How to Deal with Car Sickness in Dogs

The first thing to realize when dealing with car sickness is that in 95 percent of cases it is stress related and not motion related. The most powerful memory imprint of any dog's brain is probably the car ride when it was taken away from all it ever new to be safe and secure, its litter mates and its mother. The most traumatic memory a young dog has is in relation to a ride in a car. So it's not surprising that subsequent rides in a car should evoke very strong mental and subsequent physical trauma.

The solution is very simple. If the dog has been sick in a car then estimate how long it was in the car before it was sick, say 20 minutes? Find a park about 5-10 minutes from home, preferably one just around the corner, even one within walking distance that the dog has been to before.... but this time drive there. Ideally have someone else in the car too, to soothe the dog and distract him from the ride. Keep him happy all the way to the park. When at the park do all the enjoyable things that the dog loves, fetch the ball, chase the Frisbee, frolic with dad, etc. The stay at the park doesn't need to be that long.... just as enjoyable as possible. Then drive the dog home soothing him all the way again and when home make just as much fuss of the dog as you did at the park. Finish the session with his meal or a treat if time and conditions permit.

This exercise is repeated several times a day or daily if time is limited. Once the dog is enthusiastic to go in the car then the length of the trip is lengthened slightly to 10-15 minutes etc. Once you can drive with the dog for 30 minutes with no signs of stress or anxiety then you have the problem pretty much licked. Some dogs may take a little longer than others. The idea is for as many happy repetitions as possible to overwrite the initial mental imprint the dog has from its youth (or whatever other event caused the initial trauma).

Food that are Potentially Dangerous to Dogs

There are some foodstuffs that humans relish which cause illness and death if eaten by pets.
Chocolate, macadamia nuts and onions are good examples. Each of these foods contains chemicals which rarely cause problems for humans, but for dogs, these same chemicals can be deadly.

• Chocolate toxicity
• Onion poisoning
• The danger of macadamia nuts
• Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning)
• Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
• Rhubarb leaves
• Mouldy/spoiled foods
• Alcohol - serious intoxications have occurred when dogs have been given alcohol to drink as a "joke". Also, dogs seem to be attracted to alcoholic drinks, so drinks should not be left unattended.
• Yeast bread dough - yeast from homemade bread produce alcohol-ingestion of raw yeast dough can result in serious alcohol intoxication. Additionally, there is a risk of bloat and gastrointestinal obstruction from the dough as it rises in the stomach.
• Coffee grounds, beans & tea - caffeine is a no-no for dogs, as it acts as a stimulant and can cause severe heart acceleration and seizures
• Hops (used in home brewing)
  Tomato leaves & stems (green parts): a Nightshade plant, tomatoes contain trace elements of nicotine, mostly concentrated in the leaves and stems
• Cooked Bones - bones become brittle in the cooking process and splinter when broken. These splinters have sharp edges that can rupture/puncture the stomach lining. Amongst the most dangerous cooked bones are ham bones, pork chop, chicken and turkey legs
• Raisins and grapes
• Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars

WHO IS WILLIE AND WHY IS HE A HERO?

Willie is a charismatic, affectionate, little dog. Perhaps a miniature poodle-mix, he has a squat body and a neck that is wider than his head, but he has a beautiful plumed tail and unforgettable twinkling brown eyes.
In 1994, Willie was on "death row" at an animal shelter in Kansas City. A friend of mine asked me for help in saving this dog from certain death. I hurried to reach the shelter prior to closing time, expecting to find a healthy poodle (my friend's description). What I found was a shock. I discovered a pathetic looking creature. The "death row" poodle was completely shaved which accentuated his flat head, stubby ears and long thin tail. He was gaunt and his eyes were incredibly sad. I double-checked the tag number on his cage and sure enough, he was the "poodle" I had come to "save." I wondered if I could love such a homely animal. Then something miraculous happened. Our eyes met and time was suspended as our souls connected. It was if we were lost soul mates who had just been reunited. I said out loud, "Well, I guess you're coming home with me."
For the first several days, I wasn't sure Willie would survive. He was weak from vomiting and diarrhea and his hauntingly forlorn eye said to me "I don't think I can take this anymore. I don't want to get attached to you and have to leave is this real, or will I be sent to 'death row' again?" Our first night together included a midnight trip to the pet hospital. Slowly Willie began to gain strength and his hair started to grow. But he didn't know how to play. With curiosity he would watch Napoleon, my oldest dog, play with his toys. Then one day, Willie gingerly picked up a doll in his mouth and began to shake it from side to side not with enjoyment, but mechanically as if teaching himself how to play. Soon Willie was fetching and shaking toys for sheer fun. Finally, the emptiness in his eyes was replaced with a sparkle. Within weeks, he had become part of my family. Within months he was healthy with soft shiny fur, an elegant feather duster of a tail and a traditional poodle topknot.
Willie had been found near the railroad tracks and the shelter workers had named him after the hobo singer, "Boxcar Willie." The name seemed appropriate, so I christened him "Wilhelm," or affectionately, "Willie." As time went by, I began to realize how fitting his name really was. He is outgoing, happy, and his enthusiasm for life is contagious. Now I say he was named after the great American humorist, Will Rogers, who said he never met a person he didn't like!
In 1996, Willie and I joined a non-profit organization that provides pet assisted therapy to people bound by physical or mental limitations in institutions. After training, Willie and I began a regular schedule of visiting a local psychiatric hospital/dorm for children. The impact Willie had on those struggling children was awesome. One day we met a tiny 9-year-old boy who was immediately drawn to Willie. The boy held Willie on his lap and gave him bear hugs that must have felt imprisoning, but Willie lovingly endured the child's desperate caresses. He took Willie for a walk and then he lay down on the floor and the two romped around like happy young boys. The hospital staff let the boy play longer with Willie than the allotted time. This was most unusual, but the reason was soon clear. Staff members told me that this child had been severely abused and had withdrawn into himself. He was incapable of expressing his feelings openly. Usually, he was very introverted and afraid to touch and be touched by others. Willie had broken through his shell of fear and had given him a few minutes of joy.
It wasn't so long ago that our society considered children like this "throw aways." Similarly, our society stood prepared to extinguish a beautiful dog's life who had the potential to contribute some good to this crazy, mixed up world. Through a stroke of fate, a little dog was spared from death and he has become a great humanitarian. He is Willie, my hero; Willie, the homeless dog that almost died; Willie, a little boy's friend.
In 1998, Willie was awarded the "Pet of the Year" for the state of Missouri for his work in pet assisted therapy.