Picture taken from www.puppydogweb.com
Like other dogs, Pug dogs too could experience fear and anxiety when seated in your car, but sadly not many people can understand the reason for such fears.
Perhaps they associates it with trips to the vet—not his favourite place.
OVERCOMING A FEAR OF CAR DRIVES
Fortunately, all the phobias and fears your pet is going through are eminently treatable through a lengthy desensitization process.
This will have to be done slowly and gently, with each step being taken slowly and surely over the course of a few days so that he begins to see a car drive as a non-threatening activity.
This apart, your Pug could also become sick while driving solely because he is frightened rather than suffer from motion sickness.
Reassure him that his fears are baseless. Next, get him accustomed to a car drive.
Begin by sitting in start out by just sitting in the car together and giving him a treat after a few minutes. Then, as he adjusts to sitting in your car, take him out for drives so short that your dog doesn’t feel car sick—so no drooling or vomiting.
Follow up each drive with a treat. Increase the length of the drive as he shows more confidence in your car until he begins enjoying himself.
Motion sickness: Your Pug may be very nervous of traveling in a car and as a result of his anxiety, may vomit. He may also vomit due to carsickness—due to the movement of fluids in his inner ear that trigger off nausea.
He may pant or salivate due to anxiety. If you are forced to take him with you despite his problem of carsickness, control his nervousness with tranquilizers.
This is particularly good if he suffers from motion sickness. In such a case, give him Dramamine or Acepromazine under your vet’s advice.
Once you find the right treatment, take him on a series of journeys to accustom him to trips by car.
You can get him used to car driven by feeding him all his meals in the car for the next few days or weeks before the date of journey. Do this initially with the car engine off and after a few days, get it running so he can get used to that too.
If his condition is severe, he may need your vet’s help. But if it isn’t severe, you can help him out of it by taking him on short drives that end in a park or at a stall where he can find something to eat.
Very gradually, increase the length of the drive until your Pug gains full confidence in car drives.
More support:
When your Pug dog is in the car, give him a treat.
Now, start the car, drive a short distance and then stop and give him another treat. Is she nervous? Reassure her everything is fine. When she is fully relaxed, end the session.
Now, once he gains a little confidence of driving with you a short distance, reverse the car into the end of the driveway. Then, go forward to the garage.
Let him get used to these smooth movements in opposite directions. If he responds with confidence, give him a treat and shower him with praise.
Keep repeating until he gains completely mastery over this and is no longer fearful of car drives. There will come a time when he will regard the car as a great place to get several treats in one short drive.
If he is confident of driving with you, why not show him off to the neighbourhood?
With characteristic treats to start the fun time, reassure him on the way, stopping by for another treat and dose of praise.
Very slowly, increase the distance you drive with him and watch that he doesn’t begin to nervous as you drive further away from home.