Apart from their fluffy faces, their size is one of the reasons why a lot humans fall in love with Shih Tzu. They can be easily carried around – on the couch, on the table, outside the terrace or even on grocery shopping. These pooches are like little toys that can placed anywhere and they have no complaints about it. Actually, they even love being with their owner. They really do stick like velcro. For such reason, these animals are perhaps the most “carried around” breed of all dogs and get to be in car rides with their owners. If your Shih Tzu is not comfortable inside a vehicle and you observe that he or she regurgitates, vomits or shakes whenever the engine starts, your dog may be experiencing motion sickness – a very common vestibular problem when canines are placed in an enclosed moving area.
The first thing to check whether a Shih tzu is comfortable inside a car, besides from vomiting are uneasiness, over panting, whining, and salivation or drooling. A dog would move too much and he seems very uncomfortable with the situation. Try to open the windows a bit to give a bit of air and a sense of freedom. Dogs can be claustrophobic especially when they are not desensitized of the experience. Second, there are dog straps that you can use to fasten your Shih Tzu on the car seat. This will make him feel safer. Also, move the front seat to the farthest position from the dashboard and turn off the airbag which can accidentally kill your dog from suffocation. Before you go all aboard, make sure not to overfeed or overhydrate your dog to avoid regurgitation and vomiting – which can also be messy on your part. Desensitize your pet into going in and out of the car by practicing with him with short trips in the neighborhood. Do not forget to give him treats and positive reinforcement whenever he acts comfortable around and inside a moving vehicle. Shih Tzu have a short snout which do not let them adjust to extreme changes in temperature. It is okay to bring them around with you on road trips but never ever forget your beloved furball inside the car and unattended. You may be accused of being a neglect and irresponsible pet owner.
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