Trunk is not an option
Hi chippiechick,
I understand your concern but you should not put your dog in the trunk. It will make things worse and it is not humane. I don't know the weather in Ireland this time of the year but it can be too hot, not much fresh air coming in.
Someone can recommend some kind of remedy or herbal medicine to calm him down. You might want to call the vet and ask for advice.
One of my dogs hated riding in the car when we first adopted him but he got over it and now he loves to go out for a drive. He used to drool like a waterfall and moved around in the car as he was panting. He probably associated car rides with something bad happened to him in his previous life.
What I did was to put him in the back seat and treat him, and tie him so that he doesn't come to me in the driver's seat (in fact, he once did come while I was driving and tried to hide behind my back, which was very dangerous!). If your dog is crate trained it will be much easier to put him in his crate.
Start from just put him in the car and spend sometime with him, without driving. Make sure your dog thinks it's not bad to be inside the car by giving him treats, or play games, etc. Next day, drive for 5 minutes and come home. Treat him again. Like so you will add more time to the ride and maybe go somewhere fun, like an off-leash park, or just walk in the park, friends' houses, etc. Gradually your dog will get used to the ride as well as associating car rides with something good.
Desensitization will take time and patience but I am sure your dog will be get there someday. Now my dog jumps in the car as soon as I open the hatchback anticipating to go to the dog park or training classes!
Good luck!
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