogs can get into our cars without handling. We may need to lift them or give them a boost. This is especially true in societies that are moving to large SUVs or trucks. It can be very difficult for dogs to get in or out without an assist.

But not all dogs are comfortable with us doing that. It can be the only time we ever really need to handle them, and sometimes they may not have much experience of it. After all, being lifted can leave us feeling powerless. Trying to lift an excited dog into a car isn’t always easy, either. Door ways can be narrow and it involves a lot of looming over the dog, which they can find unpleasant.

Dogs are, after all, adult animals. They have opinions about being manipulated. Just because they enjoy the things that occur at the other end of the journey does not mean that they enjoy being lifted or boosted into the car. This can be very noticeable if your dog plays ‘catch me!’ games when you open the car door.

6. The Dog Who Does Not Want To Get Out

Some dogs struggle being assisted or helped into the van; other dogs struggle on the way out.

This can often be related to the destination. It’s not particularly surprising that a dog might not want to get out of the car if they see the next thing that will happen will be distressing or unpleasant. For instance, seeing the vet surgery, groomer or daycare can be a powerful reason to stay put for a dog who does not like these events.

Sometimes, it relates to arrivals back at home too. Sometimes, this is a result of frustration that the good stuff has ended. For a dog who doesn’t want their metaphorical Christmas to end, you can understand why getting off the Lapland Express on the return journey might not be something they want to do. Researchers call this a negative contrast effect, that animals (including dogs and humans!) don’t like to transition from the good stuff to the bad.

At other times, this can relate to handling. Getting in to the car is a lot easier to accept an assist, especially for dogs who enjoy going out in the car. If you’ve arrived at home, however, it can be much more difficult to get the dog out of the car. The space can also be very narrow, which can be offputting.

7. The Dog Who Can’t

The first question we might want to ask of a dog who is reluctant or hesitant to get into the car, especially if newly adopted, is whether they can, in fact, get in or out.

That can seem like a strange thing to say, especially for a big dog. Getting into the car seems like it should be something they should be able to do. But for dogs who did not experience jumping up and jumping in as younger dogs, sometimes they act as if they simply can’t. It’s about coordination and volitional movement.

One of the easiest checks for this is how the dog gets up onto the bed or onto a couch.

Seeing a dog who seems willing, approaching the car, even lifting their front legs in or trying to hop up, if they are not the kind of dogs who can get on a couch, they may not have learned how. If they’re unsure how stable the surface is or if the space is narrow, that can also make them anxious about the safety of jumping up.

Previous owners may also have punished the dog for getting up onto the couch or into the car. This can also make dogs more hesitant about jumping up onto seats.

8. The Conflicted Dog

Not all frustration is about being made to wait. Frustration is also about motivational conflict.

Motivational conflict is simply the issue of having two incompatible goals. When that happens, we tend to notice six different types of behaviour. That can include vacillating between approaching and avoiding the car, or simply standing still or sitting in place. If in doubt, do nothing. It can also include behaviours that seem unrelated to either escaping or getting in the car – things like going for a sniff or a wee. We might also expect to see involuntary behaviours like yawning, sneezing and even urination. Redirected behaviour, disconnected behaviour and displacement behaviour are all other ways we might see motivational conflict in our dogs.

This usually comes from having two goals. For instance, a dog might want to go for a walk, but might not like getting in the car. They might also really like being with us as their social group, but dislike the car. Or they want to do as we’ve asked them simply because we’ve asked them, but they don’t like what it is they’re being asked to do.

9. The Territorial Dog

Territorial behaviour is perhaps the most widespread canine behaviour. All dogs, no matter what their breed or background, can be concerned about people or animals approaching home turf. This behaviour is remarkably well preserved across dog breeds and types no matter what behaviours or body types we have purposely selected for.

Some dogs also behave in territorial ways around the car.

This makes sense when we think about it.

The car is little more than a portable home. Why should they feel comfortable with people approaching it if they are afraid those people might get too close?

Usually, dogs who are territorial in cars are often territorial in other familiar locations too. We often find that they struggle with visitors or they struggle to accept people coming into their home turf. This does not always look like barking and growling: some dogs show a lot of motivational conflict around visitors to the home.

But not all dogs who are territorial in the car are territorial in the home. Perhaps they learned not to be territorial in the home. After all, the people we invite into our homes are usually decent human beings. Most are friends or people we know well. But the same is not true with the car.

Not only that, the car makes it incredibly difficult for a dog to create distance. If they are concerned about strangers or unfamiliar dogs, they may find it very difficult to be held in place by the car itself, unable to move away.

As with all territorial behaviour, it is also important to consider whether the dog has generalised concerns about people. Sometimes, being in the car is simply making those concerns more obvious. It may be stoking the fires of stranger danger.

10. The Dog With A Traumatic Learning Experience

Life has a way of teaching us powerful lessons. These lessons are even more powerful when they connect to potentially harmful situations. If these situations are filled with uncertainty, arousal, pain, fear or panic, they are very easy to remember.

Sometimes, these situations occur by accident. They are especially likely to cause traumatic learning if they occur when the individual is inexperienced in that situation. The more experience our dog has with cars, for instance, the less likely they will be to remember it.

For a young dog who hasn’t had much experience of cars or passive modes of transport, to be trapped in a car can cause learning that only requires a single event. Having a car crash or being transported away from the family group can be precisely the kinds of events that can cause lasting impacts on dogs.

The same is true for dogs who have been hit by a car. It’s not very surprising that they would therefore be upset about going near to cars, let alone getting in one.

Some people adopt dogs who have previously lived as free-roaming dogs. Some of these dogs can be captured in highly distressing situations using nets, cages and catchpoles. They are then transported to a vet or shelter. The next time they encounter passive transport may be when they are transported long distances to their new home, again under coercion and distress.

Ultimately, for some dogs, they have learned that they cannot escape when they are trapped in a car. This can cause dogs to become extremely distressed or even panic.

11. The Dog With Expectations

Some dogs have experienced trauma around the mode of transport itself. Others learn because of what follows the car. In other words, their concerns are not about the car itself but what happens after.

Sometimes, that can be really good stuff. When walks, playdates or good times follow a journey, the journey itself comes to create the same feelings as the good stuff itself.

Sometimes, that can be bad stuff. If your dog dislikes walks, playdates, grooming or vet visits, the journey then comes to create the same feelings as the bad stuff.

Expectations can relate to thinking the good stuff will follow; it also includes relating to thinking bad stuff will follow. If dogs think good stuff will follow, it can lead to a lot of excitement, joy and even frustration. If dogs think bad stuff will follow, it can cause anxiety and fear. Expectations of experiencing motion sickness can also add to a dog’s anxiety about passive travel.

In summary

These eleven dogs characterise the majority of ways a dog might struggle in the car. Our first job is understanding the dog’s unique blend of behaviours. That helps us understand why they are struggling as well as understanding what to do about it.

When we understand why our dogs are struggling, it makes it much easier to select training approaches that are most likely to resolve their problem. It can even affect the choice of medication or pharmaceutical support we choose too.

Should we want our dogs to feel relaxed in the car, we need to select specific solutions that match their concerns. If we don’t, our interventions will likely miss the mark completely.

If you would like to learn more, I will be hosting a live 2h webinar on Thursday 30th April 2026 at 6pm BST/UTC+1. You can find more details here.