Dog behavioral problem - can anyone help?

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

For about 8.5 years I've owned a black shelter dog named Marley. She was about 2 years old when I got her from the animal shelter. The shelter staff told me she had been abused before they got her and she spent some time wandering around as a stray before they got her.

She's the perfect dog, if not a little overly protective; she follows me everywhere, is quick to learn tricks, etc. She's pretty aggressive with strangers, but once she knows you she's submissive and docile.

My problem is in the car. I take her with me everywhere, but we keep running into one issue: Marley HATES anything that runs on diesel.

I don't know if it's the sound of the diesel engine that bothers her or the fact that most of the time a diesel engine belongs to a huge truck, but she HATES anything and everything that runs on diesel. She goes nuts; barking, growling, throwing herself against the side of the car. It's bizarre. Her rage is so focused and intense I can't believe she's the same sweet, sedentary dog I live with.

I've tried keeping her leash on in the car so I can pop her collar when she does this. I've tried yelling at her. Nothing seems to work, and there's only so much I can do since when this happens I'm inevitably driving the car.

Does anyone have a dog that does this? Or know of something I can do to fix Marley's problem? Any advice would be very appreciated!

[ree-Xi]

What would Cesar Milan say?

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

Not helpful.

[FSUZeta]

cesar milan was the first thing that popped into my mind too, ree-Xi. i think he is a miracle worker.

hdiapm, your dog's reaction makes me wonder if her abuser drove a truck and that is why she reacts in such a way when she hears a diesel engine. poor puppy!

do you use a pinch collar on her when she rides in the car with you? is she restrained in the car?

have you spoken to her vet about this?

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

cesar milan was the first thing that popped into my mind too

Same here.

First of all, you're going to have to train the dog not to fear the trucks (obviously), but you're not going to do that by sitting in the front seat yelling back at her while she flips out.

Question.. how aggressive does she get? Do you think she could potentially hurt someone while in this state? If so, I would suggest asking your vet or a trained professional for advice as to how to handle the situation.

The first thing you should do, though, is figure out what the real problem is. If there is any way to get a diesel engine sound on a CD, or to maybe play a video of trucks off of the computer, I would probably play it, and see if she has the same reaction. This way, you'll know if it's just the sound that bothers her. If so, it might be even easier to train her, as you won't have to do it while riding in the car.

But even if this is the case, I would bring the information to someone who knows how to train dogs, and ask them how exactly to go about the situation. Especially if you have no idea as to where to even start to fix the problem.

[icelandelf]

I thought of the Dog Whisperer as well. My thought is that she is having a reaction to the sound of the engine, the smell of the diesel fuel, or a combination of both.

(As an aside--We used to have a cat that would freak out when someone rang the doorbell. She loved people, but our guess was that there was a frequency in the door chimes that really upset her. She would run and hide, then come out after a little while and be perfectly happy.)

Good luck!

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by HotDamnImAPhiMu

Not helpful.

It's helpful if you watch the show or read his book - acclimating a dog to things to reduce anxiety, fear and anger towards a particluar object/person/entitiy.

It's a learning process for both the owner (pack leader) and dog (pack member).

Way to be snitty. I was trying to be helpful.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

Well, then thank you, ree-Xi.

I have one of Caesar Millan's books, but it's hard to apply to your own dog (especially in a situation where the problem isn't entirely clear.)

I talked to her vet about it (the vet is great) and the vet just laughed and said I can probably train her out of it.

A dog trainer would be awesome, but it's not in the financial cards for me right now or anytime in the near future. They're expensive! I used one right when I first got the dog. Effective, but expensive.

[PeppyGPhiB]

You could try bringing treats with you in the car and rewarding her whenever she's good. It might take a while but eventually she'll probably link the two.

Or, stop taking her with you everywhere. No need to do that probably, especially if car rides are upsetting her.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Or, stop taking her with you everywhere. No need to do that probably, especially if car rides are upsetting her.

I work long hours and my parents live the next town over, so I drop my dog off at their house every day. My dad's retired, so he's home during the day. Hey, it beats cooping the dog up in one room all day and forcing her to hold her bladder for 10 or 11 hours.

