Car and bicycle chasing

[Barbara Koblinsky]

I have a Border Collie "Panda" that I found when she was about 8 months old. She was found on a highway area where it took me a week to get her to come to me. She is a wonderful dog, but she wants to chase anything that moves when I am walking her. I have a buckle coller on her, which I hold to control her, and have tried everything to get her to understand that this is not a behavior that I want. She gets so excited she tunes everything eles out but the car or bicycle. The kids in the neighborhood know to get off of their bicycles and walk over to her to pet her. She is learning the command "leave it" but it hasn't worked for cars or bicycles only cats, squirrels and birds. She behaves very well other then this. I took her to a trainer who put a pinch coller on her, but I don't know if this it what I should be using. She listened to him that day because she was terrified of him. I know she is so strongly attracted to movement, because she is of a herding breed and this attraction is therefore in her breeding, so what do I do to teach her that this is bad and it not something I want if it is so ingrained in her? Any recommendations or comments are welcome to direct me to a good trainer or equipment, such as collars??, or methods I could work with her myself.

[cholla]

I bet Inci's blood pressure is starting to rise.Well, first the bad news: Your dog was bred to want to get to and control anything that moves, as you say you already know. So you are trying to make her forget the very thing her whole body want's more than anything.More bad news, you have to realize that it is going to take long time and much patience from you and you may never get her very good at minding when something runs by. The better news: If you work on getting her attention on you, first away from temptations, and then slowly getting closer, keeping her attention on you, you may control her more and more. I do not know if you have access to somebody more experienced with dogs where you are. It would help a lot.

I am sure other people here will be able to tell you more.

[Barbara Koblinsky]

Dear Cholla. Thank you very much for your reply. I was surprized that I had a reply so soon. Panda is my first Border Collie. Never have I seen a trait so strong in an animal. I can see why they are excellant herding dogs, but our walks would sure be more enjoyable if she would relize that cars are not sheep!!!

[cholla]

I hope somebody else will comment.Several people get more ideas going.About the trainer that you mentioned I can not judge without seing what happened but any trainer will make your dog better than you because they have experience with dogs. They just stand taller and have a no nonsense attitude and dogs respond to it.As far as any specific collars or gimmics the are only tools and need to be used rigth. Pinch collars were meant to be use only on a small group of dogs, grown dogs,that were strong and had thick less sensitive necks,like rottweilers, pit bulls, or had a lot of hair like goldens, akitas etc.

I am surprised that anybody would use one on a super sensitive breed like a border collie or on a puppy.I guess if they were very good trainers they could use anything safely, but it is questionable.

[Barbara Koblinsky]

So your still up too. I just set up my computer today. My first very own computer. One of the things I wanted to research was the Border Collie sites. I am trying to find a club where I can meet other people with Border Collies. I want to know if Panda is full breed. I am told she looks like a pure Scottish Border Collie. I thought that I could find people that have delt with the same problem with their collie and maybe put heads together. The trainer I took her to was too agressive for her. She has a lot of hair on her neck area. It's thick and black so I don't thick she even felt the pinch coller. The problem was that she didn't like being pulled away from me and she became very frightened. She is very dependent on me and me being there because she was lost before. She even hides behind my legs when she is scared of something, so she is very sensitive. I feel she needs a sencitive trainer.

[cholla]

She definitely sounds like she needs a reasonable trainer, one that will not oveface her. At the same time you may want to consider that she may be scared because she may not have been "socialiced", that means shown the world in a way that she understood and was confident of her place in it. When she acts scared you need to ignore her. If you pay her attention and talk to her soothingly she may misunderstand and think that she is right acting that way.Don't feel sorry for her, train her and as she learns she will gain confidence and quit being shy.You will be very proud of her and she will know it and show you more and more a nice personality. Sound like you have a very nice dog. Be patient, it will take some time.

[fooshuman]

Cholla i swear you say the things i wish i'd said! I once again agree with what you are saying 100%. Barbara first let me welcome you, youve just found what i feel is the best group of people on the web! I strongly feel that most everybody here has nothing but words of wisdom. (worth there weight in gold) I have learned more from these folks than i ever expected to. As for your pup, sounds like you two are destined to be with eachother. I can't say anything that Cholla hasn't said better! Welcome!!!

[cholla]

Fooshuman, thanks for the compliment. I am learning from everybody here so much. What I say I have heard before.I think that you do not do so bad yourself. I am even learning English and how to express myself. Reading about other people's ideas and how they say things is clearing some "fuzzy" thougts I had. We all learn from each other and that is, as Inci just told me, what these boards are all about.

