Jumping at moving cars/car manners

[Lenie]

Lottie and I figure one behavior out and another one pops up!  Lottie used to ride in a car PERFECTLY. She would lay down in her crate and sleep or sit and watch the scenery. She has been on car rides practically every day since we got her. However, for the last couple car trips, she has been watching for passing cars and then lunging at them (while in her crate).

I definitely want to stop this before she gets in the habit! I'm guessing it's her herding instincts being triggered by the sudden movement of the other cars driving by. I've been trying to hold her attention and reward for focusing on me rather than the passing cars but I don't think that she's catching on to that yet. I'm trying to find a spot by a road where I can park and have cars pass by slowly while rewarding her for calmness and then work our way up to higher speed roads.

Anyone else have their dog try this? What did you do?

[D'Elle]

I don't think this has anything to do with herding instincts. Many dogs of all breeds do this.  Your ides of holding her attention and working up is a good one. However, in the meantime you will probably have to take her somewhere, so do this:

Cover the crate. If she cannot see out she won't see the cars to lunge at them. Then, if you have a passenger in the car who can do so,  uncover one part of the crate. If she lunges,  say "uh-uh" or whatever your noise is that indicates "wrong", and cover it again for 5 minutes. Repeat. She will learn that if she behaves badly she won't get to see out at all.

[Lenie]

On 12/6/2018 at 10:10 AM, D'Elle said:

Cover the crate. If she cannot see out she won't see the cars to lunge at them. Then, if you have a passenger in the car who can do so,  uncover one part of the crate. If she lunges,  say "uh-uh" or whatever your noise is that indicates "wrong", and cover it again for 5 minutes. Repeat. She will learn that if she behaves badly she won't get to see out at all.

That's a really good idea. Thank you!