My dog refuses to get out of my Car!

[Shadow1]

I'm sure this sounds crazy.... We have an older dog about 7 years old - Alaskan Malamute - we've only had her a couple of months - she was found at the side of the road.  She loves car rides and tonight after going on a short car trip - she refuses to get out!  She is over 100 pounds so I can't budge her.  We've tried to entice her with meat, treats, the leash and nothing is working.  Any suggestions? 

[Shadow1]

Good Idea - I'm going to try it!

[my3dogs]

I would definitely rule out any health issue as Julie suggests.

If it turns out that she is healthy and just stubborn...wel l, at 100 pounds you may have to get creative.

We had this trouble with Daisy not wanting to get out at the vet.  One look at the building and she would freeze....and sometimes poop in my car.  Regardless she wasn't about to get out and there was no way to move her.   142 lbs of stubborn mastiff.  Once the vet had to come out to the car and that's where Daisy had her appt.  It was to have her anal glands expressed.  In my new car. Ugh!   Now I park in such a way that she can't see the building until she is out of the car.  

But it sounds like maybe your dog wants to stay in the car in hopes of going somewhere.  

Sometimes a blanket underneath them can help because it gives you some leverage to move them toward the door.

If you have a gate/fence between where the dog rides and the driver you could loosen it and move it toward the opening so the dog has to get out.

I'd only try these more forceful options if I was sure she didn't have an injury or health issue.  

Best of luck!

[Shadow1]

Okay, putting something by the door to help her get out didn't work.  She won't even budge for real people food!  We think?? she is being stubborn and if that is the case I suppose she will come out when she is good and ready.  Hopefully, it will be before I have to go to work in the morning!  Our garage is attached so she should be okay?  She is not wimpering as if she were in pain, actually I think she looks pretty darn comfortable! 

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm sure I sound like a complete idiot but I am really new to having such a large dog and I'm finding that Malamutes can have a mind of their own!

[Shadow1]

Yeah!!! Thank you Thank you

After reading what you said about her waiting to go somewhere, I thought what the heck... took her a few blocks to mail some last minute Christmas Cards and when we got back she got right out!!  I figure there probably was no reasoning with her so she won LOL

[macybean]

How funny! I took Riley and Sadie on a quick errand once that didn't require them to get out of the car (can't remember what we were doing offhand). When we got home, Riley got out, looked around, realized we were home again, and turned around and got back in. LOL

[shine]

We had an Irish Setter who did this....and the ONLY way to get her out of the car was to take her for another ride.  Once SHE decided she had ridden long enough, she would get out. Until she was satisfied, no amount of treats or shoving would move her! LOL! 

I'll bet that is what is happening with your dog.  Especially if she is a Malamute....th ey are notoriously stubborn!  My Samson was the World's Most Wonderful Dog....but man, could he be bull-headed, lol....

[brandon]

We had an Irish Setter who did this....and the ONLY way to get her out of the car was to take her for another ride.  Once SHE decided she had ridden long enough, she would get out. Until she was satisfied, no amount of treats or shoving would move her! LOL! 

That is funny, when Bava was a little guy he would do this every stinking time.  If you took him around the neighborhood once more or just a little more ride time, he would get out afterwords.  Both of our newfs love to ride for some reason.  I usually just resorted to picking him up and taking him out, and he grew out of it and gets out now when he is supposed to.

[suzyc]

I had a rescue newf border Jake- 120 lbs who would usually get out of the car fine. Then my husband got a truck and he e riding in the cab so much.  He got ultra possesive over the truck he would not get out one day.  My husband left the doors open and came in to tell me.  I tried to pull him out by the collar he would bare his teeth at me. (surprise he never did that to me before) That day it was hot and he refused to get out. The interior was black. Jakes nose was shriveling from the heat.  Because he was so sensitive as a rescue, yelling at him proved to be most effective. I was firm and demanded he get out loudly without touching him.  That worked! Good luck.

[Pyr Heaven]

That is too funny, Shadow! It was definitely that she was just not ready to go home. She wanted another ride! hahaha That is too funny! I'm glad she finally came to her senses!

Btw, Welcome to Big Paws Only! I'm Samantha, mom to a 6 month old Great Pyrenees, Miles. This board is great! Everyone is always so helpful and someone is sure to know the answer to your questions. And if not, we'd all chip in to figure it out! I hope you enjoy it here. I'm sure you will!

P.S. I would like pics of her!

[London_Pyr_Lover]

Ha Ha, I had the exact same problem with Naja, except she REFUSED to get into the car, and would even flop down on the ground in a passive aggressive effort to not have to get in the car.  lol

She's okay now, she "almost" always gets in when I open the door for her.  However the key work is almost.