Dog training - Training your dog not to chase cars
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Transcript of Dog training - Training your dog not to chase cars
One of the most serious, and unfortunately most
common, problem
behaviors among dogs is that of chasing cars.
Dogs must be trained
as early as possible that chasing cars is not
acceptable. That is
because dogs that chase cars eventually become
dogs that catch cars,
and car plus dog always equals big trouble.
One of the most serious, and unfortunately most
common, problem
behaviors among dogs is that of chasing cars.
Dogs must be trained
as early as possible that chasing cars is not
acceptable. That is
because dogs that chase cars eventually become
dogs that catch cars,
and car plus dog always equals big trouble.
Some dogs are more apt to chase cars, bikes,
joggers, cats and other
dogs than are others. Dogs that have a high
prey drive, including
breeds that have been bred for hunting, are
particularly susceptible to
the thrill of the chase. Herding breeds are also
apt to chase cars,
attempt to herd the neighbors children, or
express other undesired
traits of their breeding.
One reason that many dogs chase cars in particular
is that they have
learned to associate cars with good time and
fun things. Most dogs
love to ride in the car, and when they see a car they
may try to chase
it down for a ride.
No matter what your dog’s motivation for chasing
cars, however, it is
important to curb this dangerous behavior as
quickly as possible.
Training the dog not to chase cars starts with
teaching the dog the
meaning of the “Off” command. The “Off”
command is one of the
basic tenets of obedience, and it must be mastered
by every dog.
Teaching the dog to stay where he is, even if
interesting, exciting
things are happening elsewhere, is very important to
all aspects of dog
training. In the world of professional dog
training, this is sometimes
referred to as distraction training. Distraction
training is very
important, and it is applicable to teaching the dog
not to chase cars.
Teaching this important lesson is not something you will be able to do
on your own. You will need at least one other person – a volunteer
who will slowly drive by and tempt your car with his bright, shiny
object. You will stand with your dog on his leash as the volunteer
drives by. Having the volunteer drive your own car can provide an
even greater temptation, since dogs are able to distinguish one car
from another. If your car is the one that provides his rides, it is likely
to be the most tempting object in the world.
When your friend drives by, either in your car or his,
watch your dog’s
reaction carefully. If he begins to jump up or move
away, repeat the
“Off” command and quickly return your dog to the
sitting position. If
he remains where he is, be sure to give him lavish
amounts of praise
and perhaps a treat or two.
Repeat this process many times over the course of a
few days. Once
your dog is reliably remaining seated when your
friend drives by, start
lengthening the distance between yourself and
your dog. A long,
retractable leash works great for this process.
Slowly lengthen the
distance between you and your dog, while still
making sure you have
control.
Even after your dog is trained to not chase cars,
however, it is
important to not leave him out off the leash
unsupervised. Leaving a
dog unattended, except for within a properly
and securely fenced in
yard, is simply asking for trouble. Dogs are
unpredictable, and it is
always possible that the chase instinct could kick
in at exactly the
wrong moment. The best strategy is to confine
the dog when you
cannot supervise him.
To Learn More About Dog Training, go to
http://howtohousetraindog.com/go/dog-tr
aining
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