Stop Lunging at Cars

A dog who lunges at cars is a danger to himself, his handler, and people on the road. This video looks at how COUNTER-CONDITIONING and OPERANT CONDITIONING can help your dog STOP LUNGING!

[@arielgummer4025]

I used this technique with my puppy. He was a lunger and a car chaser. We worked it hard for about three months and did intermittent reinforcement the next six months. He lost interest in cars and I was able to keep him focused on me during our walks. Now he's so nonreactive to cars that he can be off-leash when they drive by our yard.

[@milenagradisar5732]

You gave me hope with that comment. thx.

[@irimiashpetrina93]

your dog lost his soul

[@alanandjanetpohl4043]

Thank you for this video, David. I have been taught by a trainer in just the way you demonstrate, working with my car-reactive Sheltie. He did beautifully for a month or so. Now he takes the treat from me and proceeds to lunge after the car. So he sees a car, sits and waits for his treat, then lunges, barks and spins....very discouraging. Janet

[@c1nicolei]

Great job. I volunteer with my local animal shelter. Often we see dogs with these behavior habits and this is something we can work on our walks! Easy and it works! Thank you!

[@cjm2005]

I'm going to try this with my rescued border collie. He goes completely mental when a car passes by. I've tried various methods, and came close to this solution, but the way you've presented it, in sequence - it's brilliant. Thumbs up.

[@walshamite]

Beyond this technique, I am impressed by some of the techniques seen here on YT and elsewhere, used to desensitize horses such as mounted police horses. The approach is mainly to make the experience so much a part of the daily experience of the animal as to make it boring. Horse trainers can offer helpful pointers to a ratonal approach to problem behaviours such as this traffic reactivity problem. Horses are highly reactive to threat, but the riot police horse is remarkable. The trainers use the word bombproof.

[@milehighbuff]

That vintage cherry red VW on the street makes me drool

[@dogswitchdog]

great video. I like the way you start with classical and move through operant.

[@CHEECHMUN]

My dog lunges, also when inside my vehicle. He will spot the oncoming car down the road, as it approaches, he runs to the back of my vehicle.

[@ShellieSager]

Hi David. I'm going to try this. Can you tell me how long it takes before we can walk without food? My dog is so determined, that I'm afraid when the food stops, he's going to just lunge away.

[@manuelcosta2115]

My big problem is when I try walking her and a car comes she starts spinning and wanting to chase cars she is a 19 month old female shepherd husky mix very stubborn and full of anxiety

[@paulab1711]

you make it look like it's sooo easy :) How long before you switch from rewarding when the trigger occurs (feeding when car is noticed/ passing by) to operant conditioning (feeding when he looks at you instead of lunging at the car)? Or rather how do you know it's time to switch? and is it a gradual switch? or a clear cut "from now on" kind of thing?

[@maryfadel5772]

Good video but this was a total fail with my dog (Chi/Jack Russell mix). She looked at the approaching car, took the food and still lunged toward the car.

[@CHEECHMUN]

No wonder Pablo is so plump!!!

[@lindaaaron17]

How long did this take? What do you do first for a car lunging dog. Take him up to the car, hold the leash and click and reward? I have an eight month old border collie who hates "some" cars as he reacts to some, but for some reason, he ignores others. Color, size doesn't matter except he has a huge dislike to diesel. Where do you start?

[@susanneboyer2773]

So, when does the treats stop in the training process?

[@amieHERSELF]

Hi David, we have a border collie who lunges at cars. The problem for us is that he finds the cars more interesting than the food. Any suggestions?

[@theonlinedogtrainerreview5747]

great video!!

[@davidthedogtrainer]

Thank you for taking the time to comment!

[@TheMoni77777]

Is there any method to teach my dog watch the cars? I mean when crossing the road without the leash?

[@milenagradisar5732]

I am going to try that tomorrow. Can anyone that left a comment here tell me if it worked, what else they might have tried, what worked best. Thanks.

