Marlee and Me: Training Updates (August 5-August 11, 2024)

One of the things I’m most excited about with this blog is using it as a journal to track our training journey. Each week, I’ll be sharing updates on what we’ve worked on and outlining our goals for the days ahead. My hope is that these will not only inspire you but also create a space for sharing advice and encouragement. Beyond just tracking our progress, I want this blog to serve as a place of hope. If you’re going through similar challenges and feeling discouraged, I hope our story will remind you that progress takes time, patience, love, and understanding—and that you’re not alone on this journey.

If you’ve read our introduction, you know that Marlee struggles with leash and barrier reactivity. One of these barriers being the car. Her car reactivity is so severe that we’ve had to adjust our lives around it—often leaving to visit family at 10 p.m., just to avoid anything that might set her off. And even still, she whines the whole time we are in the car. 

One day, something hit me. As I’ve mentioned, we rarely go anywhere during the day. When we do have to make a daytime trip to the vet, Marlee is on anti-anxiety medication, so she’s generally very calm in the car. But a couple of months ago, she had a severe allergic reaction (bully breed allergies are the worst!), and we had to make a visit to the urgent vet. I didn’t have time to give her anxiety medication, which she usually takes the night before a vet visit.

The car ride was AWFUL—20 minutes of constant whining, panting, complete disregard for treats and her lick mat, and pacing (as much as she could as she is buckled in for her safety, my safety, and to limit movement.)

But the ride home was…pure…bliss. She was calm, smiling, and even laid down at one point. It then struck me—she knew we were headed home. This realization led me to reach out to an online trainer about her whining issues, and they gave me a tip that pretty much confirmed my suspicions: “Take short drives without a destination.”

The only times I ever put Marlee in the car were either to visit my mom’s house—where she loves to go—or to the vet, which is always a stressful experience for her. So, every time she’s in the car, she’s filled with anticipation, trying to figure out what’s coming next.

Thus, my training plan for this week was set. Here’s a breakdown of what we worked on each day:

Monday: We kicked things off with a good run in the backyard, making sure she burned off some of that initial energy so the excitement of the car ride didn’t consume her. For our first drive, we kept it simple—just a short trip halfway down our street and back. I could tell this confused her a bit. When we got back inside our home, she stood by the door as if thinking, "Did we forget something? Aren’t we going somewhere?" But I remained calm, sitting on the couch to show her with my body language that our little adventure was already complete.

Tuesday: Once again, we started with a good run in the backyard before heading out for a drive. This time, we went up and down the entire street. As we neared the end of the neighborhood, I noticed her excitement building. But the moment she realized we were turning around, she settled down for the ride back.

Wednesday: Unfortunately, we didn’t get any practice in today. I had a busy day of studying and work, so we had to stick to more convenient activities for my schedule. I’m disappointed in myself for not staying consistent, but I’m using this as motivation to be even more committed next week. I also have to remind myself that this is normal! Life is crazy and if I have to take a day off and stick to our more normal routine, that is perfectly okay. 

Thursday: Today, we made it out of our neighborhood! I could sense her anticipation—she stood up, looking around nervously, but the whining was definitely at a minimal. We did see the mailman on one of the streets we turned down, which triggered a bit of whining. However, I quickly clicked my clicker and rewarded her with a treat. After that brief moment of excitement, she did whine a bit more than she usually did this week, but much less than previous weeks before we started this. 

Friday: Today, we kept it simple and just went up and down half of the street again. My goal is to, in a way, trick her. I want her to no longer associate the car with a specific destination or length of drive. I want her to see the car as just the car—nothing more, nothing less

Saturday and Sunday: Enrichment days full of puzzles, playing outside, and visits with her human friends.

I have decided that we are going to take weekends off on our training. We are going to use this time for heavy enrichment and decompression. 

These situations can be extremely stressful for Marlee and in order to make sure she is successful, I need to allow her decompression time and stress-free experiences that will help her process her emotions and relax. 

Given her severe barrier reactivity, I know this will require ongoing practice. But honestly, I’ve already seen progress this week. The whining has definitely subdued, and she even sat a few times. This is a HUGE success for us. Sitting in the car is something she virtually never does, especially during the daytime. Even though these factors may seem miniscule for others, they are huge victories for us. It’s these little achievements that keep me motivated and reassure me that, despite the long journey ahead, it will all be worth it.

This week, we’ll continue our car practice, and if things go well, we’ll also start working on leash pressure outside the house. Stay tuned for updates on that progress. I’d also love to hear from you. Do you have any advice or tips to share? Or maybe you’re facing similar challenges and want to discuss your frustrations, successes, or experiences. I’m here to listen and connect!

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Disclaimer: I am not a certified dog trainer or professional; This is to simply state what I have been working on with my dog. Always consult with your trainer and/or veterinarian if something doesn't seem right, and remember to supervise your dog closely when trying new activities.