# Car Chasing/Herding - HIT - Border Collie



## Senbo-Okami (Jun 27, 2007)

Alright, so I have an issue with this. My friends dog was recently it trying to heard a car. I'm not sure if it was her car, or another one but they live out in the middle of nowhere and their drive-way is at least a mile long. Along this drive their Border Collie Puppy who is.... 6-7 months old; maybe older has gotten into the habit of trying to race/heard the car as it's leaving. 

Well, today she was hit doing so and she has a broken leg, and can't hold anything down. Wolphi is at the vet currently; but I'm worried about afterwards. Border Collies are stubborn and often continue such behavior after they're healed. I need some tips on training her from not chasing/herding/racing the cars after she's healed.

I tried before this, but obviously failed at it. I just don't know what to do at this point, and my friend can't loose another dog. Not this year.


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

This is very hard to train and dogs that chase cars don't learn even if they've been injured. Some vets report seeing the same dog 4 and 5 times after being hit. The easiest and safest way is to always be on leash or behind a fence. Other optioins are a zip line or a tie down.


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

One way I have heard of that has been successful with _some_ dogs is to have 2 people in the car, one driving and one with a super soaker. As dog comes up to the car, they get blasted in the face with the super soaker. Or you can use something like a citronella spray as well. This of course needs to be done very carefully. And the dog cannot be out to chase cars when it is not going to get sprayed. It needs to get sprayed every single time it goes after a car for a couple of weeks.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Border Collies are notorious for this. They must be supervised and/or restrained. If leashed they need to be taught to lie down when a car passes (this will help later with sheep herding anyway). 

Border Collies are waesome and wonderful dogs. I know several. However they DO have their issues because they were bred to focus and herd sheep. If they are not doing what they were bred for they need a different job. If you don't find one, they will amke one up. Car chasing is often one they make up. 

Now that it is started, you will likely not be able to trust the dog around cars again.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

melgrj7 said:


> One way I have heard of that has been successful with _some_ dogs is to have 2 people in the car, one driving and one with a super soaker. As dog comes up to the car, they get blasted in the face with the super soaker. Or you can use something like a citronella spray as well. This of course needs to be done very carefully. And the dog cannot be out to chase cars when it is not going to get sprayed. It needs to get sprayed every single time it goes after a car for a couple of weeks.


i highly recommend NOT doing this...if the dog has high drive, it would be no different then the ewe/ram turning and hitting it w/ it's head...the dog generally will just become more determined than ever to "move it"

your best bet is to take away the fact that this dog is able to do this "job"....the car cannot leave/be driven away....this will mean having someone to work w/ you....and only allow the dog out w/ cars leaving/coming when the dog can be supervised.....person gets in the car and starts to drive away, dog starts to chase, car stops and stays till you get the dog back under control and called out...just like when herding sheep, he has to learn a "that'll do" command.....you control the drive, not the dog....

like Elana says above, Borders are AWESOME dogs (i have 5 of my own)....they are highly intelligent and (most) highly driven to work.....mine were all taught as pups that the only thing they chase is that which i say (they don't chase bunnies but if i were to tell them to they would do so, etc)....


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## Lonewolfblue (Oct 28, 2007)

Another idea is to walk the BC on a slow street, start working on focus. As the dog gets better, you can progress to a little busier street, keeping the dog on leash and working on his focus, he should have 100% focus on you. Then just keep working on this and go to busier and busier streets til you can walk down a main avenue with the dog on leash walking next to you on a loose leash.

I'm glad my Nell doesn't have this problem, she doesn't chase cars, bikes, skateboards, or anything. She has been starting to get more interested in other dogs, wanting to play and interact with them. But if I have the frisbee in my hands, she has 100% interest in me and the frisbee and nothing else, lol.

Betty on the other hand, does want to chase bikes and attack skateboards, and some vehicles. It's mostly pickup trucks that she chases, has no interest in cars. I think it's because she's seen several dogs in trucks, so she probably sees a truck and thinks, there must be a dog in there, lol.


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## Senbo-Okami (Jun 27, 2007)

The problem with not letting her out unless supervised is she lives in the country where the dog is out 100% of the time. They're not aloud in the house. 

See, I would love to work with her all the time every time someone left however she's not my dog. She's a friends dog and well my friend would be more then happy to follow my training tips I'm afraid her parents/family wouldn't follow through with them.

She's got at LEAST a 4 week recovery time in the house before she'll be let back outside once more, so I've got that time to think about it... 

Do you think I should work with her well I'm here a little? Even though she's hurt and has the cast? I'm over here a lot, it's like my second home... so I'll be able to train her well I'm here, just not... all the time.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

I don't know if training will be able to curb this kind of instinctive drive. Is it possible for a crate, kennel or dog run to be built outside so the dog can be confined while the car is leaving?


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## Senbo-Okami (Jun 27, 2007)

No, there's not. They own 400+ acres of land and the dogs have free roam of all of them. The driveway up to their house is like... 1-2 miles long, and there's a cattle-guard at the end the dogs don't jump.

So, in all reality it's nearly impossible to restrain her /every time/ a car comes or goes. Especially since they work as a foster home.


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

It sounds to me like the dog needs a secure outdoor run if it's an outside working dog, even if the other dogs roam. Even if you work with the dog, how are you going to prevent her from doing it when you're not there? The only thing she'll learn is not to do it with you. She needs to be prevented from chasing the cars 100% of the time, or no amount of training is going to do any good.

EDIT: I am against E-collars in most cases, but you may want to consider this if nothing else works. Help your friend find an experienced trainer who knows EXACTLY how to use this collar and can show her how. If it keeps the dog from getting herself killed, I think it's a god last resort.


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## Senbo-Okami (Jun 27, 2007)

There is no place for her to be chained/caged/locked up. 

I would love to offer the E-Collar to her but we live in such a small town; I don't think we could find one; but I'll get to looking.

Next time I go over there and take pictures to show you guys what I'm talking about; but I'm pretty much at a loss here. I really don't know what to do.


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

That's why they build it, just like they build fences and barns and corrals. There has to be a tractor supply or feed store out there somewhere that has supplies, so if they really want to stop this behavior, they'll go the lengths to get fencing.

And as for the E-collar, the ones that are actually worth your money usually won't be found in stores anyway - you order online (I'm sure there are still pro-e-collar people on here who can advise a good brand).

Are there any trainers at all? Go to http://www.apdt.com/ and type in your zip code to see where the nearest trainers might be. If you manage to find a professional out there, they might have even more ideas and methods to try.


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## Senbo-Okami (Jun 27, 2007)

There is nobody in my zip-code. I'm sure I could find someone in D/FW though; it's only a few hours away. 

I'll bring up the gate thing to them and hope they buy it; if not we're back at square one. -sigh-


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## French Ring (Mar 29, 2008)

Elana55 said:


> Now that it is started, you will likely not be able to trust the dog around cars again.


 Totally, Elisa had an issue with chasing car when she was a year old, but I would never trust her around cars. I don't know what she will do when I am not watching her. I'm guessing she would run after them without me standing. I worked on her car issues for almost three months until I found something better. I went to a flea market a few years ago and found a farmer who needs some help with herding. I took her over to his house and she learned how to herd with commands. She had her HIT title and later on we moved from herding to french ring. I have noticed that she has learned to ignore cars and don't get excited as she used to.


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