We traumatized Maverick by taking him on his very first car ride for three hours, with people he’d never met, away from his family. Ever since, he has hated getting in the car.
I read that we can change his mind if we replace long and horrible memories with lots of tiny good memories. So the kids and I committed to take him somewhere close by every day for two weeks, and make fun memories there. Off leash running around, frisbees, hiking, water, you name it.
It worked! At the end of two weeks, he started coming to the back of the car and sitting nicely. He doesn’t jump in by himself yet, but he doesn’t fight us either. Progress!
The Keene Family 