What I'm trying to say is she's still going to be in the car 10 times a week (5 days a week x 2 trips each day) no matter what I do. Although I could definitely cut down on the extraneous trips - the quick runs to the grocery store, the post office, etc.

[Tippiechick]

If it only happens in the car and no one is being hurt by it, just accept that it's eccentricity at its best. Popping her collar when she's excited and agitated is only going to make things much worse. It won't help you...

If it's really that big of a deal, and Cesar Millan doesn't float your boat, just have your vet prescribe some Acepromazine or Valium and dose her up 30-45 minutes before getting in the car. Seriously. The meds are not expensive. Cut out the unnecessary trips and just dose her lightly each way.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

Originally Posted by Tippiechick

If it only happens in the car and no one is being hurt by it, just accept that it's eccentricity at its best. Popping her collar when she's excited and agitated is only going to make things much worse. It won't help you...

If it's really that big of a deal, and Cesar Millan doesn't float your boat, just have your vet prescribe some Acepromazine or Valium and dose her up 30-45 minutes before getting in the car. Seriously. The meds are not expensive. Cut out the unnecessary trips and just dose her lightly each way.

This actually seems like great advice I'd be comfortable with.

I think I will check with the vet about the drugs. While the daily trips are too short to really warrant sedating her, I could REALLY use some chemical assistance for the next long car trip I have to take her on. That's a great idea, thank you.

[ree-Xi]

This is obviously a psychological issue.

Drugging him is not the answer.

If he is afraid of the sound, put music on in the car and if you can, pipe it to his area.

If he is afraid of the sight of the vehicles, get those baby shades so he can't see out the window he is sitting at.

While you're at it, get a doggy seatbelt to keep him in one corner.

Keep his favorite toy or blanket with him to keep him feeling "safe".

I strongly suggest trying to figure out how you can keep him at home instead of taking on these terrifying trips for him. He is obviously scared to death. Fearful dogs can act out in odd ways - ocd chewing, biting or nipping, agitation, etc.

Can you get a pet walker once a day? Maybe a teenager who can take him on a 10 minute walk for $5? Why do you have your parents watch him anyway? Do they enjoy it or did you plop it on their laps? Just wondering if you are leaving him over there just bc you haven't worked on a solution to keep from having to cart him everywhere. It can turn into a serious issue for the dog, and if it means you might have to spend less on something "extra" and do something that will help your dog, then you might have to make that sacrifice.

Quick story about fear and dogs. My friend's dog was petrified of thunder storms. After a bad summer, this dog had chewed his leg down to bone, destroyed furniture, went on anxiety and depression pills, and had a heart attack. There wasn't anything they could do to prevent storms (he hid in the bathtub during them), but you have a situation that might have an alternate solution.

[Tippiechick]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

This is obviously a psychological issue.

Drugging him is not the answer.

No, shit Sherlock. You think it's a psychological issue... Really?

She has stated she really isn't interested in behavior modification solutions. The next best thing would be to reduce the anxiety of the dog before it reaches the crazy level in the car.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Why do you have your parents watch him anyway? Do they enjoy it or did you plop it on their laps?

I answered this in my initial post. I have my parents watch the dog because I work long hours and it wouldn't be fair to the dog to coop her up in a room and expect her to hold her bladder for 10 or 11 hours.

My parents do enjoy it; they have two dogs of their own, so the addition of mine is really not a big deal. Plus, they like Marley.

The issue seems to be hearing the diesel engine, since it doesn't seem to matter what kind of vehicle is making the noise. And the noise is what perks her ears up in the first place. I'm not sure playing music at a volume loud enough to drown out street noise would be good for the dog. I know it'd be too loud for me.

Giving the dogs drugs for long car rides sounds like a good option to me. The dog isn't hurting herself or anyone else with her little tantrums; it's just annoying me. So accepting this as an eccentricity of hers means I tolerate the antics for short trips and I sedate the dog for longer trips where the dog could really get herself worked up.