[@sandy99922]

I have a 220 pound English Mastiff. He lunges at cats and dogs and is not food motivated at all. I have been to 4 trainers and he's perfect when they are around. I only have this problem when we are alone and someone gets too close....like within 30 feet. Then he takes off and nearly rips my arm off. I am a 58 year old woman with osterperosis. Do you have any suggestions?. I think he has a very high prey drive. When he gets to his "target" he only sniffs them and looses interest. Please Help!

[@walshamite]

I know this post is 5 years old, but, I can only wonder why in the world would a women of this age in such poor health select such an unsuitable high powered animal? Same reason young women with vulnerable babies and toddlers select aggressive and unstable bull terriers as the family pet I guess. Do they enjoy the risk, maybe?

[@susanneboyer2773]

Oops. Forgot to add...I am definitely trying this on my 3 month old BC who is already showing signs of car lunging

[@davidthedogtrainer]

@sandy99922 You must build your dog's food drive if you are going to use positive reinforcement with food. Good luck!

[@rrosario7735]

I know thiits content comes 8 years later but what do you use? Praise? I've been telling my ACD to sit. And praising him. It seems to help but he still gives my kids a problem.

[@corgigames5411]

Over a year, I've tried all these things, but he's still really bad- I mean lunging, jumping in the air, growling, spinning and now he's starting to froth in the mouth plus he starts shaking, I've had a personal trainer but nothing seems to work, once he even hears a car he gets in a aggressive position and waits for the car, he doesn't move till the car comes and as I try to get his attention he stands there stiff as a board then spazzes out as it passes, He's a cardigan welsh corgi so it must be partially the herding breed in him but I'd really like to resolve this issue

[@omcdude64]

I have a Border Collie that does the same. I think it's bred into them. It's in their very blood.

[@corgigames5411]

ya, i think its just their instincts telling them to herd! The past 2 months I've been giving him a feed supplement called Zylkene (helps dogs cope with stressful situations or unpredicatble changes) recommened by a trainer and my vets, I know not everyone believes this is the best way to help this issue but I've notice he is much more milder tempered and I've also been able to get more control over him in our outings!

[@deusexmachinawl]

This thing will work only if you are in close proximity and full control. And the dog is interested in the treat, it will not save his life in an emergency situation. Just make him fat in the meanwhile.. E collar could work more effectively but then again it really depends on how determined the dog is. Sometimes the dog behaves for weeks and then he takes a very bad decision. Probably a dog like this will be on the lead for safety most of time

[@Theeverydaydog]

you're too close to the trigger. Start at the distance where your dog will take the treat. Check out B.A.T. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpy7p5aZnMyZaas

[@taylorfesmire407]

I also have an extremely car-reactive 4 y/o Cardigan Welsh Corgi. I’ve tried everything. :(

[@davidthedogtrainer]

@rubyboxerdog Thanks for watching.

[@hugothebear]

And another dog training video where the trainer is using a clicker .... And sorry if I'm missing something but I hear the things clicking away but nobody actually explains what the clicker is doing and the precise point at which they click... many now use a concise "yes" to affirm the moment... How does the clicker achieve that ?

[@peachesmagnolia]

The clicker and a mark word (like the "yes") essentially do the same thing - they mark the moment when the dog does the correct behavior, and signify that a treat is going to follow. In the beginning, these marks won't do anything until you teach the dog what they mean through repetitions of clicking or "yes"ing and giving the dog a treat. What this does is create the association between the noise/word and the food.

[@barbaramyrick7068]

No 36" laws in that state

[@tromboneJTS]

Why are you so close to traffic? Isn't there a need to desensitize first at a distance, and then gradually approach the trigger in a step-wise fashion? This video is misleading.

[@amitypearson6879]

hmm, the dog is clearly overweight, is this from the teaching method? and I am confused, that if the dog has actually "learned" , why after all this training, did he still lunge in the first scene?

[@walshamite]

It's odd how some people like those big, fat ugly dogs. What sort of women do they go for? But yes, the advice is most useful.

[@theoutlander2873]

Can only imagine why the dog is so fat... food "trainers" lol

[@carsonk632]

Wtf why do dogs do this? Instincts

[@threepigs547]

That's all perfect on a leash. Try it without the leash.My dog is an angel, take the leash off and she's totally different.

[@davidthedogtrainer]

Thank you for taking the time to comment!