January 30, 2025 • 10 mins
Teaching your dog to ride quietly in the car is an achievable goal that benefits you and your dog. Understanding the reasons behind your dog’s barking and implementing consistent training techniques can create a more peaceful and enjoyable experience for everyone. With time, your car rides will transform from chaotic to calm, allowing you to focus on the journey while your dog relaxes.
Follow us on social media
Instagram @BAXTERandBella
Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool
YouTube @BAXTERandBella
Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips!
Check out our FREE resources!
Join our membership here.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
On today's episode, we are talking about barking in
the car.
We've talked about barkingbefore, but not specifically on
what to do when your dog isbarking and you are driving.
That can be tricky.
Let's talk about it today.
Welcome to the Puppy TrainingPodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Bella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
(00:24):
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hello everybody, welcome to thePuppy Training Podcast.
(00:46):
I'm so glad you're here.
Today.
We are talking about barking inthe car, because what do you do
when you're driving down theroad and you're also trying to
train your dog?
That can be tricky.
You're not alone if youstruggle with this.
Car rides can both be enjoyablebut also challenging, and some
dogs adapt quickly to theexperience, while others become
(01:07):
overly excited or maybe your dogis stressed about this.
Often, this results inexcessive barking.
So barking in the car candistract you as the driver or
whoever else is driving.
It can cause stress foreveryone because you're in a
small, confined space and it'sloud, and it can even escalate
into some unsafe situations,which nobody wants.
The good news is that withpatience, consistency and the
(01:29):
right techniques that we'regoing to talk about today, you
can teach your dog to ridequietly in the car and enjoy the
journey.
Now let's first start out withwhy dogs bark in the car.
If we can understand why ourdog is doing this behavior, that
is our first step to addressingand changing that behavior.
Here are a few common reasons.
(01:50):
Number one is excitement.
Dogs often associate car rideswith exciting destinations such
as the park or a friend's house.
I like to load Baxter and Bellaup in my car.
We head to Elkridge Park.
It's about a mile from my houseand we get to go on a big long
go sniff walk.
So they get really excited whenit's time to get in the car for
that.
Number two would be an anxiety.
(02:11):
Some dogs don't necessarilylove motion and the ride in the
car can be stressful.
Maybe they feel sick, or maybeit's just unfamiliar, or maybe
they're anxious about where theyare going because it's
unpredictable if you go a lot ofplaces.
Number three would beterritorial behavior.
Dogs might start to perceivetheir car similar to their house
(02:32):
or their home or their backyard, where it's their domain, and
so if they see people or animalsor things outside the window,
they might feel a need toprotect it.
And the last one, number four,is boredom.
A lack of mental stimulationcan lead dogs to bark because
it's a way of entertainingthemselves.
So some dogs might bark out thewindow and realize, hey, this
(02:53):
is really fun, this isentertaining.
I think I want to keep doingthis.
Identifying that root cause canthen help us address it
appropriately.
For example, if your dog hasanxiety in the car, we're going
to handle that differently thanif your dog is barking out of
boredom.
The whole overall goal is thatwe help our dogs feel safe and
calm in the car, a place wherethey can relax, that they're not
(03:17):
on duty, they don't have toprotect anything and they also
don't need to be stressed aboutthe situation.
Here are some things you can doto teach your dog to ride
quietly in your car.
Number one we're going to startwith basic training.
Before addressing the barking,let's make sure that your dog
knows basic things like sit,stay and quiet.
If you have some cues that theyunderstand what they mean we
(03:39):
can then generalize them to thecar ride.
These actions form thefoundation of good behavior and
can be reinforced during cartraining.
Make sure you practice these athome and then you increase to
more difficult situations suchas the car, once your dog
understands the basics.
I wouldn't start by trainingthese things in the car, of
course.
We're going to start, as we do,with all of the basics here at
(04:02):
Baxter and Bella in a nice,quiet, non-distracting area and
then, as our dog gets better atthem, we want to practice them
in all different locations,including your car.
The next one would befamiliarize your dog with the
car.
So if your dog is new to thecar rides or maybe they show
some of that anxiety that wetalked about, we want to spend
time acclimating them to yourvehicle without going anywhere.
(04:24):
In fact, I encourage you tostart by letting your dog sit in
your parked car with the engineoff.
Gradually you can progress toturning the engine on, taking
short drives just down the blockor around the block and back.
Use some food, rewards andpraise to create positive
associations.
When you're sitting in thatparked car and it's off, that's
a perfect time to pull out yourdog's favorite chew or bone and
(04:47):
let them relax on the seat.
I would sit in the back seatwith them.
I'd read a book, check myemails, do some kind of quiet
activity, while they just learnto relax and chew on something
that they enjoy.
