10/28/2026
🚗🐾 Does your dog's training session start with an anxious car ride?
It's something many dog owners overlook, but how your dog arrives at training can have a significant impact on what they're able to accomplish once they're there.
For dogs who struggle with car anxiety, the stress doesn't necessarily disappear when the car stops.
By the time they arrive, they may already be overwhelmed, distracted, or struggling to regulate their emotions. And when a dog is operating at that level of stress, learning new skills becomes significantly more difficult.
Here's the important part: A dog who is overwhelmed isn't necessarily being disobedient on purpose. They may simply be too stressed to focus on what's being asked of them.
Sometimes, we need to address what's happening BEFORE the training session to make progress DURING the session.
That might mean working on car confidence, taking shorter practice drives, allowing more time to settle, or not just saving car rides for challenging destinations like the vet.
At Woof Works, we look at the whole picture. Because successful training isn't just about what happens during a session. It's about setting your dog up to succeed before it even begins.
Does your dog struggle with car rides?
We'd love to hear about your experience.
dog car anxiety • dog training Maine • canine stress and behavior • confidence building for dogs • building better house pets • Southern Maine dog trainer
