I Just Realized...

MissyBC

MissyBC

Experienced Member
When I practice recall, I tell Missy to sit and wait, then release her with 'okay'. As she runs towards me I tell her "go on!" giving her permission to run ahead of me... then once I feel she's run far enough ahead I call her back with 'okay' and 'come!'

As soon as she hears a car, unless I hear it first, she stares at the road... I tell her 'leave it' or I whistle and she used to stop... hopefully I can get this back. (when I hear the car before she does I call her back and she comes - equalling a JACKPOT!), or if she sees a car coming she stands and waits near the end of her 50' lead and then runs full speed at the side of the road barking (that's when I'm too late in calling her before she gets into chasing mode - oops!)! :eek: If I notice the car before she does I call her back and reward her for coming. :)

I do try my best to keep it under control... where she'll run ahead and before she gets to the end of her 50' lead I call her and she comes most of the time. Usually about 95% of the time :) I keep it fun for her of course! If she doesn't come, I give her a 'bump, bump, bump' on her collar and when she returns to me, I send her off again and try another recall shortly after.

Once we've practiced some obedience: recall, sit, down, wait, okay!, etc. then I bring out the toys and we play fetch as her reward... she'll get the ball but if a car comes and she notices it, she lets the ball go and goes to chase the car... I tell her 'leave it" and "get your ball" and that seems to help to refocus her on the game.

Did I accidentally teach my dog to chase cars without realizing it?
 
southerngirl

southerngirl

Honored Member
No, I don't think you taught your Missy to chase cars. You are simply rewarding her for coming to you instead of the car. And it sounds like you've done a great job teaching her to leave cars, just keep working at it and you'll continue to see progress, though it might be slow.
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
No you haven't taught Missy to chase cars. She sees cars as a herd of sheep, need to be rounded up!:rolleyes: You're doing really well, as Southerngirl says, keep going, it may be slow progress but each little step is one in the right direction.:)(y)
 
MissyBC

MissyBC

Experienced Member
How long do you think it would take, as I do work her recall EVERY day? :D Any idea?

The purpose of the "random recall" is this: the dog needs to beat the 'bump' consistently. Once they are consistently beating the "bump" as I call it, then they are supposedly reliable and ready to be off leash for good no matter the distractions around them! ;)
 
MissyBC

MissyBC

Experienced Member
This is why I think I've taught her to chase cars...

I used to play fetch with her at the park when she was younger (as a pup, up until 15 months old or so), and I still do, after practicing obedience (she's now 2 years old), but felt I didn't want her becoming obsessed with the game. This is my reasoning behind it... I do not want my Missy to be obsessed with fetching toys as the only thing she thinks about...

That's why I think I've taught Missy to chase cars, because I don't play fetch with her until after obedience practice. Do you see where I'm coming from, especially with her being a Border Collie? ;)

I think I can fix this quite easily though (I hope so!). I plan to start playing fetch with her at the park more often and to reteach her to bring the ball back to me, instead of her getting the ball and then dropping it to chase a car. That way her mind will be 100% on the game and not on the cars! :D Good idea?? I'm beaming from ear to ear, 'cause I'm just so excited to try this again! I do know that if I play fetch with her, I need to end the game on my terms, not hers. <3

Maybe I'll be able to have her off leash sooner that way at the park rather than later! :love: I won't be taking her off leash until I am 100% sure she will not chase cars!

Hopefully my plan works!!

She knows every obedience cue, she just needs to stop chasing cars and then she should be good to go!!

Wish me luck!!

Up until about 15 months old, she didn't chase cars, only squirrels.
 
MaryK

MaryK

Honored Member
I always play a little bit with Ra Kismet before 'serious' training, that way he' stimulated and ready to train, so I think it's a very good idea to start playing 'ball/fetch' again with Missy.

All that happened is she re-directed her desire to herd onto the cars, so don't beat up on yourself thinking you taught her to chase cars, as they become the 'prey'.

You could also maybe try frisbees with her as a change from balls.

But going back a step to before she started chasing cars is a very good idea.

As to how long it will take that's not easy to say as every dog is different and will learn something in their time, no matter how hard we work training them, they actually decide how long it will take. Don't forget that in a lot of cases where they say 'your dog will do xxxxxx' very quickly' etc. they're trying to sell you something!

For example as to 'how long' my boy Ra Kismet is a very fast learner, so you would think a simply trick like 'shy' he'd get immediately! Not so, I've spent months and we're still no further advanced with that trick, yet harder tricks he's learned very quickly.

The main thing, which you already know and do, is to stay consistent, patient and positive, it will happen one day!:D
 
MissyBC

MissyBC

Experienced Member
Success!!!! I'm soooo happy right now. :D I was walking Missy down my street and had worked her random sits and downs at every driveway, to keep her on her paws (toes)...

Well... I was walking down my street with her after a session of that at EVERY driveway we passed... a car was coming down the street and she stared at me like "okay mom, where's my treat???". (we were walking in her "let's go" cue)

At the last second as the car went by... she went to run ahead, but couldn't get too far and barked I told her "leave it" and she did (after she barked).

As we walked into our driveway, another car came toward us and I told her to sit. She did but she broke her sit and barked...

But at least I see PROGRESS!!!! :D
 
threenorns

threenorns

Well-Known Member
w00t! that's terrific! border collies seem to come in two flavours: the ones that pick it up really quickly and the ones that refuse to give up their heritage. it was only a couple of days to stop dandy from chasing cars (bec he was seriously going to get killed - we lived on a little country dirt road with a posted speed limit of 60kph so naturally every turbo-charged idiot with a nitrous system had to blast through at mach 3). but that's because that's what we did for three frikkin days! if it were done in sessions, like i train him now, it would have easily been weeks or months.
 
MissyBC

MissyBC

Experienced Member
I took Missy for a walk down our street this afternoon around 5:00 and a car came down the street in the same direction... she didn't even notice!!!; she just kept walking with me. I praised her up like crazy (I didn't have treats... so I just got super excited as if we were playing fetch -- she feeds off my excitement really well).

Cars coming in our direction need more work, but we're working hard so we'll get there!
 
Mr-Remington

Mr-Remington

Experienced Member
MissyBC said:
They sure are!!! :) This week I had planned to work on car desensitization, next week will be door manners, possibly? Not 100% sure yet... we'll see.
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I also need to work with Remi on door manners. :notworthy: I'm dreading it, he barks when people don't show him attention right away. Good luck and keep us updated!
 
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