That will help them feel betterinside the car.
Next let's talk about crates andharnesses.
These things can help your dogfeel safe and secure in the car.
(05:09):
So if your dog's nervous aboutthe car because of the motion,
maybe they're not so settled ontheir feet.
Having them harnessed into adog bed type carrier or into a
crate can restrain that extramovement and keep them feeling
more under control of themselves.
It's good practice to alwaysrestrain your dog in the car
(05:29):
anyway as you're driving.
It's safer for everyone in thevehicle.
So, from the get-go, teach yourpuppy to wear the harness or to
ride in the crate.
Restraining your dog can alsotake away the visual meaning.
They're less likely to becomeoverly stimulated by the sights
that they're seeing outside ofthe car.
Which leads me to my next point.
Dogs often bark at things theysee outside the car, such as
(05:50):
pedestrians, other dogs, passingvehicles, motorcycles, you name
it.
You can use window shades orcover part of the windows to
reduce the visual distractions.
You can position your dog inpart of the car where they're
actually going to see less aswell, such as the back seat.
The next one would be teachingthe quiet cue.
We want to practice the quietcue at home before applying it
(06:13):
in the car.
When your dog starts barkingcalmly, say quiet and reward
them with a treat the momentthat they stop.
You can repeat thisconsistently until your dog
understands what quiet means.
We can also reward calmbehavior.
Positive reinforcement is key.
We want to reward our dog whenwe notice them being calm and
quiet in the car.
I find that it's most helpfulto have another person drive.
(06:34):
Then you can sit in the backseat or in that front seat and
be able to turn around and handsomething to your puppy as you
notice good behavior.
But we want somebody else to bedriving so that you can focus
on the training.
That way you can bridge the gapbetween your puppy riding in
the car with you not payingattention to them and then you
(06:55):
riding in the car and actuallydoing the training with them.
We don't want you trainingwhile you're driving, so having
another driver in there can bereally helpful while the
training process is happeningand then, when you can't have
that happen, when you don't havesomeone else to help you, then
I would put your puppy in acrate so that they're less
likely to see things outside andwant to bark at them.
Next on the list of tips isdesensitizing triggers.
(07:17):
If your dog barks at specificthings, pay attention to that,
take note of it.
Maybe they bark at peoplewalking by.
We want to work ondesensitizing them to seeing
people so you can park your carin a location where your dog can
observe their trigger from adistance without becoming overly
excited.
Gradually we're going todecrease the distance as your
dog learns to remain calm.
(07:37):
So they see a person outside ofthe window, you're going to put
food right on their nose.
Show your dog what you want themto do.
Lure them into a down on theback seat, mark yes and then
reward them intermittently forholding that position and repeat
that.
So let them get up again, letthem look out the window and
they see someone.
Immediately interrupt andredirect before they bark.
Show them what you want them todo when they see a person and
(07:59):
then reward them for that betterbehavior and that will become
the new pattern.
They see a person.
They look to you, they lay downon the back seat or whatever
you want that to look like.
But we want to interrupt,redirect before the barking is
happening.
So make sure you park your carfar enough away, maybe in a big
parking lot where you can parkin the back corner so you're
further away from the peoplecoming and going in and out of
the store.
(08:20):
But you want to create somedistance there so that you have
time for them to see the peopleand then you can show them what
you want them to do instead andyou're not so close that they
can't listen or focus on whatyou're asking them to do.
Next, we want to make sure thatwe avoid punishment.
We don't want to yell or scoldour dog for barking, as that
often translates to them as usbarking back.
(08:41):
They're like oh Amy's, joiningin the fun and excitement.
How awesome is that.
We don't want to make thebehavior worse.
Instead, focus on redirectingyour puppy's attention and
rewarding desirable behaviors.
Another tip is to provide mentalstimulation.
Keep your dog entertainedduring car rides by giving them
chew toys, puzzle toys or otherdistractions.
You'll have to be creative andfind ones that work in the car,
(09:03):
but a mentally stimulated dog isless likely to bark simply
because they're bored.
You can also make sure thatbefore you get in the car and
take them on a car ride, thatthey've been physically
exercised and maybe that's agood place to also do some of
these puzzle toys and thatmental enrichment is before they
get in the car.
That way, they're almost readyfor a nap or downtime when they
get in the car.
(09:23):
Finally, be patient andconsistent.
Training takes time, especiallyif your dog has been barking in
the car for a while.
If they have a habit of doingthis, it's going to take a while
to turn that around.
But be consistent with yourmethods and remain patient.
All right, you guys.
That's it for today.
Thanks for listening to thePuppy Training Podcast.
If you'd like help getting yourdog to be quiet in the car,
(09:43):
please reach out to us.
