barking in car excessively

[sallyann]

Koota is 2yrs.old and barks and runs uncontrolable through the car and works himself to the point he can't stop panting.

[MikeC]

Hi Sally,

Try crating him. We have a special crate for Duffy when he is the car. He would do the same thing as Koota. This crate fits in the back seat of the car, and there is enough room for him to lay down and turn around in it. He still barks, but at least he is not running around and attempting to jump over the seats. Hope this helps.

MikeC

[Milopup]

I put my pup in a plastic travel crate in the car.

I tried a couple of things before the crate, but they did not work. I tried to let him be free, since everyone else I know lets their pups sit in the car with no problems, but it took 30 seconds for him to jump from passenger seat to dashboard to gearshift to my lap. Next I tried the soft carrier, but the lil guy figured out how to unzip the bag from the inside ( :!: ) and proceeded to run around the car trailing his bag (since his collar was attached to the bag). Good thing he had the bag to slow him down since we were on the highway when he pulled his Houdini!

[toomanypaws]

Sallyann,

Like any breed, I think each cairn is different. I thought my 3 yr old cairn would be my driving buddy, but she goes into hysterics when I drive across a bridge. If she's crated, she's fine. My almost 10 mth old cairn not only acts uncontrolably, but she throws up if I take any back roads w/ too many turns. I thought I was finally safe w/ her staying on the smooth roads until I hit one gravel area and up came her entire meal. Now, my 4 mth old LOVES the car and LOVES driving w/ me when I take and pick up my dd (daughter) from school. I put her in the front seat and fasten her harness to a leash which I wrap around the arm chair so she won't fly forward if I stop fast. She usually just lays on the front seat or sits looking at me. I can even get out to gas up the van and she never even moves from her seat. She's been to many stores w/ me and loves to ride in the cart at Target and Home Depot. I can't imagine trying that w/ my other two. I'm not by any means suggesting getting another cairn until one rides nicely w/ you in your car, I'm just giving my opinion that I think each cairn is different and some find riding in a car pure joy while others find it to be horror, maybe a feeling of being confined.

[kayharley]

I tried so many different restraining devices that Petco had a return authorization all set up for me every time I bought one

I do have one of those cat/dog crates that is only open in the front but has vents all around it. Madison hates it. What I came up with works for me although it may not be the safest approach.

I took a leash and secured it to one of the headrests in my back seat (front seat is so dangerous especially if your car has air bags) I adjusted the length so she can easily see out the window and has some room to move around the seat (can even jump up and kiss the back of my neck) but can't go any farther. I also made sure she couldn't get half way to the floor and choke and she can't get tangled up in anything like some of the seat belt restraining devices I tried.

I put a dog bed on the seat and it works wonderfully for us. My older Cairn is a dream in the car. Just sits there and eventually falls asleep.

Of course they bark when someone goes by but I usually get smiles and questions as to what kind of dogs they are.....sometimes I just say "naughty ones".

[CarCarDawn]

Hi! Kayharley - - - we pretty much do the same thing with Riley. Most of the restraining devices available do not keep "Houdinis" secure enough. Riley always heads to the back seat of my car and lies down on his special blanket - - he stays put for most of the duration of our trip - - getting up once in a while to gaze out of the window - - -can't miss a thing, you know!!!!

[Eliz222]

My two are very good in cars. Scout loves to look out the window, but after a few minutes she is laying down on the seat. Finch is too short to look out the window yet, so she goes to sleep almost as soon as the car starts!

Now, barking (while not in the car) is another whole story! Finch just loves to bark...at anything!

[sallyann]

Hi everyone-guess what I went out to buy supplies for Labor Day and when the man helped me put the stuff in the back of my suv-Koota jumped at him and at hit chest hit his shirt without breaking the skin.Is that normal for a male cairn terrier?I had a Dobie for 15yrs. and she died of old age-but I've never had a male friend until Koota came along and I rescured him from a shelter. I am so inlove with this boy but he's driving me insane.Sallyann-sassychef@netzero.net

[fancypants]

Once we drove from New Brunswick to Toronto - a 14 hour drive (not counting stops) and Emma stood up the entire journey. She could not be persuaded to lie down!

[Guest Jenny seymore]

My Cairn (Munchee) doesn't have a problem in the car as much as she does in the house. She just gets up and starts barking at anything and everything. I love her to death, but I can't stand her excessive barking. She also has a problem when someone comes over.. she constantly is jumping on top of everyone. I have no idea what I should do, for she is my first dog. She is 2 years old, I thought this would go away with age, but it doesn't seem to be.

[kayharley]

Winnie is 11 and is just like your Munchee. Sometimes she'll hear a car go by and start barking for absolutely no reason. No matter how many times I say "Quiet" or "Knock it Off" in the tone that says I mean business, she'll just continue until she gets it out of her system. Makes me crazy sometimes but that's one thing I can't change so I accept it. She is such a good dog in all other aspects.

Madison, 1 year, only barks when there is actually something going on. Sometimes it's amazing how she can hear a squirrel 100' away munching on a acorn. But she's a terror where Winnie is calm and easy going. It all balances out.

[CallisMom]

I was going to try out one of the car seatbelt restraining devices but since we were going to be flying with Calli I wanted her to get used to the carrier she would be using. (We go away almost every weekend.) I used that for the car to get her used to it and now I keep the carrier in the car all the time. That is where she resides whenever we go anywhere, whether it be 5 minutes or 5 hours . . . the handle can be tethered to the seatbelt in case of an accident and I know that if I open the door or one of the kids opens the door - she won't be bolting out. I keep a stuffed toy and a chew toy inside - mainly for comfort more than anything else. Sometimes I will hear a squeak so I know she is playing with it. We have driven quite a ways with her and she doesn't mind it at all. BUT if we drive anywhere without putting her in it (like a 5-10 minute drive up the road) she drives us crazy - the panting, she has to go to EVERY window - and she ALMOST jumped out the window once while we were driving!

[Guest posting as: osuvicki]

Grace lays down in the car on the front seat where she can have the air conditioning vents blowing in her face. It is in the evening in the house that she barks like crazy. She lays in her favorite window and watches the other dogs walk by on the sidewalk....and then barks and runs from window to window out of control. I try and pick her up to look out the door and tell her to not bark...and then she squirms and cries and whines and howles...and when the other dog is out of sight...she lets out 3 or 4 loud sighs. Like she is says..."dang. Another one got away!" I hope she grows out of this......