I gave the dog his first ice cream — one of life’s simple pleasures.

Teddie Bear doesn’t ride well in the car. If you are the passenger, he serves as your seatbelt. It’s like he’s a magnet, and the seat is metal. He sucks up against you so tightly you can’t lean forward. At all. You can’t get your real seatbelt on or off. You might not be able to get out of the car. It takes two hands and all your strength to peel him off you once he’s Velcro-ed on.

Riding in the car is a challenge

We take him once a week to training at PetSmart. Occasionally, we will try to take him somewhere for a walk. He has to go to the vet and groomers’.

Each time, it’s a challenge.

If you don’t have someone to hold him, he wants on your lap while you drive. Not a good idea with his glue-like tendencies. He’s also just a wee bit big to be a proper lap dog. Either he’s too big or the lap is too small. He can’t settle in easily. It’s just awkward.

He shakes. And yawns. Sure signs he’s stressed.

No amount of soothing or firm holds work. The trainer said when dogs are upset by something to not try and calm them but to be dismissive of the situation. But even talking to him normally or petting him in a normal way doesn’t improve the situation.

Car rids are simple pleasures for some dogs

I feel bad for him. Many dogs like car rides.

My dog Mocha always liked rides, because she knew she’d get ice cream. The fast food drive thru nearest our house had dog cones for 75 cents. Depending on who was working, you might get a dog biscuit stuck on top.

She loved ice cream, but she wouldn’t eat it in the car. I think the car ride freaked her out, but she wanted to be with us, and, well, there was ice cream … It didn’t matter where we were going, she always got ice cream.

Ice cream one of life’s simple pleasures

So I decided to try it with Teddie. On the way home from training, I stopped at McDonald’s for ice cream. I got him a sundae without any toppings. Pricier than the dog cone at Chips, but it was worth it.

And he liked it! From the first lick, he was hooked. By the time we got home, he’d made a good dent in it and was shivering. We aren’t sure if it was the ride or the cold treat.

I’m not expecting a miracle next time we get in the car. Maybe, though, with time, he’ll learn that the reward, one of life’s simple pleasures, is worth it.

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