We would love to coach youthrough the entire process.
Also, don't forget to check outour YouTube channel at Baxter
and Bella for free trainingvideos.
Thanks for tuning in to thePuppy Training Podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency you can
(10:05):
create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
On today's episode, we are talking about barking in
the car.
We've talked about barkingbefore, but not specifically on
what to do when your dog isbarking and you are driving.
That can be tricky.
Let's talk about it today.
Welcome to the Puppy TrainingPodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Bella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
(00:24):
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hello everybody, welcome to thePuppy Training Podcast.
(00:46):
I'm so glad you're here.
Today.
We are talking about barking inthe car, because what do you do
when you're driving down theroad and you're also trying to
train your dog?
That can be tricky.
You're not alone if youstruggle with this.
Car rides can both be enjoyablebut also challenging, and some
dogs adapt quickly to theexperience, while others become
(01:07):
overly excited or maybe your dogis stressed about this.
Often, this results inexcessive barking.
So barking in the car candistract you as the driver or
whoever else is driving.
It can cause stress foreveryone because you're in a
small, confined space and it'sloud, and it can even escalate
into some unsafe situations,which nobody wants.
The good news is that withpatience, consistency and the
(01:29):
right techniques that we'regoing to talk about today, you
can teach your dog to ridequietly in the car and enjoy the
journey.
Now let's first start out withwhy dogs bark in the car.
If we can understand why ourdog is doing this behavior, that
is our first step to addressingand changing that behavior.
Here are a few common reasons.
(01:50):
Number one is excitement.
Dogs often associate car rideswith exciting destinations such
as the park or a friend's house.
I like to load Baxter and Bellaup in my car.
We head to Elkridge Park.
It's about a mile from my houseand we get to go on a big long
go sniff walk.
So they get really excited whenit's time to get in the car for
that.
Number two would be an anxiety.
(02:11):
Some dogs don't necessarilylove motion and the ride in the
car can be stressful.
Maybe they feel sick, or maybeit's just unfamiliar, or maybe
they're anxious about where theyare going because it's
unpredictable if you go a lot ofplaces.
Number three would beterritorial behavior.
Dogs might start to perceivetheir car similar to their house
(02:32):
or their home or their backyard, where it's their domain, and
so if they see people or animalsor things outside the window,
they might feel a need toprotect it.
And the last one, number four,is boredom.
A lack of mental stimulationcan lead dogs to bark because
it's a way of entertainingthemselves.
So some dogs might bark out thewindow and realize, hey, this
(02:53):
is really fun, this isentertaining.
I think I want to keep doingthis.
Identifying that root cause canthen help us address it
appropriately.
For example, if your dog hasanxiety in the car, we're going
to handle that differently thanif your dog is barking out of
boredom.
The whole overall goal is thatwe help our dogs feel safe and
calm in the car, a place wherethey can relax, that they're not
(03:17):
on duty, they don't have toprotect anything and they also
don't need to be stressed aboutthe situation.
Here are some things you can doto teach your dog to ride
quietly in your car.
Number one we're going to startwith basic training.
Before addressing the barking,let's make sure that your dog
knows basic things like sit,stay and quiet.
If you have some cues that theyunderstand what they mean we
(03:39):
can then generalize them to thecar ride.
These actions form thefoundation of good behavior and
can be reinforced during cartraining.
Make sure you practice these athome and then you increase to
more difficult situations suchas the car, once your dog
understands the basics.
I wouldn't start by trainingthese things in the car, of
course.
We're going to start, as we do,with all of the basics here at
(04:02):
Baxter and Bella in a nice,quiet, non-distracting area and
then, as our dog gets better atthem, we want to practice them
in all different locations,including your car.
The next one would befamiliarize your dog with the
car.
So if your dog is new to thecar rides or maybe they show
some of that anxiety that wetalked about, we want to spend
time acclimating them to yourvehicle without going anywhere.
(04:24):
In fact, I encourage you tostart by letting your dog sit in
your parked car with the engineoff.
Gradually you can progress toturning the engine on, taking
short drives just down the blockor around the block and back.
Use some food, rewards andpraise to create positive
associations.
When you're sitting in thatparked car and it's off, that's
a perfect time to pull out yourdog's favorite chew or bone and
(04:47):
let them relax on the seat.
I would sit in the back seatwith them.
I'd read a book, check myemails, do some kind of quiet
activity, while they just learnto relax and chew on something
that they enjoy.
That will help them feel betterinside the car.
Next let's talk about crates andharnesses.
These things can help your dogfeel safe and secure in the car.
(05:09):
So if your dog's nervous aboutthe car because of the motion,
maybe they're not so settled ontheir feet.
