[jshamptonjr]

In short: My dogs like circling around cars (many times less than a foot away from the moving end of the vehicle) and almost getting run over. They don't seem to understand that they could get hurt or die. Can anyone please help me with this? How do I train them to stop?

In long: I have two dogs, both Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. One is around a decade old. The other is three and a half. I live in the country so my dogs often run around our yard and the driveway area freely. We also have visitors coming multiple times a day to our house. When they arrive, they often back in to the driveway (there is not much I can do about this). My genius dogs like circling around the car (many times less than a foot away from the moving end of the vehicle) and almost getting run over. They don't seem to understand that they could get hurt or die. They won't come when I call them and I rarely know when someone is coming over. I believe that there is a good chance that one day they will get hurt or killed if this keeps up and I have no idea on what to do. Can anyone please help me with this? How do I train them to stop? Or can anyone think of another solution?

Thanks.

 

[Shadowfox]

1. Have it posted that people who stop by must call when they get to the driveway. Gives you a chance to either put the dogs in the house or leash them.

2. Start over with training recall and heel and rather than what you have been using, probably "come," use a new word and start from the beginning.

3. Work on teaching impulse control. This can involve things like sit for it, keeping a stay despite distractions like thrown balls or jumping jacks, and introducing and utilizing a flirt pole. If you like, I can link videos to 2 & 3.

 

[JoanneF]

The more they practise this behaviour, the more they will do it. I have two suggestions, one is to fence part of your yard and keep the dogs safe in there, the other is to fit a gate so visitors can't come on to your property before you have the dogs leashed.

To use a training solution, you would first need to teach a rock solid recall, and I do think that is something to work on, but that will take time and you need to keep your dogs safe by managers no the situation in the first place.

I was typing this at the same time as Shadowfox who is clearly faster than me!

 

[storyist]

That's what fences and leashes are for.

 

[Laco]

Freedom to roam, probably feels great to the dogs, but when it can lead to fatal consequences, its your responsibility as the thinking human, to do whatever it takes to protect them, even if it means limiting their freedom. You will not get a 're-do' if the worst happens.

 

[Oscar Mayer]

They won't come when I call them and I rarely know when someone is coming over. I believe that there is a good chance that one day they will get hurt or killed if this keeps up and I have no idea on what to do. Can anyone please help me with this? How do I train them to stop? Or can anyone think of another solution?

First things first. Teach some basic obedience. You can then transfer this over to manage your situation.

obedience requires proofing through corrections once dog knows commands.

 

[Madra Anamchara]

First things first. Teach some basic obedience. You can then transfer this over to manage your situation.

obedience requires proofing through corrections once dog knows commands.

You do not have to use "corrections".
This is a non-aversive forum, and we do not support or encourage the use of "corrections".

More importantly, there are much better ways to train, more humane, more effective, and faster than using aversive corrections. Modern dog trainers know this.

Using aversive "corrections" is a very old fashioned way of approaching dog training. Those methods have been proven to be less effective than positive reinforcement. And with positive reinforcement you have a much better relationship with your dog. Your dog will do what you ask because they want to, because they will be rewarded, and not because they are afraid of what will happen to them if they do not.

 

[Oscar Mayer]

You do not have to use "corrections".
This is a non-aversive forum, and we do not support or encourage the use of "corrections".

More importantly, there are much better ways to train, more humane, more effective, and faster than using aversive corrections. Modern dog trainers know this.

Using aversive "corrections" is a very old fashioned way of approaching dog training. Those methods have been proven to be less effective than positive reinforcement. And with positive reinforcement you have a much better relationship with your dog. Your dog will do what you ask because they want to, because they will be rewarded, and not because they are afraid of what will happen to them if they do not.

you have no idea what you're talking about

 

[LMMB]

you have no idea what you're talking about

@Madra Anamchara is right - this is a non aversive forum, and there are better ways to manage behaviour. If coersive control is what you're referring to, then you are in breach of the rules.

If you are prepared to stick around and learn our methods, then you're welcome to stay, but you cannot advise or inform other OPs on the use of aversives, so if that's your intention, this is not the forum for you.

 

[Oscar Mayer]

@Madra Anamchara is right - this is a non aversive forum, and there are better ways to manage behaviour. If coersive control is what you're referring to, then you are in breach of the rules.

If you are prepared to stick around and learn our methods, then you're welcome to stay, but you cannot advise or inform other OPs on the use of aversives, so if that's your intention, this is not the forum for you.

You people are fukn dumb

 

[JoanneF]

And that’s more than enough rudeness to warrant your departure.