How can I stop my dog from lunging and barking at cars on walks? Last Updated: May 31, 2020 I get it. Repeat the sequence, only feeding and petting your dog when the other dog is present. With time and practice, your dog will learn to enjoy their walk and not get excited at every passing car. Continue doing this, dropping the treats along the path you wish for them to follow. None of it seems to be working - in fact it has gotten worse. Decrease stimulus if required. Stop dog from chasing Exercise 3: at the dog park When you reach the dog park, your canine friend will want to go and play with the other dogs or explore around freely. Support our videos by shopping at PetFlow! Reward your dog continuously, as the car slowly passes both of you. Once again, teaching "Look at that" may help get the dog's focus off the cars. German Shepherd Dog HQ is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The right way to stop barking and lunging. So until you can get good professional help, keep your dog out of trouble as much as you can. Consequently, the dog resorts to barking and lunging, even more, to get the new dog to go away to reduce the unpleasant experience. Then, try to avoid the things your dog lunges at or find a way to block your dog's view so it … She is also a Member of the Academy of Equine Veterinary Nursing Technicians since 2011. Guide to Crate Training a German Shepherd Puppy. Having your dog on a good leash or harness will help you control your dog in case he starts barking or lunging. The American Kennel Club has always listed the German Shepherd as one of the smartest breeds…, Schutzhund training is a rigorous canine sport that involves training and evaluating dogs in three main…, We’ve all heard stories about the dreaded “puppy stage”, the stressful rite of passage all new…, Your email address will not be published. Jazz constantly protects the house and garden by barking and lunging at visitors. A walk with your dog is supposed to be a pleasant experience, not a battle of wills to keep your dog from barking or lunging at another dog. After a few repetitions you can start moving the other dog … Once its butt hits the floor give it the treat. German Shepherd Dog HQ is not claiming to be an expert on German Shepherds, nor do we provide veterinary advice. In the long run, it's best to train your dog to turn and sit when distractions are present. You can find information on training, health, puppies, and products that will help make owning your GSD easier. If your dog is not distracted by the treats and barks, have the car drive by, farther away, or start giving treats sooner, when your dog is quiet around the car. Remember many times our dogs don’t know the reason why we are so upset. Once they’ve done so, start walking again. Dogs have a tendency to chase fast moving things. They can also cause ser… This type of dog requires a lot of exercise to get them to be able to calm down. Allie is the perfect example! Make sure your dog is in the heel position BEFORE you see signals of lunging. Visualize a problem appearing from around the corner, and act out your response. Be sure to remain a safe distance from cyclists at the outset, but gradually begin allowing your dog … Dogs who chase should always be secured on a sturdy leash set at a certain length and never on a retractable leash or long line. By using our site, you agree to our. These should … What would be the best route for getting my 4.5 month old dog/puppy from doing this? He weighs 80 pounds now and is huge and I can't control him like this. Trying to lure your dog with a treat seldom works, either. Soon, he’ll stay calm and look to you for a treat when he sees another dog. You basically, mark with a clicker or pronounce a verbal marker such as "yes," when your dog looks at the cars from a distance. Keep working on this until your dog immediately turns to you whenever you say its name. Have plenty of smelly, tasty treats handy. You would have thought it was something special! Over time, consistently following these steps will stop your dog from lunging and/or chasing cars. DOGS LUNGING AND BARKING AT CARS, BIKES, TRUCKS, VACUUM CLEANERS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN ... Stop every now and again, change the direction of your walk...simply by crossing the road. Ask a friend to drive by slowly and reward your dog the moment he notices and looks at the car approaching slowly. Simply ignore naughty behavior and don't reward your pet with treats. Car chasers are often seriously injured or killed-typically not by the car they are chasing, but by one passing when the dog darts into the road. They spend the most time together also. Remember to always reward your dog when he/she doesn’t chase a car, and never reward your dog after it lunges at a car. After your dog has mastered not lunging while on a walk, you should practice in different situations and on different roads, until your dog obeys 100% of the time. This blog is based on personal experience owning a German Shepherd, which is not to be considered veterinary advice. When Allie was younger she wanted to chase cars on our walks and would pull me every time one was about to pass. German Shepherds and other high drive dogs can easily get excited and want to lunge at a car that passes at a high speed. So from now on, on walks, this is what you will do: Start walking. To keep a dog from lunging at cars and people, start by keeping it on a leash made from a sturdy material, like leather or nylon, and make sure there's no more than 4-6 feet of slack. If your dog is barking and lunging, then this is no longer about socialization but teaching the dog to remain calm when they encounter an unfamiliar dog. % of people told us that this article helped them. Hold a treat close to its nose and move the treat up so that he begins to lower his butt. Practice the games and avoidance maneuvers that will help keep your dog out of trouble. If your dog already lunges at cars follow the steps below to learn how to manage this behavior. But he only does it to her and no one else. Each time your dog looks at the other dog without barking or otherwise reacting, mark with a “good” or a click and treat. At some point, upon spotting the cars, your dog will look at you automatically for the treat. You could also say “no” in a stern voice, but avoid physically punishing your dog. