The dog just won't lie down

[Life Without Whine]

Please talk with your veterinarian. Some nutriceuticals may be not in your pet's best interest and may actually cause serious side effects (some mentioned above I have personally treated life threatening problems as a veterinarian when people think things are safe that actually are not)
A pet that won't lie down may not only be anxious but actually developing a form of dementia. Zylkene, Composure, Sollequin, Adaptil..... many options depending on length of travel and expectations.
Hear is a great website where you can look up almost any pet's medical issue and medicines while reading this article on Car ride anxiety

https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/de...39&id=10052310

[ppine]

Your dog does not need drugs. He needs behavior modification.

[Mr Towed]

Originally Posted by poihths

Dealing with a middle-aged dog that insists on remaining on her feet anytime the RV is in motion. She won't sit, she won't lie down, she will stay on her feet until the RV stops, even for many hours. She will totally exhaust herself if we let her. How can we help her? What has worked for you?

I’ve been reading all the other responses and there’s lots of good tips and experiences shared. Quick question I had. Is this RV new to this dog, or has it been in this situation in the past without these issues? So my question is, is this new behavior that wasn’t an issue in the past, or is it a new situation that she is reacting to?

[poihths]

Both the dog and the humans are new to RVs.

[Lolastruck]

I volunteer for a husky rescue and we have had 2 deaths this summer where a pup who loves his car rides got in the car without the owners knowing. One was unloading groceries and one loading for a trip. They shut the door with tragic results. So if your fur baby loves the car, just like with kids, always check the seat especially if they seem to be missing.

[RussL]

My JRT, Bubba used to just stand there on the center console with his rear feet on the rear seat. Guess he thought he was driving. After enough of that, he would eventually just curl up and sleep. Samantha, our lab just laid down on the back seat and napped.

Never had a problem with barking from any of my dogs, although, when I slow down and or stop for a light, My lab Simba will sit up to see what is going on. He only barks at pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycles. Just his thing.

No drugs, but they all started riding early.

[CharlesRayside]

You don't want to medicate the dog and you should take him/her with you, they love it. I fixed a number of dogs with the same issue. My son's, mothers and a good friend. The dog is anxious because it thinks it's in charge, (The Pack Leader) and it doesn't know how to control all the things it sees and smells going down the road, but believes it's his/her job. If you have seen the dog whisperer you've seen the solution. It's not snake oil, it's factual dog behavior. Try making the dog sit every time you take it through a doorway, outside, back inside etc. It must wait for you to go thru and call it in. When your walking the dog, make it walk just behind you, short leash and keep your arm back so your leading. These are REAL BIG signals for dogs. They always want to lead and will try to lead but it's your job to lead. Once he/she gets use to that when your driving the dog will be a follower and lay down and sleep because it KNOWS your in charge. It works, and works with just a few days of change. My mothers dog would flip out riding in the car with her and pace back and forth for 750 miles. I took the dog and pushed this on it for 1 days before I took the same trip to bring her the dog, it slept the entire trip. It was at peace because she knew I was the boss.
Give it a shot before drugs and dog sitting. It will be a different dog. Watch some Dog Whisperer reruns, it will be clear when you see it in video. May try YouTube too.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by poihths

Both the dog and the humans are new to RVs.

It might be that the dog is picking up on your worries about being new to rving. If there's any way you can ride near where the dog is strapped in to reassure him, that would be a temporary solution. Then once he's traveled for a bit, he'll probably settle down.

[NWishome]

Our dog also would not lie down in the car! Finally on the 3rd cross country trip towing our Trailer she lay down as we approached Auburn WA! Was fine after that!

[mnoland30]

Too late now, but starting dogs out in the vehicle as puppies really helps. Years ago, I got my German shepard puppy 300 miles from home. He sat happily in my lap for many many miles. He hated it as he got bigger and had to sit in the middle.

Another way to assert dominance over a dog is to turn it on its belly and hold it by the throat and growl. That is how the dogs do it.

Teaching a dog to heel (notice it isn't called toe) is easy with a short leash and a brushy branch. Just hold the branch just in front of where you want the dog to walk while keeping a tight leash and repeating the word "heel". I trained a 150 lb. rottweiler in 2 days. He had been trained to pull racing carts, and the first run I took him on was the fastest 3 miles I ever ran.

My current dog, Suki, was called pukey Suki when we first started taking her on trips. She was a rescue, so missed out on the puppy rides. I found that just like humans, she did better if she could see out. She is fine now, and we take her everywhere. When she gets up and starts pacing, I know it is time for a bathroom break.

All 3 of our dogs wait by the truck when they see us packing. We have left Suki with my daughter a few times, and they tell us she sits by the gate the entire time waiting for us to return. I don't leave her unless i absolutely have to.

[Cost4133]

one of our pups is similar to this. He feels the need to look out the window, and there are no windows low enough for him to see out of. Ended up putting the couch down into a bed, and putting his bed on top of it and he can see out of the window while laying down. At 13 (german shepherd) he is definitely an old man and standing for hours was taking a toll on him.

[Chuck_S]

If we had this problem I'd consult with our veterinarian before taking Dr. Google or Dr. Amazon medical advice.

Maybe we're lucky but none of our dogs have this behavior. Current pack is miniature Dachshunds x3. We're towing with an Expedition, not a motorhome, so the room for them is the covered second seat. Dog "hammock" keeps them from falling on the floor. The same beds they use at home fit there nicely as well as their blankies. They do want to look out the windows especially in city traffic and the main danger is them opening the door windows by standing on the switches so I need to remember to lock out those switches. Lord help any highway patrol policeman or toll collector approaching our window!

-- Chuck

[HelG]

Originally Posted by frozen

Our new (rescued) dog makes us crazy when traveling; won’t stop moving and whimpering. Tried “calming chews”, then prescription with poor results. Recently bought hemp oil for dogs. We’re still finding the correct dose, but it works. Scientific background isn’t good yet but there are claims that it also helps with joint health. Evidently non-addictive.We got ours through Amazon but even our local fleet store sells it.

The answer to the question about addictiveness lies in the content of THC or the absent of it. THC is the substance that makes the high (and thus leads to addiction even if users like to deny that). Dog chews shouldn't have THC but only the beneficial CBD. CBD has a calming effect and also some anti-inflammatory properties.

Back to the dog. My proposal is to make traveling something exciting. Pedal backwards, start afresh. If your dog is food driven, going into the camper means a treat. Drive a little. Positive excitement... a treat. That's how I got our dogs to travel with us, although one of them still is not the happiest camper, but she's on the right path.
Or do the calming route... CBD is a good way. ANd yes, a crate may be an excellent tool.

Curious, what did you try, what did you decide on?

[poihths]

Originally Posted by HelG

Curious, what did you try, what did you decide on?

At this point, things are somewhat up in the air. The dog's owner, one of the co-owners of the RV, will not be traveling in the RV again until September, due to commitments to other activities. Due to travel times, locations, activities, and other logistics--the dog lives in one place, the RV lives in another--it really isn't practical to attempt a lengthy behavior modification program. Calming agents don't seem to induce enough improvement, although there is room for further experimentation.

On the one hand, it does not seem right to force the dog to do something that it doesn't want, doesn't like, and finds stressful. On the other hand, there are known available housesitters who will take excellent care of the dog in its own home environment and do a perfectly fine job of it at manageable cost. That may turn out to be the most humane and least stressful option for canines and humans alike.