Chasing Cars

[Top Barks]

Have just caught up with this Caroline and it seems like you have made some real progress, well done!
Mark

[Deb H]

Hi sorry only just caught up with this sounds like you are making real progress with your little man. Reading one of your posts i noticed when you were stood talking with your neighbour and not paying him too much attention he was much better with the cars i wonder if he thinks he is protecting you from them as he is feeling the tension down the lead and when he lunges at them they carry on past and he thinks he has achieved his goal. I may be wrong just a thought.

[suki1964]

Cheers Caroline, I'm off to PAH today, something to do as our elec going off plus I need more dog food,

Good luck returning the harness, and I agree about solving one problem and not wanting to make another worse.
Off for our seperate walks now, Kids just getting their shoes on and they gonna take Jock, I'll watch them go till they get off the road and then take Fern and meet them in the field

Thats a great idea, taking them sperately to the field but still giving them play time together.

No problem returning the harness, apparently they have had a "few" back Well the replacement will have to do for now till I can get something better (still looking at the sporn)

Hi sorry only just caught up with this sounds like you are making real progress with your little man. Reading one of your posts i noticed when you were stood talking with your neighbour and not paying him too much attention he was much better with the cars i wonder if he thinks he is protecting you from them as he is feeling the tension down the lead and when he lunges at them they carry on past and he thinks he has achieved his goal. I may be wrong just a thought.

You may have hit on something there. Today in the lane he done the usual lunge and bark at the cars passing - all but two. One I had seen coming from a long way and had managed to get to a smaller lane so he was well back from the passing car, and then the same car passed us again, coming up behind us. But cos he was the farmer and knew me and knew I have been struggling with Alfie, he came down very slowly and quietly. So both times I must have been pretty relaxed - something to be working on

Hi Caroline,
sorry I managed to miss this too - poor you - what a nightmare.
If I had read this a few days ago I would have said, stop taking him out for a couple of weeks.  You have a huge garden there - so train him in the garden, and play with him - to take away the habit forming thing - and anticipation of chasing cars.... Also would have said stop using extended lead, put him on a harness, and use a double ended lead - one end on harness, one end on collar... Clicker train him in the garden so that when he *hears* a car he looks at you, click and treat..... then stand nearer the road - do the same - then after a few weeks of him being perfect at this, you venture out onto the lane....for like a minute - one car goes past - you succeed, then you go back in.  He will not suffer from no walks for a couple of weeks, it will reduce the stress levels - for you too.

Cheers Penel  

I was thinking myself about not letting him out but I thought that would just make things worse, plus on a purely selfiish point of view, if I didnt have Alfie to walk, Id never leave the house.

I have started back on the clicker. Right now we are working on "please just look my direction" , Im also taking the clicker and treats out to the field, trying my best to get him to look myway when he hears a car (he cant see them from the field, just hears them) - not really having much luck yet but am perservering. Just fished out the long line again and will probably take that out tomorrow with us whilst hes still hungry enough to be treat motivated. Rachel has also reccomended a clicker book as to be honest Im sure Im doing it all wrong even though I was shown last year

What does the double ended lead do?

[Penel]

the double ended lead means you can have control of both harness and collar.... so safety is extra good for starters as you are dealing with cars and roads.
Secondly - as explained to me by Angela Stockdale (canine aggression specialist) at the weekend - you can get the dog to learn that if you relax pressure on one or t'other it means they should relax.... so you should try and always keep the pressure loose on the collar end, controlling him by the harness end - however, when a car comes you can slack off on the harness end, and you will still have hold of him by the collar end - its really hard to explain - but I hope I have explained it ok - of course you can always just use two leads if you prefer too !
Personally I would go for a walk on your own for a few days - give him a break - the anticipation and stress of going out won't be doing either of you any good.

[Top Barks]

I would like to see Angela stockdale, what did you make of her Penel?
I was shown the same technique at the Ttouch seminar I attended with Marie Miller last weekend.
They also reccomended stroking the lead to help make a connection with the dog to which I was quite sceptical but after Marie Demonstrating it on me with the lead round my arm I conceeded that it was a nice feeling and quite soothing and relaxing.
I have tried it on my dogs this week and it's quite relaxing for the handler too.
You just have to remember to breath and keep your body loose.
mark

[PennyB]

Tennis balls have always been by saviour but so far hes even been prepared to drop the ball in his persuit.

Ive spent part of the day with the clicker trying to keep him focussed on me with bits of cheese and the tennis balls - got about 10 mins out of him before he decided he'd had enough cheese, and running off into the corner of the garden with a ball was more rewarding then having it thrown 

Mine would do this sort of thing until they realised that I didn't just have one ball --- I always take at least 3 out with me now. My dog trainer also said that if at 1st this dosen't work then playing with the ball yourself makes you quite interesting as well

[suki1964]

Tennis balls have always been by saviour but so far hes even been prepared to drop the ball in his persuit.