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 16,977 times. A high drive dog is one who has a lot of excess energy and requires both physical and mental stimulation to thrive. Don't say "take him to a trainer" I want to work on this with him myself. Say the word “heel” and lure your dog to come next to you in heel position to get … Ensure the cat’s safety by keeping your dog under leash control and prevent any chase from taking place. Step. Being stationary makes it a lot easier for the dog to be trained. Rehearsals will polish your skills and help you respond calmly at showtime. There are several short-term fixes, such as avoiding the things your dog likes to lunge at, blocking your dog's view of the things it typically lunges at, and redirecting your dog's attention away from those things back to you. A professional dog trainer can help you with this technique as well as provide additional tips and tricks to keep your dog from lunging at cars and people. Required fields are marked *. Usually, if the vehicle stops or slows down, the game of chase is over so they are no longer interested in the car. Anything on a walk with your dog is a potential trigger for lunging. In order to prevent your dog from lunging at cars, you have to break that habit. Ryan Corrigan is a Licensed Veterinary Technician in California. Every little inch your dog gains from pulling, even the very slight forward motion of you arm, reinforces the pulling. Before you start, make sure your dog is introduced to the basic commands and knows how to walk on a leash properly. It's also important to stay calm when your dog lunges and never yell at or hit your dog, which can actually make the lunging worse. It may be enough to simply put a fence around your property or duck behind a hedge when you see the mailman coming. You tentatively leash up your dog, put on your treat pouch and get … If your dog tries to pull ahead, stop walking at once and remain still until they trot back to your side. Just make sure your dog is always wearing its collar, that it is easy to hold and if your dog starts choking itself, you may want to loosen your grip. There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. If your dog is particularly wigged out by the presence of your feline friend, you may need to cover the kennel with a sheet or limit this step to a few minutes each day, gradually increasing the length of exposure until they can coexist with your pup behind bars. When you sign up for recurring dog food delivery, enter code Zak20 I'm glad you guys are enjoying the video! This is a good option if your dog is hard to handle because it gives you better control of the situation. Training tips to help stop car-chasing: First of all, never chase the dog, that only encourages them to run more. The goal is to make yourself, the treat, or the toy more interesting than whatever has gotten your dog's attention. You might need to stop with some distance to give your furry friend the chance to look at you before reaching the person and/or dog. If you don’t have time to wait for random cars, have a friend or family member pass slowly with a car. Welcome to German Shepherd Dog HQ! The best way to teach your dog not to chase cars is by starting in a stationary location. Before you start training with an energetic dog it is best to get your dog tired first so they can better focus. She is also a Member of the Academy of Equine Veterinary Nursing Technicians since 2011. This article has been viewed 16,977 times. In addition, from your dog’s point of view the aggressive display seems to work pretty well--after all, the other dog always goes away. Walk around with your dog as you normally would, but when he begins barking at cyclists, tell him “Let’s go!” and begin walking in the other direction, just as you practiced. Most puppies prefer cat-chasing to any other reward so don’t allow your pup to get a taste of it. To keep a dog from lunging at cars and people, start by keeping it on a leash made from a sturdy material, like leather or nylon, and make sure there's no more than 4-6 feet of slack. You can also use treats and toys to train your dog to sit when people enter your home and stay in the same place until released by your command. Get your dog into a sitting position and wait for a car to pass, while keeping an eye on your dog to notice how far away the car is the moment it catches your dog’s attention. After a few seconds, have your friend lead the other dog away at which point you should stop giving your dog treats. Don’t be too hard on your dog. She pulled and barked and just got all worked up trying to chase a plastic floating bag. Everyone wants an obedient dog that walks calmly on their leash and doesn’t bark their adorable little heads off at every dog, passerby, and car that’s on the route.. You want to know how to get your dog to stop barking!. It’s an instinctive reaction for high drive dogs to chase anything that moves quickly. The moment your dog pulls, stop in your tracks. Will he eventually just get over this the more I walk him? Brian’s rescue mixed-breed dog, Sammy, is a top competitor in the AKC Rally program. If a bag can get a high drive German Shepherd excited, a fast-moving vehicle certainly will. Ryan Corrigan is a Licensed Veterinary Technician in California. What can I do? Some dogs like to chase fast-moving things, including motor vehicles. The key is to get your dog to not be interested even when the car is still moving. Step 2 Secure your cat in the cat carrier. Really want to work on this behavioral issue while he is still young. I prefer the “watch me” command to another command, but if your dog doesn’t yet know the “watch me” command other commands can work as well. You can then decrease distance very gradually. If you're having a hard time getting the dog to turn to you when you say its name, use a squeaker toy or clicker in conjunction with the dog's name. ... You know what your dog is reactive to so keep an eye out but be relaxed and concentrate on what your dog is doing and keep him interacting with you. 3. As the owner of a barking, lunging beast, chances are the next time you're walking him you'll tense up as soon as you encounter those same conditions. It is important not to provide treats after or if the dogs starts barking, as this reinforces barking and not the car. This article was co-authored by Ryan Corrigan, LVT, VTS-EVN. Luckily with some training, we can stop this behavior. Bringing along a high-value toy could also work to distract your dog. You may choose to walk your dog at night or another time when there isn't as much commotion and traffic. You need to catch that exact moment when your dog sees the car but before the car gets close enough for them to get excited. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. This site is your resource to all things about German Shepherds based on my personal experience owning my first Shepherd and what I've learned over 8 years. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. I get knocked off my feet. 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