Having them harnessed into adog bed type carrier or into a
crate can restrain that extramovement and keep them feeling
more under control of themselves.
It's good practice to alwaysrestrain your dog in the car
(05:29):
anyway as you're driving.
It's safer for everyone in thevehicle.
So, from the get-go, teach yourpuppy to wear the harness or to
ride in the crate.
Restraining your dog can alsotake away the visual meaning.
They're less likely to becomeoverly stimulated by the sights
that they're seeing outside ofthe car.
Which leads me to my next point.
Dogs often bark at things theysee outside the car, such as
(05:50):
pedestrians, other dogs, passingvehicles, motorcycles, you name
it.
You can use window shades orcover part of the windows to
reduce the visual distractions.
You can position your dog inpart of the car where they're
actually going to see less aswell, such as the back seat.
The next one would be teachingthe quiet cue.
We want to practice the quietcue at home before applying it
(06:13):
in the car.
When your dog starts barkingcalmly, say quiet and reward
them with a treat the momentthat they stop.
You can repeat thisconsistently until your dog
understands what quiet means.
We can also reward calmbehavior.
Positive reinforcement is key.
We want to reward our dog whenwe notice them being calm and
quiet in the car.
I find that it's most helpfulto have another person drive.
(06:34):
Then you can sit in the backseat or in that front seat and
be able to turn around and handsomething to your puppy as you
notice good behavior.
But we want somebody else to bedriving so that you can focus
on the training.
That way you can bridge the gapbetween your puppy riding in
the car with you not payingattention to them and then you
(06:55):
riding in the car and actuallydoing the training with them.
We don't want you trainingwhile you're driving, so having
another driver in there can bereally helpful while the
training process is happeningand then, when you can't have
that happen, when you don't havesomeone else to help you, then
I would put your puppy in acrate so that they're less
likely to see things outside andwant to bark at them.
Next on the list of tips isdesensitizing triggers.
(07:17):
If your dog barks at specificthings, pay attention to that,
take note of it.
Maybe they bark at peoplewalking by.
We want to work ondesensitizing them to seeing
people so you can park your carin a location where your dog can
observe their trigger from adistance without becoming overly
excited.
Gradually we're going todecrease the distance as your
dog learns to remain calm.
(07:37):
So they see a person outside ofthe window, you're going to put
food right on their nose.
Show your dog what you want themto do.
Lure them into a down on theback seat, mark yes and then
reward them intermittently forholding that position and repeat
that.
So let them get up again, letthem look out the window and
they see someone.
Immediately interrupt andredirect before they bark.
Show them what you want them todo when they see a person and
(07:59):
then reward them for that betterbehavior and that will become
the new pattern.
They see a person.
They look to you, they lay downon the back seat or whatever
you want that to look like.
But we want to interrupt,redirect before the barking is
happening.
So make sure you park your carfar enough away, maybe in a big
parking lot where you can parkin the back corner so you're
further away from the peoplecoming and going in and out of
the store.
(08:20):
But you want to create somedistance there so that you have
time for them to see the peopleand then you can show them what
you want them to do instead andyou're not so close that they
can't listen or focus on whatyou're asking them to do.
Next, we want to make sure thatwe avoid punishment.
We don't want to yell or scoldour dog for barking, as that
often translates to them as usbarking back.
(08:41):
They're like oh Amy's, joiningin the fun and excitement.
How awesome is that.
We don't want to make thebehavior worse.
Instead, focus on redirectingyour puppy's attention and
rewarding desirable behaviors.
Another tip is to provide mentalstimulation.
Keep your dog entertainedduring car rides by giving them
chew toys, puzzle toys or otherdistractions.
You'll have to be creative andfind ones that work in the car,
(09:03):
but a mentally stimulated dog isless likely to bark simply
because they're bored.
You can also make sure thatbefore you get in the car and
take them on a car ride, thatthey've been physically
exercised and maybe that's agood place to also do some of
these puzzle toys and thatmental enrichment is before they
get in the car.
That way, they're almost readyfor a nap or downtime when they
get in the car.
(09:23):
Finally, be patient andconsistent.
Training takes time, especiallyif your dog has been barking in
the car for a while.
If they have a habit of doingthis, it's going to take a while
to turn that around.
But be consistent with yourmethods and remain patient.
All right, you guys.
That's it for today.
Thanks for listening to thePuppy Training Podcast.
If you'd like help getting yourdog to be quiet in the car,
(09:43):
please reach out to us.
We would love to coach youthrough the entire process.
Also, don't forget to check outour YouTube channel at Baxter
and Bella for free trainingvideos.
Thanks for tuning in to thePuppy Training Podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency you can
(10:05):
create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!