Dogs are known to be curious about their surroundings. This is because their hearing and sense of smell are heightened; therefore, they must explore their environments. It’s an excellent trait to have when needing to learn your surroundings, but not so much when you’re in a car.
Many people like to pull their windows down if they decide to take their dog on a car ride. Something about the access to the outdoors excites dogs. Unfortunately, dogs will also jump out of the window if they get too excited.
Can You Prevent it from Happening?
Yes. Keep your windows up, or you can keep the windows open enough for your dog to sniff but not fit. This is harder if you have a small dog, so you can also utilize a dog harness that attaches to the seat or keep them in a crate.
Keep in mind that some dogs will get more anxious if they feel locked in a crate, but if you use a harness, be sure it’s not long enough for them to jump out of the window. Another thing that will help is doing a little car training with your dog.
How Do You Train Your Dog for a Car Ride?
It will take some training if you want your dog not to jump out of the window. It will be easiest to have a friend riding in the backseat while driving, and this is to ensure that you can see the dog and give the command while your friend shares the reward.
Once you see your dog trying to get through the window, give them the “No” command. Have your friend provide them with a treat. Repeat this until they no longer get on the window. Go on many care rides until they’re comfortable.
Tips for Easier Training
One tip is to start with the car in park with the window rolled down. While sitting in the driver’s seat, have your friend stand outside with treats enticing your dog to jump out, creating the perfect environment to start training.
Another tip is to be very firm with your “No” command. If a dog is going to listen to you, they have to see you as an authority figure. So when you give a stern command, it lets the dog know that it did something wrong and will stop doing it.
Things You Should Avoid Doing
You shouldn’t use loud noises to scare your dog into staying away from the window. If you’re scaring your dog in the car, they will start associating the vehicle with anxiety and will no longer enjoy car rides.
Another thing you shouldn’t do is leave them unsupervised. If you’ve taken your dog on a long ride and had to stop for gas, roll up all of your windows and keep your dog safely in the car.
How Long Does it Take to Train a Dog not to Do it?
Puppies will learn quicker than older dogs, but for the most part, dogs tend to understand the command within a week and will reliably follow a command within three weeks. For a dog to be trained entirely, it takes about six weeks.
The most important thing to remember is consistency. For example, if you don’t train your dog daily, it will take longer to retain the information, and sometimes they may not retain it.
Final Thoughts on Dogs Jumping Out of Car Windows
Dogs are curious creatures with a heightened sense of smell and hearing. Dogs may jump out car windows to explore their environments when they get overly excited. To prevent this, you can drive with the windows up, use a harness, and train them.
Training a dog not to jump out of the car window will be easier if you have a friend to help. Give your dog a firm “No” command and reward them for obeying. It could take weeks before your dog reliably listens, but it’ll be worth it not having to worry.
When training your dog, you mustn’t use loud, triggering noises to scare them into stopping. Doing so will make them associate the car with anxiety, and you don’t want that.