# Help me get my dog in and out of the bed of my truck.



## kdrob211 (Mar 22, 2009)

K so I have a 6 month old black lab that I have been working with and I have run into a little issue and it is that he wont jump out of the back of the truck or in. Now I understand that maybe the truck bed might be a little to high for him right now but here is where my concern is, my buddy has a black lab pup that was the runt of the litter and she is 2 month younger than my dog and she will jump in the the bed of the truck and out the bed of the truck. Is there any training I can do to help him and maybe his confidence. I did when he was really young have to pick him up and put him in because he was not big enough to get in himself and so I am thinking that is where I might have went wrong. He gets to the edge and he looks like he is almost afraid to make the jump down and he have never even considered jumping in. Any help would be great. Thanks.


----------



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I would try to make it easier for him to get started by parking against the curb of something and then also make it rewarding with a treat or something. Mine picked it right up at about that age because the other dog was always so excited about getting in the truck; he just followed suit. Once they like it due to always being rewarded they like it; mine love the kennel and the truck because they know it is hunt'n time!


----------



## Dekashika (Oct 23, 2007)

Get a piece of carpet to lay on the tailgate bed, where he will first jump in. Make sure he knows there is some sure footing. Then reward him with his favorite treat when he makes the jump in. He will figure it out.


----------



## Matt B (Sep 10, 2007)

Not a lab guy.....but has he jumped in the truck before and now won't? Hips don't hurt him or he doesn't walk funny? Had the kennel roll over in the back of the truck? 

Sorry my medical brain kicks in and just wonders these things. Like before mentioned he is young and just maybe needs to figure out that truck means fun. Good luck!


----------



## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> I would try to make it easier for him


As with anything in dog training, you start simple and take small steps. Start by teaching the KENNEL command on the ground. When that's solid, put the kennel up on blocks, then on double blocks, etc. Eventually the tailgate will be no problem.

And once he associates that tailgate with hunting, you won't be able to keep him off it! If my dogs even hear me open the tailgate, they go nuts.


----------



## TAK (Sep 9, 2007)

Grab the dog by the collar and throw him in... soon enough he will start helping you by jumping at the same time. Don't practice this, just do it when you are going to go hunting. So go hunting often! Soon enough the dog will want to go hunting and when the tailgate drops he is already in mid air!
Same thing with getting out. Pull him out and go hunting. A real good dog will not want to jump back in the truck after hunting! They want to still hunt!

Now before some bleeding heart calls the HS on me, no dog has ever been hurt doing this and within a few times they are like I said jumping in before I get the tailgate down!


----------



## vdogs (Sep 22, 2007)

kdrob211 said:


> K so I have a 6 month old black lab that I have been working with and I have run into a little issue and it is that he wont jump out of the back of the truck or in. Now I understand that maybe the truck bed might be a little to high for him right now but here is where my concern is, my buddy has a black lab pup that was the runt of the litter and she is 2 month younger than my dog and she will jump in the the bed of the truck and out the bed of the truck. Is there any training I can do to help him and maybe his confidence. I did when he was really young have to pick him up and put him in because he was not big enough to get in himself and so I am thinking that is where I might have went wrong. He gets to the edge and he looks like he is almost afraid to make the jump down and he have never even considered jumping in. Any help would be great. Thanks.


I know of two dogs (one lab..one DD) that blew their Acl's jumping out of the truck bed. I know, none of us want to lift our dogs in and out (especially if they're wet and muddy) but, after a hunt, when they're tired..lift them in to go home. Then, lift them out when ya get there. After a hard run the dog's muscles and ligaments stiffen up on the ride home and can be prone to injury from jumping. Could save ya some grief..and some $. Average "minimum" vet bill for this injury between $900-$1500.


----------



## Texscala (Sep 8, 2007)

GSPman said:


> kdrob211 said:
> 
> 
> > K so I have a 6 month old black lab that I have been working with and I have run into a little issue and it is that he wont jump out of the back of the truck or in. Now I understand that maybe the truck bed might be a little to high for him right now but here is where my concern is, my buddy has a black lab pup that was the runt of the litter and she is 2 month younger than my dog and she will jump in the the bed of the truck and out the bed of the truck. Is there any training I can do to help him and maybe his confidence. I did when he was really young have to pick him up and put him in because he was not big enough to get in himself and so I am thinking that is where I might have went wrong. He gets to the edge and he looks like he is almost afraid to make the jump down and he have never even considered jumping in. Any help would be great. Thanks.
> ...


I was thinking the same thing and have also seen the results of this kind of injury. Truck beds can be slippery and a tired dog can make mistakes. Nothing wrong with helping a dog in and out of a truck as long is it hunts fine.


----------



## premier (Nov 6, 2009)

I use a little box, I make them get up on the box then have them jump in the back of the truck it only takes a little bit of time before they know that getting in means going to hunt or run or somewhere fun. it works wonderful I must say I do find it funny when I see hunters having to throw there dogs in the truck when they are all muddy. I even take it with me cuz if I hunt them hard they will still jump in but just in case I wont have to lift my muddy mutts I just bust out the box or cooler or whatever to assist them in the truck. I also tell them that they will stay home if they dont get in on thier own, Im thinking that is the real reason they get in :mrgreen:


----------



## keny glasscock (Jan 20, 2009)

Like any command consistency is key. I put the young dog on a lead and heel him to the truck. I stop him or her at the tailgate and make them stand. Then I'll give a command, kennel, and lift them quickly into the back of the truck. By having the lead on I control their movement and basically guide them into the box. 

As stated by others injuries can occur so controlling the movement of the dog is key. Don't allow them to jump in at a full run. It is an accident waiting to happen. By stopping them a few feet from the object you want them up on, be it a training table, tailgate, top of the crate, whatever, they have the abilty to set up for the easy jump and avoid injury. same with unloading open the box, invite them out. They don't come out unless you give them the cue to do so. By setting them up to succeed you a) have an opportunity to train steadiness and also avoid injury by controlling the situation.


----------



## kdrob211 (Mar 22, 2009)

Sorry I haven't replied sooner I have been out of town, but thanks to everyone for the advice we are gonna get after it and I will let you know how it goes.


----------



## Big Mike (Jan 26, 2008)

Here's the flip side.... I don't know if it's true or not but I remember reading an article that claimed more labs have hip problems from jumping out of truck beds then from bad hip genetics (ie. hip dysplasia). Again...I don't know if it's true but I did read it. 

I don't lift my dog out of the bed because I don't like to get all wet and muddy after a day hunting when I'm about to go in the house.


----------



## El Matador (Dec 21, 2007)

My tailgate is pretty high, so I actually discourage my dog from jumping in. He can usually do it just fine if I tell him to but he's muffed it a couple of times. So I just have him put his front feet on the tailgate and I lift the back legs up for him. 

Back in the days when my gate was lower, I actually had to back him away from the truck sometimes before he would jump in. Getting a short run made it easier and he could see into the truck better which built his confidence. Get your dog to sit or stand about 6 feet behind the truck and encourage them to jump in, you may get a better response. I would use this in conjuction with some of the other techniques mentioned here and you should be fine.


----------

