Do you ever have to apologise to cyclists or runners because their dog won't stop following them? Even worse, what if your dog runs in front of them and the cyclist or runner is injured by the fall (not to mention the injury to your dog). If you notice your dog doing this it is one of the most important corrections required. This is not only considered upsetting to the passerby, but the injuries it could risk are too high.
The following are reasons dogs chase:
1. It is exhilarating.
If your dog is lacking the necessary mental and physical stimulation, they will need another outlet for that pent up energy, likely resulting in them to chase and ignore any attempts to stop him[1]. These dogs see chasing as a game where they try catch and jump at the jogger or bike. The fast motion of the joggers and bikes may trigger the dogs drive to chase. Most dogs may stop if the jogger or bike stops, others may excitedly jump up at them excitedly[2].
2. It stimulates reactivity.
Other dogs may be fearful of or threatened by them and aggressively chase them while barking in order to attempt to scare the jogger or bike away. Some dogs may even try snap at them to keep chasing them away.
3. It reinforces their territorial drive.
If a jogger or bike goes passed their property, they may aggressively chase them away to avoid the risk of them coming onto the dogs property. Because a territorial dog is the same as a fearful dog in that they want to get rid of the jogger or bike, they are likely to bark during the chase and try snapping to scare them off. The territorial dogs would try and protect their safe space and chase away anything that could threaten that space. As the jogger or biker continues to go away, it reinforces the dogs behaviour as they believe their barking and chasing is successful[3].
4. It is an inherent behaviour in dogs.
According to Raymond and Lorna Coppinger, the order of prey behaviour is orient, eye, stalk, chase, grab-bite, kill-bite, dissect. The selective breeding of domestic dogs have significantly reduced the kill-bite and dissecting behaviour[4]. Dogs with higher predatory drive are more likely to chase in order to attack. Luckily, this is one of the more uncommon reasons to chase as dogs do not regularly feel this way about humans. Dogs may exhibit a tensed up body and flat ears if they are chasing due to predatory behaviour[5].
a. Puppies generally start playing games that mimic hunting behaviour at six weeks.
As the puppies grow, their prey drive might increase and they begin to stalk birds, bugs, and other moving creatures. As the puppy reaches five to six months, their confidence rises and they feel motivated to chase larger objects, such as bikes and joggers.
b. Breed is also a large influence on this prey drive.
Chasing/hunting behaviour comes naturally to most dogs, but specific breeds that were bred for this will have higher likelihoods of chasing joggers and bikes. Sighthounds, from Afghan Hounds to Whippets, were bred to chase prey. They have strong senses, including eyesight and awareness, which makes chasing quite easy for them. Although they usually focus on smaller animals, it is not uncommon for them to chase larger fast paced objects. Herding breeds, on the other hand, are much more prone to chasing joggers and bikes as it triggers their innate desire to gather and herd[6].
Then design the programme for one of the above that you believe to be the most prevalent or important.
Most prevalent/Important problem: Chasing joggers and bikes
The most prevalent problem is chasing joggers and bikes. There is a high risk of the dog catching up to them and doing significant harm to the person or themselves. The joggers and bike riders may get a fright and start kicking and hurting your dog in self-defence, not knowing whether a friendly or aggressive dog is chasing them. Dogs that are running loose could also cause further injury to bystanders – if they ran into the road they could cause accidents (specifically car accidents) that could cause severe or fatal injuries[7].
Dogs who chase need to be on a secure, non-retractable leash. Owners may use head halters or front clip harnesses to gain more control over their dog. Head halters are great for redirecting the dog’s head so they can switch their attention away from the distracting jogger or biker, whilst front clip harnesses can turn the dog’s body, but not necessarily their head[8].
The easiest way to prevent dogs from chasing is to teach them to turn their whole body, sit, and redirect their focus onto their owner. Essentially, this is teaching your dog focus impulse control: remaining calm when stimulating things are in their presence and only release when their owner gives the command[9].
Initially practice this in a secure, environment with minimal distractions. Begin with trying to get your dogs attention, as soon as they turn towards you, reward him – when you are confident they will turn at your voice, build in their name into the turn command. Once your dog is willingly turning towards you when you call their name, you can begin to include “sit” after they turns to you when you call their name. Repeat until they automatically turn and sit when they hear their name. Keep rewarding them for sitting until you give them your specific release word, which is commonly known as “ok!” or “yes!”. Begin to practice this in different environments in your home so they do not confine it to one area[10].
Once you are comfortable with the above, ask friends and/or family if they would jog or ride a bike passed them so that they will learn to sit when they see a jogger or bike. Keep your dog on a leash, begin having them slowly pass your dog from far away and when they notice the bike/jogger, request they turn and sit, rewarding them as they continue to sit. You will likely need to treat your dog more often when they sit now that you have added this distraction to their training. If your dog is too distracted, ask your family/friend to increase their distance from you and your dog and pass them slower, then slowly allow them to come closer and pass faster as the dog is able to sit calmly while they pass. You will need to only change one variable at a time so your dog will likely take time to adjust to each variable change. One important variable is also changing the person on the bike or jogging. Your dog should begin to recognise that they must turn and sit when they see any bike or jogger. You may also want to teach your dog not to chase while off leash. Once they have consistently responded to the turn and sit cue with family and friends, remove the leash and go through the stages of this training while they are loose and train them to turn and sit even if they have the ability to run[11].
