# Car Chasing



## animalmom (Sep 13, 2018)

We have a German Shepherd puppy, male, 4 months old that had decided it is great fun to chase cars, pickup trucks, delivery trucks, milk tankers... well you get the idea.

Who has some great ideas on how to stop this before I have a flattened dog?

The DH is lobbying for chaining the pooch up when someone comes, I'm thinking tossing the dog in a crate but I found out yesterday that even if you hold on the the pup until the vehicle is out of sight he still takes off like a shot.  So far has always returned...

I would greatly, greatly, did I say greatly appreciate all ideas short of getting rid of the dog.  He is adorable other than this chasing thing.

Thanks!!!


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## mystang89 (Sep 14, 2018)

Underground electric fencing an option?


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## Baymule (Sep 14, 2018)

Shock collar with a remote that you can zap him with. Our DD just got a weiner puppy about a year old that spent most of his life in an apartment bathroom. With grass, dirt, sunshine, at first he was bewildered, but then decided that the neighbors were ogres that were going to take him away and cram him back in a bathroom. He ran into their yards, nipping at them when they were outside. Now he sports a shock collar. Problem solved. It wasn't very expensive either. 

Our GP's HATE big trucks and rattling trailers. We even have a gate across the driveway, so they can't get out. They race to the front fence and chase away the evil truck monsters. They are behind the fence, so I don't care.


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## promiseacres (Sep 14, 2018)

We got a shock collar with a remote to stop our aussiex from chasing. she still will chase if not supervised and she knows the words come, sit, stay... so have to keep it charged and on.  She ran into a friends van tire... luckily she was ok.


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## Sheepshape (Sep 14, 2018)

If you find an effective way, please tell me. Our 11.5 yr old Border Collie still chases anything which moves (but especially wheels). He even goes after the wheelbarrow wheels and tractor tyres.


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## mystang89 (Sep 14, 2018)

promiseacres said:


> We got a shock collar with a remote to stop our aussiex from chasing. she still will chase if not supervised and she knows the words come, sit, stay... so have to keep it charged and on.  She ran into a friends van tire... luckily she was ok.



Same thing for ours. It works when we are right there to watch but if we get busy doing something, or the children let the dog out unsupervised them off she goes after the Amish horse and buggies.


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## animalmom (Sep 15, 2018)

Well we've ordered a shock collar and I have mixed feelings about it... but the conjured picture of a flat dog is worse.  We don't live in sight of a busy road, heck we don't live in sight of any road and we usually know the day for the UPS or FedEx truck so we can put the collar on that day.

There isn't much hope of teaching him to "leave the truck" so we are going to work real diligently on "come" and "stay."  He is a darn smart dog and I'm betting on his catching on real fast that alerting to the arrival of a truck is good and not sitting with Mom is bad.

Shall keep you all posted on the progress.  I remain positive.


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## Sheepshape (Sep 16, 2018)

To be honest, I think that some dogs have a 'wheel fetish' that is an indelible loop in their canine brains.

Our Border Collie is 11.5 and has spinal arthritis believed to be caused by an injury most likely sustained 7 years ago and probably delivery driver related. 

It seems no amount of 'leave it' 'stay' etc. will influence this otherwise very intelligent dog when he sees a rotating wheel. Sometimes the wheel can be stationary and he still goes to bite it. ANY wheel is fair game....stroller, wheelbarrow, car, ATV, tractor, trailer.......it has to be bitten. Neighbour tells me of a dog which was killed by an ATV when he sank his teeth into the vehicle tyre going at a fair speed, teeth became stuck, and expensive livestock dog was thrown over onto a rock.

If I lived near a busy road, I'd have been dogless years ago. 

The only saving grace seems to be that he has slowed down with age, arthritis and disinclination to leave his bed, so he often can't be bothered to chase any more.


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## greybeard (Sep 16, 2018)

perhaps a LGDGD is in order? A dog guardian dog.... to keep the lgd safe from infernal combustion engine driven contraptions..


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## rosti (Sep 16, 2018)

Shock collar, and nail him the minute he looks at it and possibly even just the moment you see the car, if that’s what it takes at first-by the time he’s running it will probably be too late for him to feel it, because his adrenaline gets pumping that hard. As he gets better he will become adjusted to the shock and you won’t have to shock him at such a high level or so soon. 
I’ve known too many dogs that got flattened, including mine almost two years ago. In my view, any way of preventing it is more humane that letting him get killed.


