Question: I’m curious how BAT could (or maybe it can’t?) be used for dogs that bark at people and/or dogs while riding in the car? Obvioulsy crating the dog up to reduce visual stimulus wouuld be ideal, but for situations where this is not possible, any ideas???

Grisha’s Answer: BAT can definitely be used for issues in the car. You do want to block the view for times when you’re not training, as you mentioned, via a crate, curtains, or a calming cap. The functional reward is still distance, which can be done by the other person/dog walking away or by letting the dog out of the car to walk away. I’ve done it both ways and I think they prefer the latter.

Visual barriers are important to keep the dog from rehearsing the stress and behavior of barking. If a visual barrier is really not possible, then you might want to do counterconditioning while driving (passenger feeds dog or use the remote on a Manners Minder to feed the dog in the back seat). Thundershirts, Anxiety Wraps, or home-made wraps using tight t-shirts or ace bandages are also great for calming dogs down in the car. But training or a visual barrier is the only ‘foolproof’ solution.