[Evanea]

I know you already realize that the Border Collie is showing its intense instinct to respond to anything that moves. Since the reality of surburban life makes this very instinct a safety issue for your dog when it comes to moving cars, bikes, etc. I would learn a whole lot what else turns your dog on and work on total distraction in set up situations where you know cars will be passing by. Whether you use food (strongly LOVED food) or a toy, I would work on desensitizing my dog to the cars while distracting him with those other items. The cars can become part of the background ultimately if your dog knows that you and sniffing the ground, etc is more important. The firm NO or uh oh will just get his attention for a moment, but then you have to come up with something else for him concentrate on. Some people use a command as well with a well trained dog. If you don't get enough suggestions here, I am sure some of the e-lists may also have some ideas for you.

 

The trainer is really going to train you in training your dog...a resource maybe, but not necessarily the solution.

 

Good luck!

 

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humble at heart...

[Siena & Kathleen]

Siena's a car chaser too. Here's what we've done. Step 1: I got a Gentle Leader head collar. With that collar, she can't pull as hard so it's easier for me to control her when she lunges at cars. Step 2: Whenever a car comes by I give her a command she knows well (like sit) so that she's focused on me instead of the car. It'll be slow going, but little by little you'll gain control. Step 3: Teach a rock solid "stop" command so that when you BC is off leash and a car comes by, you can stop her in her tracks.

 

None of these things will stop your dog from wanting to chase cars, but will give you the control you need to protect her. Good luck.

[cholla]

Siena, that last sentence was perfect! You can not change the instinct of wanting to control something that moves, but you can teach the dog that it can not do it because you say so. As far as head collars for dogs,let's remember that just because they give you phisical control of the dog you still need to teach it. If you only restrain the dog the level of anxiety and frustration will increase. So when you start to control the dog from wanting to chase, walk away and do circles or squares or anything moving. When the dog listens to you, then ask for a sit or someting static.

[Barbara Koblinsky]

Just checking to see my last reply posted or if I did something wrong.

[Barbara Koblinsky]

Well I guess I messed up. Anyway, I had written a nice thank you letter for all of your responses and concern.

 

When I was out with Panda yesterday I practiced ,more strongly, The "leave it" command. I could see a little light bulb going on in her head that she was beginning to understand that if she breaks her concentration on something she receives praise. She has trained me to hear when a car is coming. She turns in that direction and gets down and gives it that "sheepdog stare." I can break her stare at that point now using the "leave it" command. However, when the car is coming by I have to resort to stradling her and holding on to her buckle coller, I then turn her face up to me. But she tenses all up and voices her frustrations. I get some odd looks doing this, but this is what I have found I have to do, as I do not trust the leash from breaking.

I intend to get a clicker and gentle trainer for her, and to seek further training with her. I would love to get her and myself into herding. I think this would be an excellent outlet for her. Thanks again for all your concern. It's nice to talk to people who know where I am coming from. Sometimes I feel bad because I feel I can't control my dog, but as I have talked with fellow BD owners now I know I am not alone.

[Barbara Koblinsky]

I ment to say fellow BC owners. I hate when I do that. Thanks Again

[Jessica & Nash]

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[Frank/Maggie]

We probably all started with a car chaser. In our case, we thought Maggie a good down stay and when a car is coming we give a down. She is to the point that she almost always goes into a down when a car is coming. However I still will not trust her in the city so we walk on a leash. In the country road where we live, the traffic is light and folks slow down when we are walking so we can walk off leash and give the down command. Also we have a good "leave it" command which will work when she is ready to spring into action. Good luck with your training.

 

Frank

[Barbara Koblinsky]

I'm still reading your replies. Thanks for all the help and information.

[judys]

My BC pup was really difficult about chasing cars when I lived in a remote town in northern Canada last year with little traffic. However, having moved back to a city, constant exposure to cars now means they are absolutely no problem for him - he doesn't even look at them.

[SMcNairnTurn]

Boy, I wish constant exposure had cured my oldest of car herding. It's been a long hard road...she's almost 6. I think you need to think of it this way. You're not trying to stop a behavior, or tell her it's "bad", you're trying to tell her when it's acceptable and when it's not. I've used a "don't go anywhere" command...it's just what came out. After finally responding to this command, we solved the bike problem, the jogger problem, and the yard car problem...and MOST of time the leash walking problem. (too big and noisy or idling cars still drive her nuts) You are right...you get trained to listen for cars. You have to be one step ahead, so you can give the command before the behavior even begins...once mine'sin the mode, I know I don't even stand a chance. Interestingly, my pup is better. She drops into a herding stance, but doesn't freak out like the oldest. Rave is pretty true BC...no barking..and gets ticked off at Marengo when she does, and goes crazy on her. So, essentially, the pup might solve the final problem. Most important of all is a good recall and a good down. If Panda ever gets off leash and goes for a car, you're going to need them!!!