Carsick puppy

[atothek]

Hey everyone,
My pup (4 month old gsp) gets carsick really badly. This past weekend we drove about 45 min to a training park and he threw up on the way there and the way back. I hear they should outgrow this, but how long does that typically take and is there anything I can do in the meantime?
Thanks
Aaron

[wems2371]

My avatar pup is 8.5 months old and still gets a little bit carsick. It's not the massive drooling anymore though and he's learned to get in the crate and lay down (sleep) much quicker, which seems to put it at bay versus when he sits or stands in the crate. My vet told me 50mg of Dramamine every 8 hours if needed.

[Karen]

I think ours outgrew it by the time they were a year old. We traveled nearly every weekend with them for 3 months straight, and that seemed to do the trick.

Keep in mind that it can take another 45 minutes once they're out of the car to get over the car-sickness. Just something to keep in mind if you're training after they get sick.

[wems2371]

I think ours outgrew it by the time they were a year old. We traveled nearly every weekend with them for 3 months straight, and that seemed to do the trick.

Keep in mind that it can take another 45 minutes once they're out of the car to get over the car-sickness. Just something to keep in mind if you're training after they get sick.

Good point. I'd never had a carsick puppy before. Somewhere around 3.5 months old, I started taking the pups to some public ground for walks. On one trip, I was getting frustrated with Lucky. He was obcessed with biting at the tops of the grass and would not get out and explore. I thought he was just being a dork about the seed heads, until he barfed after about 20 minutes in and then started to run, like I had expected him too. Then I had my aha moment that he was carsick. For the next couple months after that, he really became a drooler, and tried to avoid loading up in the car. Not the safest, but sometimes I would let him ride shotgun, or on my lap if the husband was along. I assume a better view out the window helped, as usually there was much less issue. He actually rode like an aged dog, probably because he was too sick to want to investigate the car. I checked with my vet, when we had a 6 hour drive to make to a test, and the Dramamine helped. Some have told me that ginger works too. We used the Dramamine the day before our test, so I haven't a clue if it effects them in any way, like less energy.

[jack the dog]

Like bed wetting for kids, some it takes a while, some not so long to outgrow it.
My Britt bitch still does it and she was two last December.
It is getting better though.

You don't want the pup to connect hunting to being carsick. Maybe let pup sit in out in the dog bog for a half hour or so before hunting instead of dropping her out as soon as you arrive. Just my thoughts, I sure someone will come along and tell you my idea is BS.
Just do what works for you and the pup. And keep plenty of paper towels in the hunting rig.

[deke]

My older lab is horrible in the truck, he drools and throws up even on the shortest car ride. He is almost eight now and I don't see it stopping anytime soon. My young dog however is awesome in the truck, but he has been riding in it since he was 8 weeks nearly everyday. He rode in the backseat 24 hrs to SD and never made a peep, besides sticking his head on the console to get a little scratch now and then. I would guess carsickness is just a roll of the dice, and you happened to roll bad.

[MonsterDad]

Try a piece of candied ginger root. Make it yourself or buy it.

[shags]

Dramamine works great.

[atothek]

Thank you very much for the replies. I will try anything to help the lil guy out.