Leash walking when a car comes on same street?

[waynep]

Rey is a year old and doing really great. One thing I am trying to decide on how to handle is her reaction to cars. We live on a busy road, and there is a parallel street that very no-busy so we cross over and walk on that a lot on the evenings. The only traffic is the few house on that road and they generally drive very slow. When a car comes, Rey gets pretty excited and has to face the car until it passes. If I make her heal while this is happening, she'll constantly spin around to see the car. I can stop and ask her to sit in a heel position and she does well but is focused on the car and will crouch. Months ago sh sprang for the car but I told her no really loud and took my end of the leash the other way and she hit the end of the leash pretty hard and doesn't move towards the cars any longer. But she's very focused on them.

 

In obedience class I asked about her behavior of needing to see everything around her while we are working, helming or whatever. They told me that's their nature and you have to deal with it. Rey is my first BC so I am learning a lot with her.

 

So I see two options handling the cars. Is it best to:

 

1) Stop and have her sit and watch the cars go by?

 

or

 

2) Keep moving, doing my best to keep her with me, heeling, and see if she'll start ignoring the cars?? I doubt that she'll ever ignore them.

 

 

[Bordercentrics]

I once had a foster dog who went nuts whenever anything that moved passed us on a walk. I had great success putting her on a sit-stay when I saw something coming. She did already know "sit" and "Stay" although her owners never generalized the behaviors into her day to day activities. To them these were just obedience exercises. One day I was walking her and spotted the entire high school cross country team coming at us on a training run. You can bet I had her in a "Sit-Stay" when they reached us, and by cracker she did it. There was no lunging toward them! Try it, you'll like it. She will learn self control and you will be happier.

[waynep]

I have been doing that actually. She does it will and know sit & stay very well. Thanks!

[D'Elle]

The important thing is to get that heel or sit or stay really strong in an environment that is NOT distracting, so that when you take her out to distractions it will be easier for her. So practice the sit and stay and even heel a whole lot at home in the living room or back yard.

 

You can also utilize the "Look At That" game you will find int the book "Control Unleashed" which is available at libraries or Amazon. Basically you teach the dog to look at the thing that interests them, but then to look at you instead of continuing to react to the distraction. The distraction, and you saying "Look at that!" becomes a cue to the dog to sit nicely and look at you to get a treat and praise.

[waynep]

Yea we practice heel everyday, both inside and out. I take her to Lowe's and she does well inside the store also. She doesn't like the large carts but she's getting more used to them.

 

 

The important thing is to get that heel or sit or stay really strong in an environment that is NOT distracting, so that when you take her out to distractions it will be easier for her. So practice the sit and stay and even heel a whole lot at home in the living room or back yard.

 

You can also utilize the "Look At That" game you will find int the book "Control Unleashed" which is available at libraries or Amazon. Basically you teach the dog to look at the thing that interests them, but then to look at you instead of continuing to react to the distraction. The distraction, and you saying "Look at that!" becomes a cue to the dog to sit nicely and look at you to get a treat and praise.