Once you are confident that your dog has mastered the turn and sit while practicing with friends and family, you can take them out into real-life situations. Take your dog to a large enough open space on leash where joggers and bike riders frequent and keep a distance of about five or six metres from them. When they see a jogger or bike from that distance, cue them to turn and sit, treating them while they continue to sit until the jogger or bike has passed. If your dog reacts and tries to lunge towards them, you will need to increase your distance between them and the jogger/bike. Slowly move forward as your dog continues to respond to your cue, but step back if they seem to be too distracted and then try again[12]. Once you are extremely confident in your dog’s response to your cue and their relaxed state when joggers/bikes pass, start from five to six meters away from the joggers and bikes and begin the same process, but without the leash. It is imperative that if your dog begins to show signs of distress or excitement, they should be put back on the leash immediately and continue on leash until they are relaxed[13]. Never chase your dog when they run after someone, they will see this as a chase and encourage them to run more[14].
If you are a jogger, try and take your dog with you on your runs. Some dogs lose interest in other joggers as the two of you run passed, assisting in the desensitisation of the dogs to the joggers[15].
You could also use training games to make recall more fun so your dog begins to love responding to your call:
- Hot potato: use high value treats and have people call your dog back and forth and treat when they arrive at the caller[16].
- Catch me: start in a safe space, walk with your dog and suddenly turn and run the other way with enthusiastic noises and cue just before they arrive, and then bolt in the other direction and repeat[17].
Find me: hide from your dog once they know recall and call them to find you, praise when they find you.
[1] Wag! Nd. How to Train Your Dog to Stop Chasing Bicycles. Available at: https://wagwalking.com/training/stop-chasing-bicycles (Accessed 20 April 2021) [2] Kathy. 2015. How To Stop Your Dog From Chasing Joggers. Available at: https://www.petswelcome.com/articles/how-to-stop-your-dog-from-chasing-joggers.html (Accessed 20 April 2021) [3] Farricelli, A. 2021. How to Stop a Dog From Chasing Everything. Available at: https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Behavior-How-to-Stop-a-Dog-From-Chasing-Cars-Bikes-Joggers-and-all-the-Alike (Accessed 20 April 2021) [4] Farricelli, A. 2021. How to Stop a Dog From Chasing Everything. Available at: https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Behavior-How-to-Stop-a-Dog-From-Chasing-Cars-Bikes-Joggers-and-all-the-Alike (Accessed 20 April 2021) [5] Kathy. 2015. How To Stop Your Dog From Chasing Joggers. Available at: https://www.petswelcome.com/articles/how-to-stop-your-dog-from-chasing-joggers.html (Accessed 20 April 2021) [6] Lowrey, S. 2019. Why Is My Dog Chasing Everything? Available at: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/advice/why-is-my-dog-chasing-everything/ (Accessed 20 April 2021) [7] Becker, M. 2012. How Can I Get My Dog to Stop Lunging at Cyclists and Runners? Available from: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-can-i-get-my-dog-to-stop-lunging-at-cyclists-and-runners (Accessed 20 April 2021) [8] Becker, M. 2012. How Can I Get My Dog to Stop Lunging at Cyclists and Runners? Available from: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-can-i-get-my-dog-to-stop-lunging-at-cyclists-and-runners (Accessed 20 April 2021) [9] Lowrey, S. 2019. Why Is My Dog Chasing Everything? Available from: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/advice/why-is-my-dog-chasing-everything/ (Accessed 20 April 2021) [10] Becker, M. 2012. How Can I Get My Dog to Stop Lunging at Cyclists and Runners? Available from: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-can-i-get-my-dog-to-stop-lunging-at-cyclists-and-runners (Accessed 20 April 2021) [11] Wag! Nd. How to Train Your Dog to Stop Chasing Bicycles. Available at: https://wagwalking.com/training/stop-chasing-bicycles (Accessed 20 April 2021) [12] Becker, M. 2012. How Can I Get My Dog to Stop Lunging at Cyclists and Runners? Available from: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-can-i-get-my-dog-to-stop-lunging-at-cyclists-and-runners (Accessed 20 April 2021) [13] Wag! Nd. How to Train Your Dog to Stop Chasing Bicycles. Available at: https://wagwalking.com/training/stop-chasing-bicycles (Accessed 20 April 2021) [14] PetAssure. Nd. Helpful Tips to Stop Car-chasing Dogs. Available from: https://www.petassure.com/new-newsletters/helpful-tips-to-stop-car-chasing-dogs/ (Accessed 20 April 2021) [15] Kathy. 2015. How To Stop Your Dog From Chasing Joggers. Available at: https://www.petswelcome.com/articles/how-to-stop-your-dog-from-chasing-joggers.html (Accessed 20 April 2021) [16] Lowrey, S. 2019. Come! Tips For Training A Reliable Recall. Availabe from: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/reliable-recall-train-dogs-to-come-when-called/#:~:text=Trainers%20will%20often%20throw%20around,will%20listen%20to%20your%20cue. (Accessed 20 April 2021) [17] Madson, K. 2021. Reliable Recall: Teach Your Dog to Come When Called. Available from: https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/how-to-teach-your-dog-to-come-when-called (Accessed 20 April 2021)
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