Many dogs definitely love the idea of a ride, and some prefer to travel with their own four paws. Whether they like to travel or not, some dogs just bark incessantly in the car. This can be distracting when you’re driving.

Occasionally, you might take your dog to the vet in the car, and they may not like that, so some protest barking is understandable. Maybe most of the time you’re going to a dog park and your dog loves it, but they bark anyway.

Some dogs will make noises out of fear. Others will be very excited about the noise of the road and the view from the car window. Still others may be excited because they expect something very good or bad to happen at the end of the ride.

The good news is that there are some very basic but effective steps that can be taken to improve the situation without having to determine the exact cause of the dog’s barking.

A loose dog is a danger

The first thing to consider is where your dog is riding in the car. Dogs, like children, should be securely secured in the car. In the event of an accident, a “loose” dog can be seriously injured.

Also, every few months, I see a news story about a dog lost or injured after a car accident as they fled from the scene and often crashed into traffic.

A dog that can roam freely in a car can cause a whole set of problems before a collision occurs.

A loose dog can interfere with the driver’s ability to drive, look out the window, and can be irresistibly distracting if they interact with children or try to open or eat packages.

But more importantly, dogs that can roam freely around the vehicle can pass the time by looking out the window and barking as things fly by. For some dogs, this temptation is simply too great, and some dogs become very excited by looking out the window of a moving car.

Soft crates and toys keep them safe and calm

I love transporting dogs in crates. A secure “soft” crate provides a safe and comfortable place for dogs to travel and also prevents them from being overly interested in the scenery or scared.

This of course means that your dog must be crate trained, and if the new crate is very different from what you use at home, you may have to work to adapt them to the new crate.

Crates can also easily implement another barking reduction suggestion: let them do something else. When they’re in the crate, give them a KONG, a bully stick, a chew, or whatever toy will keep them busy.

All my dogs have a special toy that can only be seen when we are in the car.

Seat belts and other accessories

If crates aren’t an option, there are plenty of good dog harness products to choose from. If you need to use one or the other, be sure to read the reviews and make sure the one you choose has been tested for safety.

Curtains may help reduce your dog’s perception of the road. They can reduce your dog’s fear or excitement, which may be the reason for their barking.

It is best to tie the dog to the back seat, as passenger airbags pose the same risk to dogs as to small children.

Barking can be trained even outside the car

Once you’ve determined where your dog will be riding, you can start thinking about some basic training on how they will ride. You want your dog to sit or lie down quietly during the ride, so practice this behavior!

If you don’t have reliable “down” and “stop” commands outside the car, fix these issues first. But remember – you can’t drive and feed your dog treats at the same time, so before you’re ready to hit the road, you’ll need to let the treats fade and replace them with compliments.

Once you’ve mastered the quiet “descent” outside the car, practice in the lane with the car turned off, then let it run and gradually improve to a short drive.

It is also worth trying to find a toy that will pique your dog’s interest and use it to reinforce quiet behavior.

Don’t accidentally reward barking

Last but not least, did you somehow strengthen your barking? If you repeatedly shout “Quiet! “Or no!” When your dog barks, you may actually be rewarding the behavior rather than punishing it.

Also, when they are still barking, do you let them out of the car and into the dog park? That’s definitely a bonus! Even if they sometimes end up going to the vet instead of the park, the park is likely to be a big enough bonus that every bark seems worth it!

While this may require the patience of the saint — and the ear protection of construction workers — don’t let them out of the car or crate if they bark. This is very important and definitely worth the effort.

If you can force silence in complete unison before they leave the car, that can make a huge difference.