# Puppy chasing cars!



## WinnieJane (May 6, 2016)

This one is killing me because I thought I had done everything right to avoid this. When we brought our girl home at 8 weeks, I made desensitization to passing cars a priority. (We have a dog in our neighborhood who is crazed about cars and has been hit before, so I was well aware of the dangers.) Until recently, she didn't even blink when a car went by.

Out of the blue, at 5 months old, she is lunging and chasing at cars. I won't even let my 11-year-old hold her leash anymore, because I myself have been dragged after her. 

Her dog walker and I have been trying to desensitize her again. We'll put her in a sit and treat her if she remains calm as a car goes by. Sometimes, she'll be fine for four or five cars in a row, then lose it with the 6th. 

It's at the point where she is getting very little outdoor time except in our small yard because she gets so worked up that she is too hard to handle out on the sidewalk. 

Avoiding walks is not a permanent solution, given our urban environment. But should we avoid them for now, in the hopes that this car thing is a passing phase? 

Any tips on desensitizing her other than the sit-and-treat trick?

Thank you!

Signed,

Desperate


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think perhaps I would do more walks, rather than fewer, but have a vigorous game with a flirt pole or other chase toy first. It sounds as if she has a strong chase drive which is now emerging - finding a safe way to channel it may be easier than trying to suppress it completely.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

If four cars are successful, stay outside your house, watch four cars, go inside and play. Wait ten minutes, go back outside and watch four cars. Repeat. Repeat. And the flirt pole is an excellent toy to get the chasing need fulfilled safely. FJM is right on with this. Noelle loves her flirt pole.


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## Verve (Oct 31, 2016)

Hmmm. One of my general training principles is to minimize the times a dog gets to "rehearse" behavior I don't like. So I would only walk her in circumstances (duration or distance from cars) where you can keep her below threshold. Are you walking with her now or just sitting out with her watching cars? Walking may be better so she just isn't on high alert for cars all the time as long as you can keep her safe and under control.


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

I agree with the advice that has already been given, but would also suggest practicing impulse control exercises with her whenever possible. Playing the "It's Yer Choice" game is good, if you are not doing that already. I also like, especially for high drive dogs, to set up scenarios where they can practice impulse control in a highly aroused state of mind. When Hans was a puppy, we would put him in a stay, run around squeaking a toy, and if he stayed, release him to play, then repeat. If he broke the stay, the human turned into a statue. Now that he's older, we do stays to earn a retreive. We also play tug. We use "out" to have him stop the tugging and drop the tug, give him some command (sit, down, etc), and then restart the tug as a reward. You could work out something similar with the flirt pole, too, if you prefer that. I think it helps them learn to control themselves in very exciting situations. Hans has the best behavior in highly exciting prey/play situations of any dog I've had, and I attribute it to the impulse control practice.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Reward each time a car goes by and she remains in the sit. If she "starts" no reward and a mild castigation. Practice this daily for a while.
Eric.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I like everyone's ideas above. If I could though I would give Firestorm a multiple "thanks" since the core of control around distractions does have to do with impulse control. I will take it one level deeper though and say that the core of impulse control is impeccable ability to remain connected and focused on you. Any game you can play that keeps that connection/focused attention will diminish the interest in chasing cars and if attention is diverted momentarily you will regain it more easily.

Let us know how it goes.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Cars vs dogs is scary, I don't know how all spoo owners manage their huge puppies during their rebellious periods.

So this is what I've done I started years ago training all my dogs, all little ones, the same way with one goal in mind that my disabled mother could walk them without any issue. 

No treats
No clickers

It is kinda of game, with happy praises. Basically it's the child's game Red Light, Green Light only I use Stop and Go, the whole goal is to have the dog on cue stop mid stride and freeze, hold that for a few seconds at first, gradually increasing the time and then releasing the dog with yippee and a yeah. I do this at any point during walk, it can even be on stairs.

I do this multiple times during every walk each and every day. 

What's this have to do with dog chasing cars, well It's how I trained Beatrice who is too food motivated, and cannot think of anything else but the food, so I trained her sit when cars pass, because she would lunge out into the path of the car, by putting myself in between her and the car, at first physically making her sit until the car passed by. It took time to get her to pay attention to me.

It took time and a whole lot of patience.

Eventually she caught on

Fast forward to now

Mind you my dogs go a little wild at times getting quite bouncey when I walk them, which is okay because I know that I can and do have their complete attention when needed, the second I say stop they do and look at me.

again, time, patience and practice

Mind you in the early days I thought I would lose my mind, so hang in there and I live in a huge condo complex 209 units on a 1/4 drive............. soooo lots of cars.


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## WinnieJane (May 6, 2016)

Verve said:


> Hmmm. One of my general training principles is to minimize the times a dog gets to "rehearse" behavior I don't like. So I would only walk her in circumstances (duration or distance from cars) where you can keep her below threshold. Are you walking with her now or just sitting out with her watching cars? Walking may be better so she just isn't on high alert for cars all the time as long as you can keep her safe and under control.


That's how we approached parenting when our children were toddlers and it seems like good advice here, too! We are doing short walks up and down our block now -- I am afraid to go too far from home in case she goes into full crazy mode. If I see a car approaching ahead of time, I put her in a sit and pet her until it passes.


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## WinnieJane (May 6, 2016)

This is "food" for thought! (ha!) Treats are great for our pup in some ways, but not very useful while we are out walking. She is not that interested in treats when she is out in the big, beautiful world. Meanwhile, I'm fumbling with the leash, my gloves, etc, while trying to manage treats and I find it sometimes a dangerous distraction. Mitzi has learned some things simply by habit, with no treats -- for example, when my husband sets the alarm at night, she heads straight to her pen. I like the idea of learning to condition without treats all the time.



twyla said:


> Cars vs dogs is scary, I don't know how all spoo owners manage their huge puppies during their rebellious periods.
> 
> So this is what I've done I started years ago training all my dogs, all little ones, the same way with one goal in mind that my disabled mother could walk them without any issue.
> 
> ...


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## WinnieJane (May 6, 2016)

This is what I aspire to! Thank you for the suggestions.



FireStorm said:


> I agree with the advice that has already been given, but would also suggest practicing impulse control exercises with her whenever possible. Playing the "It's Yer Choice" game is good, if you are not doing that already. I also like, especially for high drive dogs, to set up scenarios where they can practice impulse control in a highly aroused state of mind. When Hans was a puppy, we would put him in a stay, run around squeaking a toy, and if he stayed, release him to play, then repeat. If he broke the stay, the human turned into a statue. Now that he's older, we do stays to earn a retreive. We also play tug. We use "out" to have him stop the tugging and drop the tug, give him some command (sit, down, etc), and then restart the tug as a reward. You could work out something similar with the flirt pole, too, if you prefer that. I think it helps them learn to control themselves in very exciting situations. Hans has the best behavior in highly exciting prey/play situations of any dog I've had, and I attribute it to the impulse control practice.


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## WinnieJane (May 6, 2016)

And Santa will be leaving a flirt pole under the tree for Mitzi!


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