Going for a Ride

It is understandable that our American Eskimo dog, Suka, gets nervous when  he sees his harness in my hands. He rarely wears a collar or harness.  He gets trips to the vet or groomer and an occasional walk around the neighborhood. We have a fenced backyard to let him run and play in without restriction.

I am trying to alleviate his anxiety with more walks and occasional car rides.  When my loving husband needed to get gas in his SUV, he reluctantly agreed to taking the dog and I along for the ride. There have been instances of car sickness in the past, but only when I was taking him somewhere alone.

Suka first ran away from me, and then slowly crawled toward me, finally he let me put his harness on. Then he crawled into my arms and placed his head on my shoulder. I carried him (32 lbs) outside and placed him in the back seat. My loving husband placed me in the front passenger seat (as he always does) and went around to the driver's door while Suka barked at him. Once everyone was settled we headed out.

Suka circled in the seat a few times and laid down, but before his muzzle even rested on his paws he was sitting up again looking out the window. He crossed back and forth looking out one side and then the other. I suggested that we put the window down to give Suka some air. My loving husband was trying to keep one eye on the dog and one on the road. I'm not certain which one of them was more nervous.

As we pulled up to the pumps I heard growling from the back seat. Evidently the other customers were too close. Suka is rather territorial. My loving husband gets out to pump the gas. Suka went crazy, barking  and scratching at the window. I called him up front with me, but he just wanted out with 'his human'. Once my loving husband got back into the SUV Suka calmed right down.
Suka sat and watched out the window during the trip home. 

Suka became excited again as we pulled into our driveway. My loving husband opened my door and helped me out of the vehicle, and then opened the rear door to let the dog out. Suka jumped out, ran through the front yard onto the porch, and waited at the door to be let in the house. 

It was a good ride, but I think that we have many more to go before Suka learns to enjoy them.

Just a quick note to tie this event to massage:  Sometimes, like Suka, people link certain items to emotions. It may be a place, like a doctor's office or an article of clothing, such as a lucky shirt. These things create a physical response for people due to past experiences.
Leave a comment about what items trigger a response for you.
A regular massage can create a positive response. Just entering the massage room or lying on the massage table can cause the body to begin to relax. The sooner a person relaxes; the more beneficial a massage can be.