One of the most serious, and unfortunately most common, problem behaviors among dogs is that of chasing cars. Dogs must be trained as early as possible that chasing cars is not acceptable. That is because dogs that chase cars eventually become dogs that catch cars, and car plus dog always equals big trouble.

There are many reasons that dogs chase cars. For one thing, chasing moving objects is an ingrained, instinctual behavior that can never be completely removed. Chasing behaviors, however can and should be controlled through a combination of good training and supervision.

Some dogs are more apt to chase cars, bikes, joggers, cats and other dogs than are others. Dogs that have a high prey drive, including breeds that have been bred for hunting, are particularly susceptible to the thrill of the chase. Herding breeds are also apt to chase cars, attempt to herd the neighbors children, or express other undesired traits of their breeding.

One reason that many dogs chase cars in particular is that they have learned to associate cars with good time and fun things. Most dogs love to ride in the car, and when they see a car they may try to chase it down for a ride.

No matter what your dog’s motivation for chasing cars, however, it is important to curb this dangerous behavior as quickly as possible. Training the dog not to chase cars starts with teaching the dog the meaning of the “Off” command.  The “Off” command is one of the basic tenets of obedience, and it must be mastered by every dog.

Teaching the dog to stay where he is, even if interesting, exciting things are happening elsewhere, is very important to all aspects of dog training. In the world of professional dog training, this is sometimes referred to as distraction training. Distraction training is very important, and it is applicable to teaching the dog not to chase cars.

Teaching this important lesson is not something you will be able to do on your own. You will need at least one other person – a volunteer who will slowly drive by and tempt your car with his bright, shiny object. You will stand with your dog on his leash as the volunteer drives by. Having the volunteer drive your own car can provide an even greater temptation, since dogs are able to distinguish one car from another. If your car is the one that provides his rides, it is likely to be the most tempting object in the world.

When your friend drives by, either in your car or his, watch your dog’s reaction carefully. If he begins to jump up or move away, repeat the “Off” command and quickly return your dog to the sitting position. If he remains where he is, be sure to give him lavish amounts of praise and perhaps a treat or two.

Repeat this process many times over the course of a few days. Once your dog is reliably remaining seated when your friend drives by, start lengthening the distance between yourself and your dog. A long, retractable leash works great for this process. Slowly lengthen the distance between you and your dog, while still making sure you have control.

Even after your dog is trained to not chase cars, however, it is important to not leave him out off the leash unsupervised. Leaving a dog unattended, except for within a properly and securely fenced in yard, is simply asking for trouble. Dogs are unpredictable, and it is always possible that the chase instinct could kick in at exactly the wrong moment. The best strategy is to confine the dog when you cannot supervise him.

With dogs as with people, some dogs and puppies are naturally more bold and daring than others. When you watch a group of puppies play, it will quickly become apparent which ones are bold and which ones are shy. Some of the puppies will hang back at the edge of the pack, perhaps fearful of angering the stronger dogs, while others will jump right into the fray and start jostling for control.

Working with a shy puppy or dog, or one that is fearful, presents its own special challenges. Of course bold, forceful dogs present challenges of their own, especially with control and leadership issues. Every type of puppy or dog has its own unique personality, and its own unique training challenges as a result.

One important reason to build confidence in a fearful dog is to prevent biting. High fear dogs often become biters to deal with their fear of new situations, and this type of fear response can be dangerous for you and your dog. It is important to teach the puppy or dog that new situations and new people are nothing to fear, and that they are not out to hurt him.

Signs of fear in both puppies and dogs include being afraid of strangers, being leery of new situations, and avoiding certain people or objects. A fearful puppy or dog may also snap or bite, especially when cornered. 

