Lab help

[Look-A-Like]

I have an eleven old female lab that I have been taking for walks on residential streets since she was 8 weeks old. My problem is when we meet oncoming cars while either walking on the street or sidewalk she goes from heeling by my side to pulling hard on her leash off to the side trying to get as far away from the car as possible. I can’t think of one instance in our hundreds of walks that would cause her to be scared of cars but for some reason she is. When we are in the backyard playing fetch and someone drives up into my driveway she runs to meet who ever is in the car and has no fear at all. Lately I have been making her sit by my side when a car is approaching, talk to her and this helps but I need some suggestions on how this fear can be cured because it takes the fun out of our morning walks. Thanks for the help

Mitch

[pureinsanity]

Is she gun shy?

my gfs dog isn't a hunting dog, he hates loud noises, hates the sight of a gun, and will jump at the thump of a tire hitting a pothole.

Breaking all them is hard work. Perhaps something happened when walking, loud noise, maybe a rock flew out from a tire and hit her and scared her.

Just keep doing what your doing and being positive when a car drives by.

Does she pride on a certain toy? Perhaps giving her positive reinforcement such as a favorite toy to hold while walking might break it?

I have seen a few guys who walk their dogs and give the dog a water bottle to hold on to. The dog walks behind him carrying the water bottle the whole walk. That dog is staying focused and determined during the walk.

Good luck.

[Farmboy1]

Remember what you reinforce. If he is freaking out and you pet him and show reinforcement, you just told him that is good behavior.

I would get him on the leash with choke chain, and get him on heel. Start off in your driveway and walk by the car, walk around it, talk gently but be forceful if needed if he tries to get off heel. A quick tug on the leash when he gets out of line should be all that is needed. Stop once in a while and reinforce his good behavior.

Next walk him down a street without any traffic. Walk by parked cars, put him in a position to succeed. Do both of these things for a few days up to as long as you need so he is comfortable with the cars.

Then take him to a controlled location such as a parking lot and have your wife/friend/neighbor drive a car next to him. If he gets out of line or off heel, give a tug to heel and give the command.

This is going to take time if he really has a deep seated fear of cars, but it will make walks worth it. I would guess that at some point in his life he was hit by a car, maybe even was playing and ran into it.

[Look-A-Like]

Just read my post again and my lab is 11 months old and not scared of another thing and has a bull in a china shop mentality in everything else she does. She loves hunting and guns and has beoome a very good pheasant dog, just has this hang up with cars.

[Surface Tension]

More about what Framboy was saying.

If your changing something every time a car goes by the dog picks up on it.

There is a difference from a dog walking along your side and one that is commanded to heal.

While on heal his whole attention is given to you and nothing else. No sniffing the ground, wandering from you at all, or looking around. If you stop the dog stops, when you start walking he sticks with you. In essence he is anticipating your next move and will adjust.

Use the lead and keep the dog on a tight heel. When the dog breaks his attention from you give a quick snap and the command heal. Always release tension from the lead but be quick to react with the snap and command.

Do this away from distractions at first and then start introducing distractions. Use the command and reinforcement at the first sign the dogs attention is distracted. Note that your anxiety or timidness from you will show, as a pushover and or someone the dog can't/won't trust to be in control. As you move on to cars, same as the other distractions make the correction immediately, as in the second his attention goes from you to the car. If he has already bolted your too late. This is just one exercise in obedience training. Include it on the way to a park, vacant lot, or back yard to work on other exercises.