Hambone Posted February 25, 2003 Report Share Posted February 25, 2003 I'm looking for suggestions to stopping car chasing both on the street and in my car. I have a bordie collie/lab mix that I got when she was 2-1/2 years old. She (Maddie), has very strong Bordie Collie instincts, she herds, nips at heels while running figure eights, corners the cat, etc. Before I got her she had been kept tied up, never walked and somewhat mentally/physically abused. When I got her she knew nothing (not even what rain was). Anyhow, most problems I have been able to correct (somewhat), but still she has a habit for chasing cars that I can't seem to shake. When walking on the street she will lunge at them and bark. I will admit she has gotten a lot better, but still you never can trust when she will and when she won't lunge (and about pull my arm off). She also does this in the car, almost going beserk. I originally crated her and she would work herself up so much that the crate would fall over. Ironically if I'm on the Highway she does relatively well since the cars are all going in the same direction. But small two-lane streets drive her insane and ME! I'm a hiker, camper and a traveler who had the idea that I'd get this dog to take everywhere with me and it kills me to listen to her bark, hysterically. Any ideas? Let me add, I'm typically by myself so it would be most helpful for suggestions that don't include others, but I'm sure I can always enlist the help of my friends if need-be. Thanks in advance for any helpful ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haflingerrider Posted February 25, 2003 Report Share Posted February 25, 2003 Our Border Collie did the same car chasing thing from inside the car. She was not allowed to ride on the seat but started this behavior from the floor by looking out the window. Never did it as a pup cause she could not see out. When corrected she would stop but started riding behind my seat in the van. She was very sneaky about it at first but would get into it and forget to be sneaky. I let her a go once just to see how she would react. It got to the frothing point before I stopped it. She was well trained for her down stay so I just made her lie between the vans front seats. If she couldn't see the movement she was fine. You might try covering her crate to see how she rides when the stimulus is removed. If that works you could look in the hunting catalogs for a crate cover or have someone make you one. What kind of vehicle do you drive? Van, wagon, car???? Not only is this problem nerve racking but it is very dangerous to have a crazed creature all over your vehicle while you are driving. As far as car chasing, we live well off the township road, and so far have not had this problem. I'm sure others will have good advice. Cyndi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambone Posted February 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2003 Thanks for your advice. I have actually covered her crate before and she is much more quiet, but that was some time ago. I actually stopped using the crate and was just putting her in the back (I have a SUV w/a dog barrier)for I got tired of moving it in and out of my car and sometimes I use my car for work. Maybe I will have to reconsider putting her back in the crate. I also will sometimes feed her in the car and drive to a park, kind of to get her mind off of the moving objects. And she will eat her food, rather quickly, but she won't stop eating to bark at the cars. The ironic thing is she loves to be in the car (as long as it isn't moving and things aren't quickly darting by). So if the car door is open she sneaks right in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted February 25, 2003 Report Share Posted February 25, 2003 Seems like a covered crate is a good idea. I have one who will "chase" big trucks (not cars, but semi trucks or big RVs) down the length of the truck bed (covered with camper shell) if she's loose back there. But when she sits in the front seat, in a seat belt harness which allows plenty of movement, she only occasionally snaps her head as one goes by. Some proximity thing that being able to see the vehicles up close lessens her desire to "chase." Weird, for sure. diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMcNairnTurn Posted February 26, 2003 Report Share Posted February 26, 2003 My oldest does this too...the other one just noodges me to get petted (which also drives me nuts). I used to have a "no dogs in the front seat" policy, but because Marengo is crazed and going from side to side, Rave came up front out of self defense...couldn't say no. Anyway...haven't been able to cure it in my car...though belting her in does lessen the head banging. She's selective though, and prefers to head bang only for those cars stalled on the side of the road, speeding by us, or like you said, those going very fast on a two way road. HOWEVER, a friend of mine has a little two seater TR6, with a small space behind the seats where a dog can scrunch, and because when we road with him, there was always two of us and she was so close, and he would COMPLETELY freak out if she touched paw to paint...we were able to cure her by keeping her leashed and yelling a lot of "knock...it...off"s. Which, I know, is difficult when it's the back of an SUV...maybe you can hire a teenager to ride around with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambone Posted February 27, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2003 Well I'm glad to know that there are others out there with the same problem, unfortunately I haven't ever been able to meet anyone who has solved the problem. I try to tell her it is "no big deal" but she has yet to figure out ALL human language, let alone conversation. I'll keep trying. And thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyO Posted February 28, 2003 Report Share Posted February 28, 2003 One of my border collies as a pup (8-12 weeks old) was a horrible car chaser, inside the car and out. As a pup he rode with a blanket over his crate all the time, because he went to work with me he did alot of car riding. When he was on leash he was always trying to chase cars, when I was at my field I would set it up so he would be on lead near the road with me, as a car would start to drive by, he would get a correction (a pop on his leash)right before he would even react to the car. What actually cured him of it, was one time just as he was beginning to react to a car coming, he go tapped on the nose with my crook. I felt bad about it, but it scared the car chasing out of him, he wouldn't even go up to that part of the field, of course I made him go anyway and continued the reinforcement of a correction (not the tap on the nose)for awhile. I don't like being phsyical with a dog (such as a tap on the nose) but the alternative was probably going to be a dead dog! The good news is he doesn't chase cars anymore, he is now 14 months old. For riding in the car, if allowed he will sit up in his crate and quietly watch cars go by, but I keep an eye on him and he is old enough that when told to lie down he does, his crate in the car is no longer covered. I think the important thing about trying to break this habit along with other habits is 1. If you see it developing stop is immediately 2. Taking the time to consistently correct the dog, every time. It is so easy to not take the time, every time. Nancy O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.