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## Southern by choice (Sep 16, 2018)

Obedience training is your best option. Extreme high drive dogs can and do learn self control through obedience.
When you look at any Schutzhund dog these are all high drive dogs yet learn extreme control... all starts with obedience. The commitment you make in training them for obedience is the key.
It is beyond sit, stay, come.

Our lgd's are also trained to bikes etc so they do not chase tires.  
German Shepherd Dogs are one of the most trainable breeds in the world. 
However many fail them simply from the lack of time needed to train them properly. 
15-30 minutes a day will do wonders.


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## greybeard (Sep 16, 2018)

& the person that figures out how to train a dog to stop, look both directions before crossing a road will make a million $. Since age 12, I've lost 3 to roadway incidents and none of them ever wanted to chase cars.......the dogs just walked or trotted right out in front of them while trying to cross a road.
I know they can learn. I have one now that witnessed a dog being run over, (her buddy and playmate)  and before that, she would go anywhere, on road, cross a road, and beside one. 
Now, you cannot make her get on pavement or on a gravel road. She used to follow us on our bicycles, trotting along the pavement beside us. Now, she stays on the grass and if a car is coming, she moves way off nearly into the woods till the car passes. 
(mixed breed, slick short hair, short legs..a stray that came up to the house. Part Rottweiler from how her nose looks, but dunno or care what else. Calm as can be around everyone and everything except raccoons, possum, bobcats and other varmints tho she generally won't chase a deer. 
wife feeds her waay too much tho..needs to lose about 10 lbs, and I have to admit, I'm bad about sharing my cheese crackers with her, especially if we're out on the other end of the property and she's decided to lay down and watch me toil away the day. )


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## Southern by choice (Sep 16, 2018)

greybeard said:


> & the person that figures out how to train a dog to stop, look both directions before crossing a road will make a million $



Trained service dogs for the deaf and blind and physically disabled already do this.  These are the REAL service dogs, not the "ESTD" that are usually as much of a basket case as their owners. 
(ESTD- Emotional Support/Therapy Dog... it can be ESTA alsp- any silly animal can "qualify"... rats, ferrets, whatever is deemed the support animal. No training just a bunch of people that want their animal with them at all times so they get someone to sign off on them. 

But, the poster can train the dog to not chase cars.


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## Sheepshape (Sep 16, 2018)

rosti said:


> Shock collar


 They're just about to be made illegal over here.

I'd have thought being hit by a car would have been deterrent enough....but it seems not!


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## Southern by choice (Sep 16, 2018)

Putting a shock collar on a 4 month old pup is never a good idea. This is early formative learning time so human training is most effective.
People really don't realize how much damage a shock collar can do with a puppy.   Nothing replaces real training.
@animalmom  have you looked for a trainer in your area that can either train the dog for you or work with you to train?


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## Simpleterrier (Sep 16, 2018)

The funny thing is the deer around us in the last few years have started to look both ways when crossing the road. I have never hit a dog on the road but I have had a dog hit me on the road. Dumb thing ran right into the side door of my truck it jumped from the field over the ditch and right into it. I just so happen to be a german Shepherd.


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## Wehner Homestead (Sep 17, 2018)

I have to agree with Southern- only resort to a shock collar as a last resort. German Shepherds are an obedience breed and thrive on training and structure.


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## ChickenAndGoatLover (Sep 19, 2018)

We have a GSD puppy around the same age.  We have a shock collar that has a vibrate option and that’s ALL we have ever had to use for her.  It honestly takes a very short amount of time and an even smaller amount of praise for German shepherds to learn commands.   When it comes to a prey situation it definitely is a bit harder (we have a huge issue with ours and her going after our chickens) but persistence and a quick vibrate and even an ungodly sound(can of rocks etc) will typically redirect.   Not forever but eventually it will work forever.      Persistence, praise and redirection should hopefully work!   Good luck!


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## Wehner Homestead (Sep 19, 2018)

ChickenAndGoatLover said:


> We have a GSD puppy around the same age.  We have a shock collar that has a vibrate option and that’s ALL we have ever had to use for her.  It honestly takes a very short amount of time and an even smaller amount of praise for German shepherds to learn commands.   When it comes to a prey situation it definitely is a bit harder (we have a huge issue with ours and her going after our chickens) but persistence and a quick vibrate and even an ungodly sound(can of rocks etc) will typically redirect.   Not forever but eventually it will work forever.      Persistence, praise and redirection should hopefully work!   Good luck!




