Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Learning Curve

The wee ones have never liked traveling in the car. Granted, most of their trips end up at the vet's, but I've tried from time to time taking them for joy rides and they just don't like being in the car. It's odd to me because all their predecessors have enjoyed and looked forward to riding around and sniffing the breeze through the cracked window and maybe stopping for some take out somewhere.

Mojo and Coco aren't having any of it. They view the car with suspicion. Things are somewhat improved if I put them in their carriers - I guess they feel a little more secure that way - but even then they will pant and shake and pant and shake until the whole car trembles.

I would like to begin taking them on small overnight trips, so I'm trying again to convince them that riding with Mom is a fun thing and not a punishment. Today I needed to run a few errands around town and decided it was time for the next lesson. I scooped them up and put them in the car and away we went.

Coco settled down, more or less, in the passenger seat and while she wasn't exactly hopping up and down with joyful excitement, she conveyed the sentiment that it's better to be with Mom than be left behind. Mojo, on the other hand, was in a complete state of panic. I had hoped that the quieter engine of Big Red might alleviate some of his aversion to riding, but it doesn't seem to make any difference at all. I kept up a constant chatter, telling them how good they were and how much fun this is. "Yeah, right," they responded.

We stopped at the bank, where I knew the drive-in teller would give them each a milk bone. They were unimpressed. A far cry from the attitude that Bebop and Xana had about the bank. They both came to the conclusion that they had a milk bone balance there and were royally miffed on the rare occasion that the teller happened to be out of milk bones.

We stopped to fill up with gas. They really didn't like Mom leaving them in the car for the process, even though she was right outside the window the whole time.

We went to a hamburger joint and showed them that people would hand food right out the window to them. They turned their little noses up in disdain. Eat junk food? Not them, thank you very much.

So we went home, our lesson over for the day. Mojo almost fell to his knees and kissed the ground, he was so happy to be home. Coco, I think, is going to catch on and decide that going with Mom can be a good thing and won't necessarily include a needle in the posterior.

Mojo? I don't know. It may be a long, hard process to convince him. A harder head I've never encountered in a little dog.

LSW

5 comments:

MiniKat said...

Could it be that Mojo gets a tad carsick? Not enough to vomit, but enough to feel unsettled the entire time?

LSW said...

It might be partly that. Mojo was ultra small when born and the only one of his litter that survived. He's always been extremely sensitive to noise and has infrequent epileptic seizures, so he definitely has physical issues that affect his sense of security. He also had the misfortune of tearing a ligament that resulted in surgery and extended recovery time and multiple followup visits to the vet, so that has not helped his acceptance of car travel. It's hard being a little bitty guy in a big, noisy world. LSW

Anonymous said...

I bet they do shake your car... not that it takes much....har de har har! Is it true that if you stick your hand out the window of a Prius at 55 that your car will turn?

LSW said...

Hey, I can fill up my tank from empty for less than $20 - when was the last time you could say that?? I will admit that the wind does push Big Red around, but all in all it handles well and I love that 48 miles per gallon feature.

LSW

Anonymous said...

True, but mine walks through mud and sand to get to those hard to reach fishing spots....and I can stop by Lowe's for a dozen sheets of plywood or drywall or whatever....you have to admit, trucks are handy.