Car chasing dogs is a serious problem. More serious than a lot of owners realise.
Not only does dog car chasing put the dog at risk, but it also puts the car driver and many other road users at risk.
Car chasing dogs do not usually live to an old age.
Many owners think that their dog’s car chasing habit is amusing, and joke about it, but they will think otherwise when their dog is injured, or worse if a child or adult is hurt because of their dog’s car chasing habit. A car chasing dog will also chase motorbikes, and push bikes. It really is no joke to be chased by a dog when on a bike, and far more dangerous to the biker.
Car chasing is a totally natural behaviour, for a dog, as a dog’s natural instinct is to chase anything that moves, be it a cat, rabbit, a jogger or a bike. But the fact that, car chasing is natural does not mean that it should be allowed to happen and become a habit. Car chasing can be because of its predatory instincts or out of playfulness, also possibly out of territorial instincts, chasing away an intruder. Car chasing becomes a problem with regular callers, like the milkman, the paperboy or the postman, who call regularly. Your dog will soon anticipate their arrival and lay in wait for them, chasing them off of the premises, this is a guarding instinct and one that they come to enjoy.
If your dog has the car chasing habit, he should never be allowed to run loose, where he would have the opportunity to chase cars, until he can be controlled by a command from you.
Training to help you cure your dog of car chasing.
Start at home, with him on a lead. Throw toys for him, and immediately command him to “leave” or call him to you, if he does not respond you can enforce your command with a firm tug on the lead. Practise this until he responds, as he should. Offer a reward every time he responds quickly.
Next get a friend to run, cycle or drive pass. Practice all if possible, but most particularly the one he is already ” bad” with. And practice the same technique until your dog responds immediately, again giving a reward for the right behaviour.
If you are the victim of a car chasing dog, you are limited to the action you can take.
Runners can buy small handheld machines that either emit a very load noise (anti-attack devises) or there are some that give out a high pitch sound that cannot be heard by humans but are not liked by dogs. With an appropriate loud ” No” followed by a “good boy” in a friendly voice, and possibly a tit bit. In some cases the tit-bit will be beneficial, in others it could cause the dog to come to you looking for a reward.
Bikers, that are subject to car chasing dogs, could possibly use similar devises, also possible a water spray. Dogs do not like water sprayed into their faces. Bikers are limited to how they can act due to the possibility of failing off.
Car drivers do have an addition choice, but need to act carefully. I have found that car chasing dogs do not like the sound of hard braking, and it only has to be applied a couple of times to make the dog weary.
This can only be implemented if the dog is beside you, or behind you as you drive off. You do not need a lot of speed, but when you can see that the dog is in a safe position, really “stand” on your brakes. The sound of the wheels sliding on tarmac, or even better on gravel, will cause the dog to back off. He will come back for a second try, but runs off after a second dose. You will notice that the next time you meet the dog, he will still be interested in “having a go”, but will be weary and one braking application will send him away.
I do stress the need to be careful. It is a shame that this technique is too dangerous for bikers to use, unless they are very accomplished.
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