Training Your Dog to LOVE the Seatbelt

T R A I N I N G

How many things have you bought, only for it to remain unopened or collecting dust in the corner? Hopefully that's not the case with your certified seatbelt. In fact, the goal is for you to use it, and that's why car seatbelt training is such an important part of Dogs Ride Certified.

If you're worried your dog won't like the seatbelt, or you already have one and are finding that your dog isn't a fan, let's change that.

For most pups, it's all about easing into the buckling up process. They're just a little unsure about what's going on and need to be shown that things aren't that bad! If you don't know where to start, no problem. Everything you need to learn about training your pup to love the seatbelt is right here.

But before diving into training strategies, there's 3 core ideas to embrace that are essential for you to bring to each training session.

Don't be stingy, be generous! Treats are your friend! You'll be using a LOT of treats while you're training, and it's okay. Use good stuff. Boiled chicken, steak, cheese. Cut it up into teeny, tiny pieces. Be prepared, and always bring more than you think you need. Better to have extra than to run out in the middle of training.

Tip: Decide how many ounces/cups you need in one training session, and prep the treats into baggies, measuring out that amount. When it comes to meal time, subtract that many ounces from your dog's regular food. It's important for weight management, with the amount of treats you'll be giving. And again, be generous with the treats! Reward your dog as earned.

You're trying to get your dog to LOVE the seatbelt, right? Put on your happy, enthusiastic voice! Bring good energy and a can-do attitude to the training. If you're boring, sounding frustrated, or loud and scary, how much is your dog going to want to be there with you? Would you want to be there with you? Dogs (and people) all learn better in a positive environment.

Although you're ready to get your pup buckled up and would like to use the seatbelt right away, you need to let your dog set the pace. If your dog says yeah, "this is fun!" , then keep it up. But if your pup says "oh, I'm still not so sure about this... " then don't push. Keep the sessions short and to your dog's comfort level. This will build trust and a solid foundation for the seatbelt work. Just watch your dog's confidence grow in the whole process!

Here, you'll get the exact steps to take for training your dog to love the seatbelt (harnesses and carriers/kennels), which is the first thing to do when trying to create a successful car ride.

If you have a good car rider already, you might be tempted to skip it and go straight to buckling up. Instead of skipping, just do a run through with your pup, to make sure everything is smooth sailing. It never hurts to reinforce the behavior you want!

What word did you use to fill in the blank?

My dog hates harnesses?

My dog runs away from harnesses?

My dog LOVES harnesses?!

Hopefully, it's that last one. But if not, let's get you there.

You'll need to figure out exactly what your dog isn't happy about. Is it you touching his/her paws to put the harness on? The feel of the harness coming around his/her body? Does the sound of the buckle snap make your dog jump? Or do have no idea, because you can't catch your pup as long as the harness is in your hands?

With the Sleepypod harness, your dog will need to step into it, and it'll buckle up on his/her back. To work on this, touch your dog's paw, leg, or back briefly, then give a treat. Repeat on all the body parts! Hold your touch for increasingly longer periods of time. Watch your dog's behavior. Is his/her body relaxed when you touch, or tense? Does your dog pull away? If you notice this, simply touch for shorter periods of time.

If your dog flinches before you even touch his/her body, start with just reaching towards your dog, stop in the air, and give a treat there. You'll be able to get closer over time.

Put the harness on the floor and sprinkle treats on and around it. Place the harness around the house and encourage your dog to find it! Keep the harness in fun places - toy bins, by the food bowl, your dog's bed, (your bed!) etc.

When putting on the harness, give your dog something to do. A lickimat or snufflemat are both excellent options. You want something long lasting that'll stay in place, so that your dog will also stay in one place.

work on this separately. Push the harness buckles together to hear the click (away from your dog's body but in your dog's sight), and happily drop some treats afterwards.

You want to take the sound's scariness away, and if you use your dog's most irresistible, favorite foods in this activity (as you should for any difficult task), the buckling up sound will become something fun to look forward to in no time.

Be consistent, and soon your dog will be running to you to put on the Sleepypod harness!

Your pup might even learn to step into the harness on his/her own!

This is your dog's very own space, like a teenager's bedroom.

around it. Sprinkle your dog's favorite treats around and inside of the carrier/kennel. Praise when your pup approaches or steps inside. Toss some chews and food dispensing toys in there too. Allow your dog to initiate and check it out!

This is now the only place in the house where these things exist!

Feed all meals inside the carrier/kennel. If your dog is nervous about going all the way in, you can start by placing the food and water bowls on the edge by the door, and gradually place them a little bit further inside as your dog's confidence grows.

Except you don't have to worry about this when it comes to the Sleepypod carriers. It's also a pet bed and is majorly soft. But if you want to add a little blanket, your dog won't complain!

For the kennels, both Gunner and Lucky Kennels have beds that are available separately. Doesn't matter if you want to use the specially made ones or your own - just make the carrier/kennel a cozy place to relax.

You can hide your dog's favorite toys inside the blankets. Throw toys into the carrier when playing indoor fetch - you have momentum and motivation at your advantage! Your dog is already running, so might as well keep going all the way to grab the toy instead of stopping at the door.

Speaking of doors, throughout the whole process you'll want to keep the carrier/kennel door open, and avoid physically putting your dog inside. If you want your dog to really LOVE the carrier/kennel, your dog needs to learn to go inside on his/her own terms.

After your dog starts to wander and settle inside of the carrier/kennel independently, then start to play around with the doors. Don't close it all the way at first, but at an angle. Build up to being able to close it all the way for increasing periods of time, ensuring that your dog is relaxed throughout the whole process.

If you make the carrier/kennel an inviting, personalized space to be, then inside your pup will go!

This is on purpose.

Work to build very strong, positive associations with the seatbelt before even bringing it to the car. The time you put in will help alleviate any anxiety towards the buckling up process down the road.

If you're using a harness, a common problem with skipping training is your dog getting tangled up in the seatbelt. Or, if you're using a carrier/kennel, your dog crying for the entire ride.

Don't run into this problem - it'll take more time to undo problem behaviors than to avoid it altogether. Lay the groundwork needed to teach your dog to love the seatbelt first! If your dog has a laid back personality, the groundwork might just take a few minutes! If you've got a fearful one, this could take days. It's all up to your dog, and remember to let him/her set the pace.

Watch your dog's body language and facial expressions closely. How you train is a response to that behavior.

And remember to make this fun! Keep the 3 big ideas in mind at all times: treats are good, positive vibes only, and listen to your dog!

Training your dog is a bonding experience for the both of you. It's joyful and fulfilling, and sets the energy for your time together.

Have a fantastic time with this!