Bernice
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The water pistol isn't working ...Tommy used to do excited barking in the car. The water spray worked so well with him - he stopped barking in the car at the first squirt, calmed down, seemed much happier in himself while we were driving through the countryside.
Now he has just started again - when we are on the way to the beach, forest etc. he realises the destination long before we get there and barks and barks and pants - when I use the water spray it has no effect. He works himself into such a state.
Apart from this he is a lovely dog - he comes back when we call him, is good with other dogs and well behaved in the house, walks well on the lead. He was one year old in January.
Any advice please...?
Bernice
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Mugi
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None of mine bark in the car, my weim tried it and realised her mistake when we turned round from the exciting place and went home again  .
Does Tommy go to boring places in the car?? If so does he bark or is he settled?
If he only barks when you are going to exciting places it might be worth looking at the other triggers he is getting as you prepare to go out.
My WSS used to get very stressed when I was going to work, after lookig at my routine he heard my toothbrush and realised he would be left  . I cleaned my teeth all the time whether going out or staying in and now he doesn't worry. In fact Freddy and Brice both recognise my work clothes and settle themselves to snooze the day away till I am home, they were less impressed when I was going beating as that was "Dog Clothes".
Mugi was apparently not a good traveller before he came here but he is very settled now, he loves the car and knows it means he might just get to a new place to hunt. He not only goes to nice places but he will come shopping with me (nice cool multi-storey) and stays in the car, Chase has been taught the same rules from Day 1, car can be fun but is is also a place to settle.
So, from all that waffle  , what I am asking is for some more info on his behaviour in the car on all journeys not just the fun ones.
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Bernice
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what I am asking is for some more info on his behaviour in the car on all journeys not just the fun ones
Thanks for your reply. Driving on the main roads he is quiet and settled. When we slow down he looks up to see where we are then back to sleep. The same if we put on the indicators. We can go into town shopping etc. no problem - he looks around and is interested in everything but calm.
When we are on the way to the beach, the forest etc. we don't mention where we are going but Tommy is getting to know the routes that we take and gets excited when we are a couple of miles from the destination. I swear he can recognise landmarks (and probably read direction signs but I know that's not possible ....  )
We have another dog (Judy an 11 year old springer) who also recognises where we are going but limits her reactions to restlessness and quiet whining - it's Tommy's high pitched barking that gets to me! Tommy is very attached to Judy and has always tended to watch her and copy what she does ......
The water pistol stopped all this for a few months but it's starting again.
Any comments or advice would be appreciated!
Bernice
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johnhod
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I think what Sue is suggesting is that you may be unconsciously giving him clues that you are going somewhere exciting. Do you wear particular types of clothing when going to exciting places, do you take a whistle, do you put boots in the car? Even though you don't say where you are going Tommy may be picking up on these pointers that you are going out to a fun place.
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Bernice
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I think what Sue is suggesting is that you may be unconsciously giving him clues that you are going somewhere exciting. Do you wear particular types of clothing when going to exciting places, do you take a whistle, do you put boots in the car? Even though you don't say where you are going Tommy may be picking up on these pointers that you are going out to a fun place
Yes, I had thought about that but sometimes we are in town shopping etc. and we decide (out of Tom's earshot...) to go on to the beach, forest etc. All calm until we are within a couple of miles of the destination and then he starts sniffing, looking around and then barking ... I'm sure he can smell the sea, the trees etc long before we can!
(The whistle, boots etc are always car)
The unconscious clues are the answer I'm sure, we don't mention "beach" "forest" etc. but something we do or in our attitude must set him off .....
Bernice
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mcelkek
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Bernice, I live by the sea and when I'm bring them home in a trailer from shooting etc. I hear them crashing about inside the trailer when I pull onto the coast road. They can't see any landmarks from my trailer so I guess you are right, they smell the sea. Can't help you with the barking I'm afraid as apart from the crashing about they are quiet.
What about a childs cap gun. A sharp noise might distract him from his barking enough that he might see enough sense to listen to you when you say QUIET!
Keith.
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Bernice
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I live by the sea and when I'm bring them home in a trailer from shooting etc. I hear them crashing about inside the trailer when I pull onto the coast road. They can't see any landmarks from my trailer so I guess you are right, they smell the sea. Can't help you with the barking I'm afraid as apart from the crashing about they are quiet.
What about a childs cap gun. A sharp noise might distract him from his barking enough that he might see enough sense to listen to you when you say QUIET!
That's worth a try! Our other dog Judy (English Springer 11 yrs old) has always liked to sleep in the well in front of the passenger seat when we are driving. As soon as we are near the sea or the forest she starts sniffing the air inlet - she can't see out from the well so she is working solely on smell. No doubt Tommy is developing this skill as well!
He is still young though, and apart from this he is well behaved and is friendly and not agressive. He has responded to other aspects of training so hopefully he will stop this behaviour...
Bernice
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Mugi
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I have to say that probably the only sure fire way of getting him to stop is to get him to learn that bark = no fun.
If the roads are suitable then I would try to stop as soon as he starts to bark and not move till he has settled again, carry this on until you arrive at your destination, share a flask of coffee and only when he is bored of waiting AND QUIET do you let him out for his run. If he persists in barking and you can't do the stop/start method you could just turn round and go home or leave him in the car while you walk Judy (even if you creep away in shame as he noise pollutes the whole of Brittany).
These are very bright dogs and he will soon get the message once he calms down enough to work out why he not getting a forest or beach run.
You may find that his barking gets worse as he gets frustrated but persevere through it and you should find you have a quiet lad and only a little minor reminder of a bark = stop = no run.
I have had to do similar with Chase about getting out of his crate at a destination. He used to bark and bark and bark while I was getting the others out. He couldn't figure out why he wasn't getting out on demand and only once he shut his gob was his crate opened. After a few embarrassed moments in car parks while I listened to his angry screams he learned to be quiet  .
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Bernice
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I'm going to try that - bark certainly = no fun for us ! I'll have to make sure we're on a traffic free road though...
When we arrive at the destination we don't let Tommy out of the car until he has stopped barking. He has accepted this so hopefully he will soon realise that being in the car means "no barking".
Bernice
PS I tried to post a photo but got message about "image has been deleted from myff gallery" - what does that mean?
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Bernice
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Tommy was better in the car yesterday. We tried to make the trip low key and "casual" - just went to the car and said "get in" to Tommy and Judy then drove straight off. He was good as gold until we were a couple of minutes away from the forest - much better. I also tried to be calm before and during the trip - usually I am edgy expecting him to bark. No doubt he can pick up on this ....
Early days I know but fingers crossed !
Bernice
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