Car Chasing

[chubbypup]

Can anyone help? I have a 6 month old male (Metz). He is the cuteist little thing...yet when we go walking everytime a vehicle passes he lunges,aggressivley for it, literally hanging from his harness and lead. I have tried several things such as getting him to sit when a car goes past, as you can imagine on a busy road that can be very tiresome for both him and me. I have also tried clicker training which works with some things but doesnt seem to with this. He has also, recently, started running into the garden and barking at everything and nothing, where as he used to be such a quite chap. Please Help?????

[toomanypaws]

Well, I have a 7mth old that jumps up at my legs to be held if a car goes by. She does great when I walk her at night being it's quiet but I'm still working on daytime w/ her. I think just staying consistent is one answer, pull your pup back to your side w/ a firm "no jump". Cairns definitely have a mind of their own. I've owned labs for years before having a cairn. A lab lives to please his owner while a cairn lives to be pleased by everyone and everything! They can be a handful when training.

As far as barking in the garden, I think that's just being a cairn. If I so much as leave anything out my cairns go crazy barking over it. I had some garbage bags full of clippings that I hadn't moved from the backyard that the cairns barked at. If I leave the rake or shovel out, they'll bark at that. Just leaves blowing in the fall sends them into a whirlwind. I'm just glad mine actually obey me and stop barking when I tell them to.

[wheezie23]

Chubbypup, it seems that 8 months seems to be the month when they start lunging for and chasing cars. I've read this over and over. My Zoe was 8 mos. old when she started doing this. Here is the link to her website: http://hometown.aol.com/wheezer423/index.html

I would tug sharply on her leash, tell her "No jump!" and make her sit until the car passed. I did it everytime. Unfortunately, one day I was standing in my open front doorway when she dashed out after a car that was passing by my house. She was hit and had to be put down. I've been broken hearted since. However, if anything good can come from her tragic death, it would be to let as many cairn owners as possible know how dangerous it is to trust them off leash. They cannot be trusted off leash for any reason when out in the open. I also know that a baby gate would work wonders for keeping them from running out the door when it is open. Obedience training would really help too. Good luck!

[Melanie]

This is how they are. Maxwell (almost 2yrs) can't stand any vehicle driving by the house without thinking he has to chase it down. Thank god we have a fenced in front yard or I can't imagine his fate. Sometimes I wonder though if one day he is going to knock himself out by forgeting he is fenced in. He especially hates our neighbors Harley...it sets him off into an uncontrollable barking fit. He will always always be on a leash or in a fenced yard because I want to keep him around.

Melanie

[chubbypup]

Thanks for your advice guys. Sorry to hear about your loss Wheezie. Zoe is so pretty.

[chubbypup]

Someone has suggested using a 'gentle leader' head collar to stop Metz lunging for cars......................any opinions????