Ive spent part of the day with the clicker trying to keep him focussed on me with bits of cheese and the tennis balls - got about 10 mins out of him before he decided he'd had enough cheese, and running off into the corner of the garden with a ball was more rewarding then having it thrown 

Mine would do this sort of thing until they realised that I didn't just have one ball --- I always take at least 3 out with me now. My dog trainer also said that if at 1st this dosen't work then playing with the ball yourself makes you quite interesting as well

I now need a rucksack with what Im having to carry 

Ive always used two balls, since hes had his removed hes become quite adept at carrying two around in his mouth and is doing his best to fit three

Actually I realised that Ive been so lax of late he has about 10 tennis balls lying around the house and garden so Ive been around and scooped them all up - hopefully this will make them more interesting again.When we lived in London, tennis balls were only ever for play in the park because the house and garden were so small, made them very very "high value" to him.
He still has free access to his other toys though as I really cant get my head around not letting him have toys unless I say so.

Mark, do you mean running your hand up and down the lead as if stroking it?

Ive noticed that hes really quite relaxed wearing the harness.Doesnt fight me putting it on or taking it off nor tried to get it off. Hes walking really well wearing it, just wondering if the "snugness" of it is helping him feel more safe and relaxed? Like swaddling does for babies?

[Penel]

In that case Caroline - a bodywrap will help see here
http://www.crvetcenter.com/bodywrap.htm

Mark - Angela is amazing.  I took all 5 of my dogs to a private workshop she ran last weekend - they were demonstrating pack dynamics for the students on the course.... she is incredibly observant, and her dogs are also amazing.... we are going to her communication classes soon too... if you ever get the chance to see her - wow !

[speedyjaney]

Ive gota double ended lead going for free here if you want it! Also got a small halti harness...didnt take to it for Jessie 

Ill post it on to you if you want!

Janey

[PennyB]

Tennis balls have always been by saviour but so far hes even been prepared to drop the ball in his persuit.

Ive spent part of the day with the clicker trying to keep him focussed on me with bits of cheese and the tennis balls - got about 10 mins out of him before he decided he'd had enough cheese, and running off into the corner of the garden with a ball was more rewarding then having it thrown 

Mine would do this sort of thing until they realised that I didn't just have one ball --- I always take at least 3 out with me now. My dog trainer also said that if at 1st this dosen't work then playing with the ball yourself makes you quite interesting as well

I now need a rucksack with what Im having to carry 

I do

Mine go crazy for the chuckit --- when I 1st just threw balls for them they were so disinterested like 'how pathetic is that mum', but now its 'wow'. Actually its double wow for Roobs as I can only take her out on the more active walks as Wilf's still lame and I've been launcing balls into a tall grass meadow, woodland etc and it becomes cockers dream as she has to really work hard to find them now --- she doesn't just scent the ground but uses the air so she's so energised when she goes out (she'd become so used to having Wilf to compete with on walks and play with and now its just me and her so I had to become more interesting than the black bin bags she knew were being left in the maze of alleys off the park).

[cazza]

I now need a rucksack with what Im having to carry 

Just a thought - but I've taken to using a bum bag that I used to use when going on hol when not wanting to carry a handbag. Easier to get in and out of when walking that a ruck sack, obviously depends how much stuff you are carrying and how far you walking.

I usually have 2 tennis balls, clicker treats whistle treats nappy sacks in it for the normal daily walks. (Whistle round the neck and clicker in the hand)

[suki1964]

Ive gota double ended lead going for free here if you want it! Also got a small halti harness...didnt take to it for Jessie 

Ill post it on to you if you want!

Janey

Thanks for the offer Janey but I think I will pass for now - struggling managing with the lead, clicker and treats all in one hand, I will just get in more of a muddle trying a double end atm

Ok girls, I have rucksack, I have long line, three tennis balls, cuckett, poo bags, clicker, treats, water bottle, water bowl, towel to sit on when Im taking 5 - now I need another pair of hands to help juggle it all 

In that case Caroline - a bodywrap will help see here
http://www.crvetcenter.com/bodywrap.htm

As soon as I get some bandages Im going to give that a try. I have often tried to just lie with him doing the small circular movements on him but he just thinks my hands are there to mouth Never manage to calm him, this may well be worth trying

[Top Barks]

 Caroiline,
I used a body wrap on Bayley at the Ttouch weekend and it helped balance his movements, I also have an  equafleece t shirt for Doug which does seem to make him feel a bit more secure in stressful situations.
The lead stroking I mentioned was just simply running my hands up and down the lead whilst talking softly to my dog.
Had a very calming effect on me doing it and it seemed to rub off on both Doug and Bayley
Mark

[suki1964]

Mark. Im definately going to try the wrap as soon as I get to a shop to get a bandage. Tried with my dressing gown belt but not long enough

I tried with the lead stroking today whilst keeping him sat in the lane - must say he wasnt much impressed - the cow pats were more to his liking Will keep on but maybe choose my times a bit better

More success today, walked nicely up to the farmers jeep and was very calm whilst we chatted AND although he became alert, didnt go ballistic when the farmers wife drove by right up close to us at the same time He also didnt seem to be so intent on  listening for the cars when we were in the field playing and walking home along the road, a scent was more interesting then the 3 cars that passed us so no lunging or barking at all.The past two weeks noting would have destracted him so I feel Im getting somewhere.

[Penel]

Well done Caroline !