I didn’t know that there was a vibration setting. Very interesting. I’ll definitely have to research this!


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## Stephine (Sep 19, 2018)

Long line for training. Put him on it and hold the other end. When he sets off to chase: IMPRESSIVE dressing down and immediate time out inside (bathroom, spare room) door closed no interaction. Try and see how long you have to keep him in time out to make an impression. Then welcome him back to the pack and take him out again. Repeat. If he doesn’t have it the third time, quit for the day and keep him inside or on short leash with you. Repeat the next day. He needs to know this is serious and will be no more tolerated than chasing stock for example. A zap collar won’t do anything if he is really enthusiastic. You have to actually KEEP Him from doing it - the more he chases the more he learns to chase. Good Luck!


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## ChickenAndGoatLover (Sep 19, 2018)

Wehner Homestead said:


> I didn’t know that there was a vibration setting. Very interesting. I’ll definitely have to research this!


https://www.chewy.com/e-collar-tech...MIxPKlwszH3QIVFVYNCh21FAOSEAQYGCABEgJnAfD_BwE

This is the collar we have and I highly recommend it!


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## Stephine (Sep 19, 2018)

Stephine said:


> Long line for training. Put him on it and hold the other end. When he sets off to chase: IMPRESSIVE dressing down and immediate time out inside (bathroom, spare room) door closed no interaction. Try and see how long you have to keep him in time out to make an impression. Then welcome him back to the pack and take him out again. Repeat. If he doesn’t have it the third time, quit for the day and keep him inside or on short leash with you. Repeat the next day. He needs to know this is serious and will be no more tolerated than chasing stock for example. A zap collar won’t do anything if he is really enthusiastic. You have to actually KEEP Him from doing it - the more he chases the more he learns to chase. Good Luck!


Oh, need to add: the pup needs to learn self control in order to succeed - if he CAN’T control himself because he hasn’t learned this is hopeless. So you have to train him apart from the anti-chase training of course. From basic sit before putting down the food bowl and waiting for an OK before approaching and eating his food, to sits for ANYTHING you do for him, “stay” training , etc. Great is also to play ball with him and train “wait” and release before he is allowed to run and get the ball. Train “stop” to stop him from a run, then combine throwing the ball and using the “stop” command when he is chasing the ball. 
So Train Train Train - as others said a GSD is very trainable but you HAVE to put in the work. A collar is a lazy “substitute “ for training that easily fails. Plus, if you train you’ll end up with a better dog in all respects.


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## RathdrumGal (Sep 19, 2018)

animalmom said:


> We have a German Shepherd puppy, male, 4 months old that had decided it is great fun to chase cars, pickup trucks, delivery trucks, milk tankers... well you get the idea.
> 
> Who has some great ideas on how to stop this before I have a flattened dog?
> 
> ...


We lost a year old yellow lab puppy due to running off of our property. She ran on the highway and was hit by a car.

Our property is fully fenced, but we live in a high snow area.  We need to open our farm gate when it snows. or risk being snowed in until we can dig out the gate.  That is how our dog got out.

My husband solved the problem by putting invisible fencing just across the gate opening.  You have to have an entire circuit, but he was able to dig a shallow trench and our short rectangular circuit is only 6 inches wide.  But it works to keep our new dog in.  The collar gives a warning beep before the shock.  It literally only took 1-2 shocks before she avoids getting near the gate.  My husband ran a heavy duty exterior extension cord through the bushes near our fence to power the electric fence.  The fence power unit is protected by an inverted plastic bucket hidden near the fence line.  This has worked well for the past two years.  We have had no problem with the buried wires resulting from driving over the gate opening.  The whole system cost about $150.


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## Honey Maid (Sep 23, 2018)

Southern by choice said:


> Obedience training is your best option. Extreme high drive dogs can and do learn self control through obedience.
> When you look at any Schutzhund dog these are all high drive dogs yet learn extreme control... all starts with obedience. The commitment you make in training them for obedience is the key.
> It is beyond sit, stay, come.
> 
> ...



100% the correct answer, I was amazed at the amount of 'shock collar' answers.  I still use 'choke chains', when used correctly, they are WAY better than, shock collars, pinch collars, those stupid new things that people put on their dogs muzzle when they walk them.


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