What would cause a dog to dislike vehicles?

My dog Holly will ride in the front seat all day long, and just stare out the window, happily.

My other dog Copper, however, will fight to the finish just to keep his 10 feet away from any vehicle. Including the truck bed.

Here is what we know about Copper; He is a basset hound/beagle mix. His description at the pound said that he was a 'stray found on the roadside'--however, he is house trained and knows how to 'sit stay'. We assume he must've been abused because although he enjoys personal contact, sometimes if you're rubbing on him, he will start to whimper a pitiful sound (but please note, we had him thoroughly checked out by a vet after we got him, so there's no physical reason he should be whimpering).

I would really like to get him acclimated to riding in the vehicle so he, too, can come on vacations or fishing trips, or walks at the park. Though, when I walk him towards a vehicle and he suspects he's going to be put in it.. he will pull and pull and "crocodile roll" the leash, trying to escape.

I don't want to make it a traumatic thing for him, I just want him to be able to go on long rides or a drive up to the baseball park or to chase ducks around at the local lake.

I've tried letting him see Holly in a vehicle to see that she isn't being endangered or in pain, but that didn't work too well, either.

Perhaps his only trip in a car was the one that ended up with him being dumped?

I would probably tie him to a long line and attach it to the car. Leave him at a comfortable distance then let him see you and your other dog getting in and out. If he moves closer by himself throw a treat to him.

Maybe scatter some of his favourite toys and treats around but leave it up to him what he does. Give him time to investigate at his own pace.

Jake hated the car. This was back in the 70's when we were quite low on the learning curve, our first dog as adults. . We didn't get him until he was about 4-5 months old. He may have only had 2 car rides before that, when my sister picked him up from our cousin's home and several month later when she brought him to us. He was highly bonded to me. It may have been a mistake taking him along morning my wife dropped me off at work.

Dogs take their que from their owners. Make a big show of being happy about a car trip. Also, be liberal with dog treats.

Good ideas!! Thanks lots!!

We figured out.. that it's not so much that he's afraid of the vehicle. He's supremely afraid of heights.

On one of our walks there is a raised sidewalk--that's maybe about 3 or 4 feet high off the ground. While walking up the ramp for the sidewalk, Copper kind of kept a weary eye on the distance and even tried to jump off. I assured him it was ok, though.

Poor pup. I'm afraid of heights, too, though. I suspect if I were his size and so low to the ground, jumping into a car would be.. a hard 'first step'.

Maybe they make him feel ill, or he was in a car accident? Who knows?

THe best thing with car phobias is to dissacociate going to and getting in the car, with cars.

So try to position the car so that he walks past it to go for a walk or got to hius feed bowl. If this can be done then all the better. Over time (and it may take a LONG time) start to feed or play with him, closer and closer to the car. If it is possible to tie him to the car in a safe place, on a very long line and then sit down and have a picnic by the car, with him being rewarded (though never encouraged) to go nearer the car, then great.

The idea is that you want him to think that you are not going to ask him into the car. Over time, if he comes to accept getting closer to the car as bening, then you can maybe sit in the car yourself, again with him attached to a long line, and have another picnic (you might get fat with all these picnics!). If he then approaches of his own accord, share your picnic with him. Slowly, over time move further and further into the car. If he ever gets in teh car, even a front par then give him a reward there and also and this is important, throiw a reward away from the car, for him to go get. In this way you are encouraging him away from the car, once he has come closer.

The reward for getting nearer the car, has to be being allowed or encourgaed (with a titbit) to get away from the car.

Thats a lot to be going on with, let us know how yoiu get on.

What is MASSIVELY important though is that if ever he DOES get in the car, do NOT shut the door and drive him somewhere in an effort to prove its OK. This will shatter his trust and possibly make him go backwards. he needs to be able to access and exit the car of his own accord, happily, before you try to take him for a ride in it.

If you do in an emergency HAVE to take him in the car to a vet say, then use someone elses car so that he does not associate the experience with the car you really want him to come to like.

We want him to CHOSE to get in your car, to be rewarded with a treat and his freedommfor doing so, long before he is "forced" to take a ride.

Good luck.

My Basset used to HATE being in the car, he used to cry none stop until we got out.
What we did was take loads of treats with us, and everytime he was good he got a treat and some praise. It really didnt take long for the penny to drop, he loves the car now!

One of mine is just very picky she loved my old landrover but hates my truck.

How about feeding him in the car? If he really doesn't want to go near it I'd move his bowl closer and closer over days/weeks and then coax him in to eat. If he sees you spending time around the car cleaning it, sitting in it to drink a coffee etc. while he's eating it should help.
I did all that with Dale and then had him in the car not going anywhere with the engine running, rolled it up and down the drive and then went for very short runs along the road and walked back until eventually we could go out normally. Mind you it was only when we changed cars that he really looked completely happy.