If you recognize signs of fear in your dog or puppy, it is important to act quickly. Fear responses can quickly become ingrained in a dog, and once those fear memories are planted they can be difficult to erase. Properly socializing a young puppy is essential to making sure your dog is not fearful, and will not become a fear biter. Many puppies are raised as only dogs, but even these puppies should be given the opportunity to play with other puppies, and with well socialized older dogs and friendly cats as well. The more novel situations the puppy encounters when he is young, the better he will be able to adapt to new situations as an adult dog.

Adapting to new and changing situations is a vital life skill that every puppy must learn. As you know, the world is constantly changing and adapting, and it is vital that both you and your four legged companion learn to take these changes in stride.

It is important for owners to not inadvertently reinforce or reward shy or fearful behaviors. For instance, when a puppy or dog shows fear, by whining, crying or hiding, it is only natural for the owner to go over and reassure the dog. This type of reassurance, however, can be misinterpreted by the animal as a sign of approval from the pack leader.

When the dog or puppy displays fearful or shy behavior, the best strategy is simply to ignore him. The dog must be able to learn on his own that there is nothing to fear. If left alone, a dog will often start to explore the fearful object on his own, thereby learning that the initial fear reaction was mistaken. The owner must allow the dog to explore things on his own, and not try to coddle or over protect him.

Another reason for fear reactions, particularly in older dogs, is past abuse or lack of proper socialization as puppies. The window for good puppy socialization is relatively short, and once this window has closed it can be difficult to teach a dog how to socialize with dogs and other animals. Likewise, a dog that has been abused probably has all sorts of negative associations, and it is up to a patient owner to work with the dog to replace those fear reactions with more appropriate responses.

When working with an older fearful dog, it is important not to try to rush the socialization and fear abatement process. It is best to simply allow the dog to explore things on his own, even if it means he spends a lot of time hiding from the perceived monster. Trying to force the dog to confront the things he fears will do more harm than good.

It is also important to address already ingrained fear based behaviors, such as biting, snapping and growling, whether they result from past abuse, a lack of socialization or a combination of factors. If the dog is frightened and reacts defensively to strangers, it is important to introduce him slowly. It is important to correct these potentially dangerous behaviors, however, and teach the dog that fear is no excuse for growling, snapping or biting. The best way to do this is to immediately reprimand and correct the dog when he bites, snaps or growls at anyone. 

A family my husband and I are friendly with have a very large dog. And every time we go to their house, the dog hears us coming as we’re driving up the driveway and announces our arrival by barking its fool head off. But last Saturday night when we pulled up to the house, there was complete silence. My husband and exchanged glances as we were walking up to the door, hoping that the dogs hadn’t died since we had last been there. We soon found out that the dog was indeed alive and well, it had just been fitted with a no bark dog collar.

Our friends had received complaints from some of the neighbors about the noise the dog was making in the neighborhood, so rather than give the dog up, or keep it locked in the house, they decided to try out a no bark dog collar first. The idea behind the no bark dog collar is that it attaches at the dog’s vocal chords and gives the dog small shocks to get its attention and keep it from barking. Because it uses a combination of vibration detection and sound detection to indicate when to shock the barking dog, the collar is sophisticated enough to know when another dog is barking, and will not zap your dog by mistake.

I was surprised when I first saw the no bark dog collar in use. Because it was a relatively new device for the dog, he had not yet learned the key lesson of the no bark dog collar: Shut up and you will not be zapped. Every time the dog would start to bark, it would immediately stop and whimper a little. Probably from the shock administered through the collar that was teaching the dog to stop barking. Evidently it takes a little time for the dog to make the correlation, and depending on the intelligence of the specific breed, it could take a little while for it to finally register the relationship between barking and pain. Eventually though, most dogs usually figure it out.

If I had a dog of my own I’m not sure I would fit it with a no bark dog collar. I’m pretty sure dogs are meant to bark, just like people are meant to speak. It is how we communicate. I don’t judge anyone for choosing to use this device, least of all our friends who now have a much quieter house and happier neighbors. I would rather just not have a dog than have to spend time and money trying to get it to surrender its natural instincts.