Dog training - Training your dog not to chase cars

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Dog training Training your dog not to chase cars
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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No matter what your dogs 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.
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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.
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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.
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When your friend drives by, either in your car or
his, watch your dogs 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.
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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.
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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.
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To Learn More About Dog Training, go to
http//howtohousetraindog.com/go/dog-traininghtt
p//howtohousetraindog.com/go/theonlinedogtrainer
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